The moment the figure vanished into the trees, the world around me seemed to close in, as if every breath I took was heavier than the last. The Elders were here. We were running out of time.
I turned back to the camp, my heart pounding in my chest, but my mind was already racing. Every wolf here had a stake in what was about to unfold. They had followed me this far. Trusted me. And now, I couldn’t turn my back on them.
But Cassian...
His footsteps were heavy behind me, his voice rising in frustration as he caught up to me. “Selene, we don’t have a choice! We have to move. Now. The Elders are here, and if we stay, we’ll be slaughtered.”
I didn’t stop walking. My hands clenched at my sides, the heat of the moment making everything sharper, more urgent. “You’re wrong,” I said, my voice ti
