Thalia’s POV
I reached up and grabbed his hand, the rough callouses grounding me in a way my shaking legs couldn’t manage on their own. Alaric’s grip was solid but surprisingly gentle, steadying me against the strength that usually made my knees quake. His dark eyes held mine, sharp and calm in the dim light spilling from the street lamps outside the pack mansion.
“Come with me,” he said, voice low and firm.
“Where?” My voice cracked, betraying the storm of nerves swirling in my chest.
“To someone who knows more about wolf magic than either of us. And who won’t run her mouth to Valerie.”
His name was like a promise, or maybe a warning. Either way, I followed him without hesitation, stepping into the cold night air that bit through my thin jacket.
The path down to the local pack docto
