Chapter 217

Freya's POV It was after nine when Luna Victoria finally waved a hand, signaling it was time for everyone to retire upstairs. I guided Isabella to her bathroom for her evening routine, my movements mechanical as I helped her bathe and blow-dried her hair afterward. The soft hum of the dryer filled the silence between us—silence that had become increasingly common. As I ran the brush through her damp locks, I caught Isabella watching me through the mirror, her expression thoughtful, almost concerned. "What is it?" I asked, our eyes meeting in the reflection. She quickly shook her head. "Nothing." Perhaps I was imagining things, or maybe she simply noticed my recent quietness. There was a time when bath time meant stories and chatter about her day, questions about mine. When had that stopped? When had I stopped trying? Once her hair was dry, Isabella rolled across her bed with childish abandon, then looked up at me. "Mom, are you sleeping in here with me tonight?" I paused, my wolf Selen