The attack came at midnight.
Elena was curled against Luke’s chest in the cabin when the first howl shattered the night — sharp, aggressive, and far too close.
Luke was on his feet in an instant, body already shifting. Fur rippled over his skin as bones cracked and reformed. “Stay here!” he growled, voice distorted by the change.
But Elena’s wolf surged forward, refusing to hide. “No,” she said, already pulling off her clothes. “I fight with you.”
Luke’s massive black wolf looked back at her, amber eyes flashing with a mix of pride and fierce protectiveness. He gave a single nod, then burst through the door.
Elena shifted faster than ever before. Pain was brief, almost secondary now. Her wolf form — sleek, powerful, with rich brown-black fur — landed on all fours and raced after him i
