---
The stronghold was quieter at night, but never truly silent. Wolves padded along the walls, their paws soft against stone. Torches burned low, smoke curling like restless spirits. Somewhere in the distance, a howl cut through the darkness — not of warning, but of unease.
Aria lay awake in her chamber, staring at the ceiling. Kael had left hours ago, summoned to deal with patrol routes after the traitor’s execution. His presence lingered in the bond like a storm just beyond the horizon, heavy, oppressive, protective to the point of suffocation.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it: the look in Loran’s eyes, the way the council measured her worth against the pack’s survival. One life for many.
She had almost believed it herself.
A soft knock startled her. She sat up quickly, h
