Such arrangements were not uncommon among powerful pack bloodlines. They were meant to strengthen alliances, preserve stability within the territory, and ensure unity among the wolves who carried the pack’s future.
It had never been meant to force two wolves into a loveless bond—only to guide the paths their lives would take.
Fortunately, what had begun as a promise between families slowly blossomed into something genuine.
Aria and Caleb had grown up within the same territory, training under the same elders and learning the ancient traditions of their kind together.
From a young age, their wolves had always been comfortable around one another. Even before their mate bond awakened, there had been an unspoken pull between them—something deeper than simple friendship.
Their personalities were remarkably alike.
Both were stubborn.
Both fiercely loyal.
Both willing to protect the people they loved with tooth and claw if necessary.
Because of those similarities, affection had grown between them naturally over the years.
By the time they reached adulthood, what had once been nothing more than an agreement between two families had become something far more powerful.
It had become love.