Chapter 27 — Wolves Who No Longer Kneel
Midnight draped the forest in a heavy, velvet darkness, broken only by the pale silver of the moon. Lyra led from the front, every step deliberate, every movement calculated. Wolves flanked her, muscles coiled, eyes bright with loyalty—or fear, sharpened into resolve.
Kael walked just behind her, a shadow of lethal power, his silver eyes scanning every movement, every rustle, every breath of wind. His presence anchored her, but it also reminded her of the stakes—Selene was out there, and one wrong move could destroy everything.
The northern ridge lay before them, a scarred battlefield of fallen patrols and broken defenses. Smoke still curled from smoldering trees, scent of blood lingering in the cold air. Lyra’s stomach tightened, baby kicking sha
