The runes along the cavern walls flickered again — dimming, brightening, then dimming harder, as if something was draining their power from the outside. The air grew colder, the stone beneath our feet vibrating with a low, ominous hum.
Jayden stepped closer to me, his hand tightening around mine. “Zendrea… something’s wrong.”
Hayden moved in front of me instantly. “The runes shouldn’t flicker like that.”
Kayden’s voice dropped. “He’s adapting.”
Jonah pressed his palm against the cavern wall, eyes glowing faintly. “He’s learning how the caverns work.”
My mother’s breath caught. “The ancient one is older than the first Alpha. He can’t enter, but he can weaken the structure.”
Selena pressed forward, trembling. He is using the veil to drain the caverns.
The cavern trembled again.
A cra
