The night air was cool as Marcus and Alina made their way through the dense woods, his hand firmly holding hers. Alina could feel the slight tremble in her fingers, her excitement and nervousness intertwining as they approached the pack quarters.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to meet your pack family," Alina whispered, her voice betraying a mix of anticipation and fear. "What if they don't like me?"
Marcus squeezed her hand reassuringly. "They will love you, Alina. There's nothing about you not to love," he said with a warm smile that made her heart flutter.
As they neared the hidden entrance to the pack quarters, the trees parted, revealing a large clearing shrouded in shadows. It was early, just past 2:30 in the morning, and the entire area seemed to be asleep. Alina's breath caught in her throat as she took in the eerie silence.
"It's so quiet," she murmured, her grip on Marcus's hand tightening. "Is everyone asleep?"
