Chapter Eighteen
The forest was restless that night.
Cold wind moved through the tall pine trees, carrying the sharp scent of snow and something else beneath it—tension.
Lila could feel it the moment she stepped outside the cabin.
The bond between her and Darian had been unusually active all evening. It pulsed beneath her skin like quiet electricity, making her senses sharper, her thoughts restless.
She wrapped her coat tighter around herself.
The moon hung low above the treetops, casting pale light across the snowy ground.
Behind her, the cabin door opened.
Darian stepped out.
“You shouldn’t wander alone,” he said.
Lila didn’t turn immediately.
“I’m not wandering.”
“You left without telling me.”
“You were in a meeting.”
“With my pack.”
She finally faced him.
“And you need
