The second night before the battle should have been quiet.
It wasn’t.
A strange unease hung over the territory like fog, creeping through the forest and settling deep into the bones of every wolf in the pack.
Even the wind sounded restless.
Lila woke suddenly in the middle of the night.
Her heart was racing.
For a moment she didn’t know why.
Then the bond flared.
Sharp.
Urgent.
Darian.
She sat up immediately.
Beside her, Darian had already woken. His body was tense, every muscle alert as he listened to something far beyond the cabin walls.
“You felt that too,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
He didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he stood and moved quickly toward the window.
The forest outside looked calm, but Darian’s instincts said otherwise.
Something was wrong.
V
