Chapter 268

• Riley’s POV
• I walked side by side with Lucien along the quiet street, the night air cool against my skin. Mia had already been sent home by the driver, and for once I allowed myself the luxury of breathing freely, of pretending that I could simply be a she-wolf taking a stroll rather than someone whose world had been torn apart.
• Neither of us spoke, yet the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It lingered between us like the soft brush of fur against fur, steady and grounding. We walked until the road carried us to a bridge, and there my steps faltered.