Chapter 126

The ocean stretched before us like an endless canvas, the moonlight scattering silver across its surface. Waves lapped gently at the shore, a rhythmic melody that seemed to sync with the rise and fall of our breaths. Jormun’s beach house—modest yet full of character—sat perched on the edge of this idyllic scene, as if the sand and sea themselves had chosen to cradle it.

The faint, salty breeze ruffled my hair, and I pulled my legs up onto the lounge chair, wrapping my arms around them. My fox senses had sharpened in the serenity of this place, every scent, sound, and subtle shift in the air heightened. Yet for once, the acute awareness wasn’t overwhelming—it was grounding. Here, with Jormun, the world quieted just enough to let me be.

“Do you ever miss it?” Jormun’s voice broke the silence, low and smooth like the waves themselves. He was beside me, leaning back with an ease I envied. His silver hair caught the moonlight, making him seem otherworldly—though, of course, h