The clearing was deathly silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves. Klaus stood tall, a predatory smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The shattered vial gleamed in his hand, the moonlight casting eerie shadows across his sharp features.
Aria’s pulse roared in her ears as she took a step back, her instincts screaming at her to run. But there was nowhere to go. Klaus’s pack surrounded the clearing like a noose tightening around their necks.
“Quite the warm welcome,” Klaus drawled, his voice smooth but laced with menace. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me, Ethan.”
“Klaus,” Ethan growled, stepping forward with his sword raised. “You’ve made a mistake coming here.”
Klaus chuckled darkly, his piercing gaze flicking between Ethan, Aria, and Liam. “Oh, I don’t thin
