The walk back to the house was silent, but it wasn’t the strained silence of earlier. It was something calmer, more certain. The weight of the night still lingered, but we were moving forward-together. I glanced at Mal as she walked beside me, her golden eyes downcast, her posture wary but no longer defensive. There was something fragile about her in that moment, something that made my chest tighten.
The forest seemed less menacing now, its shadows no longer alive with malice but with quiet energy. Every step we took felt significant, like a tether pulling us closer to understanding each other.
Liam broke the silence first. “You know,” he said, his voice light, “I wasn’t sure you’d stop, Mal. Thought for sure we’d be dragging Logan back in pieces.”
Logan shot him a sidelong glance, his expression unimpressed. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Mal huffed softly, a sound that might have been the ghost of a laugh. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone,” she said again, her voice steadier now. “I just… lost control.”
Liam nodded, his tone shifting to something more serious. “It happens. Especially when emotions run high. That’s when the wolf is strongest-it feeds on what you’re feeling.”
“What were you feeling?” I asked, my curiosity outweighing my hesitation.
Mal’s steps faltered for a moment, but she kept walking. “Anger,” she admitted. “At myself. At all of this.” She gestured vaguely at the forest around us