They didn’t make it to pack land.
Kael felt it the moment the territory thinned—when city noise dulled and instinct sharpened, when the world shifted from human rules to older ones. His steps slowed, senses widening, power coiling just beneath the surface.
Elara noticed.
“You’re not alone anymore,” she said quietly.
“No,” Kael agreed. “We aren’t.”
The bond tightened—not alarmed, but alert. A low hum threaded through her veins, warning without panic. She tasted metal at the back of her throat.
Then the night moved.
It wasn’t a sound at first. It was pressure—like the air itself flinched. Shadows thickened unnaturally between the trees lining the road. Kael stopped instantly, one arm extending in front of Elara without touching her.
“Stay behind me,” he said.
She did.
Not shrinking
