Chapter58: The Pup in the Legend

*Leo* The forest rushes past in shades of green, the sunlight cutting through the canopy in slivers. My paws drum the ground in a steady rhythm, swift, sure, and quiet. Every inch of me hums with strength and purpose, but my thoughts drift, caught somewhere between instincts and wonder. Roxy. Her name tugs at me like a thorn caught in my fur. I didn’t expect to meet her. Not in a place like that, and not tucked away in some forgotten tower like a magic spell gone sideways. I sure as hell didn’t expect to care, but I do. I slow my pace near a small hollow, circling once, then drop to the ground and roll deep in the grass, twisting until the scent of earth and moss clings to my coat. I leave it thick, pungent—mine. A breadcrumb trail of crushed grass, scent, fur, and wild magic. I don’t want to forget how to get back. I can’t forget. Her scent is still in my nose—lavender, woodsmoke, fear, and something else. Something old and unclaimed. The kind of scent that changes when a young shifte