The clearing stood frozen beneath the moon's unforgiving gaze.
Smoke curled through air so cold it burned the lungs, carrying with it the acrid stench of scorched earth and something else—something ancient and wrong that made every wolf's instincts scream danger. Blood soaked into the dirt, dark pools reflecting silver moonlight like scattered mirrors. The trees surrounding the battlefield had gone utterly silent, as if the forest itself held its breath.
And in the center of it all, wreathed in shadows that moved against the wind—
The Veilborn smiled.
"The bonded blood has awakened."
The creature's voice layered over itself in impossible harmonics, each word echoing from multiple throats that didn't exist. The sound crawled across skin like ice water, raising hackles and sending primi
