Raven's life takes an unexpected turn when he meets his destined mate at a local high school-she's only eighteen, he's twenty-four. Respecting her need for time, he steps back, vowing to be ready when she is. Over the years, he quietly builds a life in preparation for their future, checking in weekly, imagining the home, the meals, the life they could share. But when he misreads a scene and believes she's moved on, his carefully held composure shatters. In a moment of despair, he drinks and takes a supplement, severing their bond just when she needs him most. Only when she finds him, confused and hurt, can the truth be revealed-that nothing was as it seemed, and their connection, tested and tender, may finally begin.

She left the only home she ever knew. Now she's back-but nothing feels the same. Bryson Taylor and Rowen Gentry were more than just best friends-they were always. Growing up side by side in the rustic outskirts of Bryson City, North Carolina, their days were filled with barefoot summers, creekside secrets, and promises they believed would last forever. But at thirteen, Rowen's world was upended when her father's new job swept her into the chaos of city life. They promised to stay in touch. They meant to. But time, distance, and life got in the way. Now, two years later, Rowen's back-but everything has changed. Her father's job is gone, their city life has vanished, and Bryson... isn't the same boy she left behind. The town feels unfamiliar. The friendship feels like a memory. And Rowen doesn't know where she belongs. Can she find home in a place that doesn't feel like it anymore?