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Dawnbreak flourished, its heart made fuller with every new child that found warmth beneath its skies, yet there was only one heartbeat Svajonė sought amongst the chorus. From the shelter of the grasses she watched her son move beyond the borders with all the solemn determination only Reid could muster, the corners of her mouth lifting into the smallest, fondest smile. Ah, puiule... He had grown so much. Gone were the uncertain steps of the little boy forever struggling to keep pace with the world. The young wolf before her moved with purpose now, his shoulders lower, his paws quieter, and every lesson ever taught to him was slowly making itself known. Pride swelled within her breast so fiercely it almost eclipsed the instinct urging her to call him back before he wandered too far.

But she did not.

Instead, the mother remained hidden, silent as drifting mist between the stems. Dual toned eyes followed the careful line of his body as he melted into the tall grasses, freezing when the magnificent pheasant lifted its jeweled head. Her own breathing slowed without thought, as though the slightest exhale might betray him. She would not rob him of this moment by hovering over his shoulder. Every hunter earned their confidence one careful stalk, one failed leap, one triumphant catch at a time. If he stumbled, she would be there. If danger came, no force beneath the heavens would reach him before she did. Until then... this was Reid's hunt, not hers.

Warm affection softened every sharp edge within her as she watched him disappear into the sea of green, whispering beneath her breath in Romanian, scarcely louder than the wind itself. Hai, dragul mamei... arată-mi. Come, mama's darling... show me. Whether he returned with feathers clenched proudly between his teeth or only another lesson tucked beneath his heart, she knew she would greet him the same way—with praise, with warmth, and with the quiet certainty that he was becoming every bit the wolf she had always believed he could be.

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