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It was Veyr who overheard the conversation.

He hadn't meant to. He was walking through the southern courtyard when he heard the hushed voices—Lia and her mother, Gaia, standing in the shade behind the dyeing house.

Gaia's grip was tight on Lia's wrist, her voice low and intense. "I told you, Lia. You need to be smart. You think the bond can't break? That it can't be... undone?"

Veyr slowed, but the rest was lost as a breeze carried the words away.

By the time he stepped into sight, Gaia had smoothed her features into sweetness, her smile honeyed. "Veyr, darling," she cooed. "How lovely to see you."

Lia's face remained stone-cold. Her gaze was glass. She said nothing.

Veyr nodded and walked on—but something about that conversation made him uneasy.

Something wasn't right.

They arrived a couple of months before the ceremony—dusty, loud, and unmistakably Hagan's kin.

As was customary among the wolf tribes, younger siblings were often fostered in neighbouring clans for a few years, to strengthen alliances and broaden their learning. Renna, Jorik, and Kastor had been fostered by the Stonefen tribe since they were small. Somehow, despite their frequent visits to Vargrheim, Seren had never met them until now.

Renna was the first to launch herself at Hagan, tackling him in a fierce hug that nearly knocked him backwards. "You still smell like a wet dog," she declared. "I see nothing's changed."

"Glad you missed me," Hagan said dryly, hugging her back.

"Oh, I did. Now I get to ruin your peace all over again."

Behind her trailed the younger brothers—Kastor and Jorik, both with the same wild hair and mischief-glint eyes as Hagan. Jorik immediately launched into a story about being chased by a goat twice his size, while Kastor offered Seren a lumpy, wrinkled wildflower with all the gravity of a formal peace offering.

"You're her," Renna said later, looping an arm through Seren's as if they'd been friends for years. "The mysterious girl with a camera and an attitude. Finally, I get a sister."

Seren flushed, not used to this kind of easy affection. She didn't know them well, but they were kind—and funny—and so very alive. They brought noise and chaos and something that felt, for a moment, like a home she didn't know she'd missed.

Renna winked as they headed into the township square. "We're going to get along dangerously well, you and I. Just wait."

As they strolled toward the township square, Seren caught sight of Lia standing with Garrik and Draken near the training tent, her arms folded, head tilted just so as she laughed at something Garrik said. Her hand lingered a little too long on Hagan's shoulder when he passed by moments later.

All the good feelings evaporated like mist.

Renna noticed.

"Oh, her," Renna said, voice deceptively light. "Still slinking around like a fox in heat."

Seren blinked, startled. "Renna—"

"What?" Renna gave an exaggerated shrug. "I've known Lia since we were little. She always did like to collect boys like brooches—shiny and pinned down. My brother was obviously oblivious, the idiot. He was her favourite."

Seren's expression tensed, but Renna nudged her gently.

"She doesn't get to keep him just because she wore him out first," she said with a crooked smile. "You're the real thing. And she knows it. That's why she looks at you like that."

Seren glanced back toward Lia, who met her eyes for a brief second—face calm, but mouth curved in that faint, smug half-smile.

"She's trying to be clever," Renna murmured. "But I know her kind. Sugar on the outside. Teeth on the inside."

Then louder, brighter, she added, "Come on, future sister of mine. I need to corrupt you with gossip."

And just like that, the tension in Seren's chest loosened again.

Later that day, Seren sat beneath the hawthorn tree with Hagan, their backs pressed against the bark. The sun fell in gold streaks between the branches.