Chapter 26

My heart thundered in my chest, the rapid staccato echoing in my ears as my wolf stirred within, emerging from her slumber with a sense of anticipation that bordered on feral. She was elated, practically vibrating with joy to see Max again. The connection between us was palpable, the air crackling with unspoken emotions and an intensity that threatened to consume us both.

    "Isla. I was so worried about you," he murmured, his voice thick with relief as he closed the distance between us. Rough fingers stroked my cheek tenderly, the calloused pads a stark contrast to the gentleness of his touch. I leaned into his palm, savouring the warmth that seemed to seep into my very bones, and offered him a weak smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

    A solitary tear escaped, trailing a glistening path down my cheek, and he brushed it away with the pad of his thumb before pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead. The simple gesture held a world of unspoken rea