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CHAPTER 495
~Crystal's POV~
The late afternoon sun dipped low behind the tall trees surrounding the pack's central training field, casting long golden shadows across the sparring ring.
I stood on the porch of the administration building, clipboard in hand, checking off the last few equipment orders and troop assignments.
My wolf was restless, pacing inside me like she sensed something was about to shift.
And she wasn't wrong.
"Hey."
I turned at the familiar voice and there he was. Ryland. Dressed down in a dark fitted tee and jeans, his usual crisp demeanor softened by a hint of something more—maybe nerves. Maybe hope.
"You're early," I said, smiling.
He shrugged with that easy confidence of his, though his eyes were watching me closely. "Didn't want to risk being late. You might've changed your mind."
"I almost did." I raised a brow playfully, stepping off the porch. "But only because I thought you'd show up in a suit and ruin the mood."
