CHAPTER 25 — THE HUNT BEGINS
Dawn crept over the village, pale light spilling through mist that hung low over the forest edge. The air smelled damp, sharp, and electric—like the calm before a storm. Selene tightened her coat around her shoulders, voice recorder tucked in her pocket, notebook strapped to her belt. Every nerve screamed alert, but she could barely focus. Her eyes kept drifting to Kael.
He crouched near the tree line, tail flicking, amber eyes scanning the forest with unnerving intensity. The wolf inside him was awake, alert, primed, and ready to strike. Even in his human form, the predatory tension radiated from him, a low hum of danger that no one dared approach.
“You ready?” Selene asked softly. Her hand brushed his, a grounding touch amid the tension.
Kael’s jaw flexed
