Hushed Willows cause he can't compete with a man like me

Sivaak watched Sobeille’s movements, her crimson eyes sharp as the smaller wolf scoured the frosted ground. She didn’t speak, but the faint curl of her lip hinted at her thoughts—judgment, maybe, or the faintest sliver of amusement.

When Sobeille finally spoke and bounded ahead, Sivaak snorted, her breath curling like smoke in the cold air. Her massive frame moved after the girl.

As she followed the faint trail Sobeille had uncovered, her gaze remained wary, sweeping the landscape with the precision of a seasoned hunter. Her nose twitched, catching hints of caribou musk mingling with the bitter bite of winter. She didn’t trust the trail yet—not entirely—but she trusted herself to decide if it was worth pursuing.

“Don’t lose it,” Sivaak barked lowly.