Barefoot Confessions and a Tutor's Bold Directive

"No, I didn't know we were bonded," I admitted to Silas, watching his face fall slightly. "I mean, I knew we had sex, obviously, but I didn't realize that automatically meant... bonding."

We were trailing behind the others as we continued our nature walk through the forest. The ground beneath my bare feet felt surprisingly good – cool moss, soft earth, the occasional pine needle tickling my toes. Rowan had insisted we all remove our shoes for this exercise, claiming it would help us connect better with our wolves.

So far, my wolf remained stubbornly silent. I was making sure of that.

"It's not automatic," Silas explained quietly. "But with mates, the first time usually seals it. I could feel it happen – this click inside, like a puzzle piece fitting into place." He looked at me searchingly. "You really didn't feel anything different?"