The pack gathering was held in a clearing deep in the forest.
Lyra had never been this far into wolf territory. The trees were old here—ancient, untouched. The air smelled like pine and earth and something wild. She could feel eyes on her from the moment they left the car.
Kael walked beside her. His father, Aldric, led the way.
"They're nervous," Kael said quietly. "Most of them have never seen a vampire up close. Not without fighting."
"I'm nervous too."
"You don't look it."
"That's the vampire thing. We're good at hiding."
The clearing opened before them. Thirty wolves—some in human form, some shifted—waited in a loose circle. Mira was there, standing near the front. Her expression was guarded but not hostile.
Aldric stepped into the center. "This is Lyra Silvanus. Daughter of Cassius Silvanus. She is here under my protection."
A murmur ran through the pack. Lyra kept her posture relaxed. Non-threatening.
"She's a vampire," someone said. A young man with a scarred face—one of the hunters from the lake, she realized. He'd come home.
"Yes," Aldric said. "She is. And she helped restore the old bonds. She helped free us from the Silent Ones' influence. She chose to heal rather than destroy." He paused. "She loves my son."
The silence was heavy. Lyra felt every pair of eyes on her.
Then Mira stepped forward. "I've seen her fight. I've seen her bleed. I've seen her choose Kael over everything—her family, her safety, her kind. If anyone here has a problem with her, they can take it up with me."
Another wolf—older, gray-haired—snorted. "You're defending a vampire, Mira?"
"I'm defending someone who earned it. Same as I would for any of you."
The old wolf looked at Lyra. "You really love the boy?"
"I really do."
He studied her for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly. "Good enough for me."
One by one, the others followed. Not all of them. Some turned away, disappearing into the trees. But most stayed. Most accepted.
Kael's hand found hers. "Welcome to the pack."
"I'm not a wolf."
"You're close enough."