The black wolf emerged from the thicket, his massive form outlined against the dim glow of the waning moon. His eyes blazed like embers, his stance taut, claws digging into the damp soil, ready to strike. Clarisa growled inside me, my silver fur bristling, every muscle coiled for battle.
Behind me, my parents hid behind an oak, their frightened gasps barely audible — but I didn’t move. My fangs gleamed, my breath steady, my pulse pounding. The air was thick with danger, the forest holding its breath. Then, in the haze of tension, recognition struck like lightning.
That onyx fur… that aura of grief and restrained fury.
Caleb.
“Caleb?” I growled, my voice rough, low, but steady.
The black wolf tilted his head, his eyes narrowing. For a moment, I thought he would attack — but then his po
