"Good luck, Elliot!" Nigel's voice cut across the yard, his raised fist a clear signal of support that carried the weight of a challenge between males aware of their standing within the pack.
Elliot acknowledged him with a faint, controlled nod, his presence steady and dominant in a way that didn't need words to assert itself.
I was focused on helping Jared secure his seatbelt, guiding him with practiced ease, so I didn't catch the silent exchange between the two cousins. Only a subtle shift in the air hinted at something unspoken, a quiet tension that lingered between them like competing instincts.
Elliot took the passenger seat while I settled in the back with Jared, appreciating the space as the car moved forward. The atmosphere inside felt calm on the surface, yet beneath it, there was a constant awareness—subtle, instinctive, like being within proximity of strong pack members whose energies naturally overlapped.
