That night, the estate came alive with howls. Not the soft, cinematic kind. These were raw, unrestrained, ancient like a thousand voices splitting the sky. The sound rolled down the mountain like thunder, rattling the glass panes and crawling under my skin.
From my room, I could see the fires still burning far below, glowing circles scattered through the trees. The wolves had disappeared into the forest, but their presence lingered in the air. I pressed my palm against the window. The glass was cold, but underneath, the bond pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat I couldn’t escape.
Every instinct said to stay put. To lock the doors, do what he said, pretend I didn’t feel the pull dragging me closer to the sound. But pretending had never been my strong suit. I slipped out onto the balcony. Th
