Twilight draped the forest in a muted glow, painting the clearing in silver and shadow. Isabelle’s boots crunched over dry leaves, each step purposeful, each breath measured. She paused mid-stride, nose twitching—not from the pine and damp earth—but from the sudden surge of power that pulled her forward. Her pulse quickened. That pull… that magnetic, undeniable tug. Her Luna was here. Somewhere close. And then she saw her. Not yet fully aware, not yet awakened. A figure kneeling near the stream, hands gently hovering over a wounded fox, eyes soft but sharp. Isabelle felt her chest tighten. That energy—familiar, wild, unclaimed—it was hers. Before she could step forward, a familiar, cold voice sliced through the clearing.“Isabelle.” She stiffened, eyes narrowing. Lydia Branwell stood there, posture perfect, gaze unreadable, a wisp of the old Alpha confidence still lingering. Isabelle’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” Isabelle said, voice calm, but hard. Lydia tilted her head, lips curling into a ghost of a smile. “You’ve found her, haven’t you?” Her gaze flicked toward the figure by the stream. “Your mate. The one who doesn’t even know she’s a wolf yet.” Isabelle’s eyes followed hers. Her chest ached with a mix of longing and frustration. Daisy—her Luna—unclaimed by the forest, unawakened. And yet, everything in her instinct screamed: this is the one. “She hasn’t shifted,” Lydia continued, stepping closer, voice low and knowing. “Not yet. The forest hasn’t decided if she’s ready. You… you’ll have to be patient. If you can.” Isabelle’s hands clenched at her sides, nails biting into her palms. Patience was not her strong suit—especially when her Luna was so close, and yet, so out of reach.“She’s mine,” Isabelle said, more to herself than to Lydia, her voice carrying the weight of inevitability. “And I will be here when she awakens.”Lydia’s gaze softened briefly—a flicker of the history they shared, of battles fought and love lost. Then, as quickly, it hardened again. “Careful, Isabelle. The forest has a way of testing even the strongest Alphas. Don’t underestimate what she will become… or what it will cost to protect her.”Isabelle’s eyes burned with a mixture of resolve and something unspoken, a promise forming in the space between heartbeats.Isabelle exhaled slowly. This was only the beginning.The Alpha’s lips curved slightly. “I know,” Isabelle said, voice low, steady. “And I’ve been waiting for you.”“Yes.” Isabelle stepped closer, careful, deliberate, as if giving Daisy space while still closing the gap between them. “I’ve felt you since the first moment I entered the forest this morning. You’re my Luna. That… doesn’t change, even if your wolf hasn’t awakened yet.”Isabelle’s eyes softened, a rare tenderness breaking through the Alpha’s usual intensity. “It’s not about readiness,” she said gently. “It’s about connection. The bond exists whether you can shift or not. And I’ll help you find it—step by step.”Isabelle’s smile was small, almost imperceptible, but full of certainty. “Then we’ll learn together.”