Ellie POV
The forest was endless.
Cold mist clung to the trees, turning everything hazy and ill-defined. I ran through it barefoot, the earth soft and wet beneath my feet, breath coming hard, heart hammering in my chest.
Something was following me.
I could hear it—the steady rhythm of paws on earth, heavy and unhurried. A low growl echoed through the darkness, so deep it seemed to vibrate in my bones.
When I looked over my shoulder, I saw nothing but movement—a blur of gray fur and piercing blue eyes cutting through the mist.
The wolf.
It was enormous, its coat the pale color of ash, eyes burning like frozen fire. Every time I turned, it was closer. My lungs ached. My legs felt weak. I stumbled once, caught myself, and kept running.
But I was slower. So much slower.
I had no wolf.
