Seara walked behind Austin, staring at the man's stiff, rigid back. Every step Austin took exuded an authority that was suffocating to her.
Beside her, Nolan was still trying to lighten the mood with his lighthearted chatter, even though the tension in the air was impossible to hide.
"You know, Seara, this forest is much more boring than the tulip garden at the pack house," Nolan whispered as he jumped over a tree root. "At least there I could pick flowers for you without worrying about getting itchy sap on my hands."
Seara only snorted softly in response. Her attention remained fixed on Austin, who had suddenly stopped in front of a giant tree. Austin crouched down, his long fingers touching the ground, which seemed slightly more concave than the surrounding area.
"Their tracks lead t
