The message arrived three days later, left in the same deliberate manner as the warning stone, though this time there was no ambiguity in what it wanted to say.
Toby brought it to the pack house at dawn, his face pale, and set a sealed envelope on the table in front of Callum without a word. Inside was a single sheet of paper, the handwriting precise and unhurried in a way that felt almost more unsettling than if it had been scrawled in haste.
We know about the ceremony. We know what completing this bond means for the pattern we've maintained for generations. You have one chance to reconsider before we act. Cancel the ceremony, reject the bond permanently, and Thornevale remains untouched. Proceed, and we will not wait for the mate to weaken naturally. We will take what we need by force.
