The shadow behind the frosted glass didn't move.
Mara's breath caught in her chest. Her hand found Crystal's arm and squeezed hard enough to bruise. Neither of them spoke. The shape stood perfectly still, as if waiting for something, as if listening.
Then it shifted. Once. Twice. And was gone.
"Neighbor," Crystal whispered, but her voice lacked conviction. "Probably just a neighbor passing by."
"At this hour?" Mara shook her head. "Nobody passes by my door at this hour."
They waited in silence, ears straining. The building settled around them with familiar creaks and groans. Down the hall, a toilet flushed. Somewhere above, footsteps crossed a floor, it was ordinary sounds. Human sounds. But Mara's wolf stirred uneasily beneath her skin, sensing something she couldn't name.
"We need
