The night felt different.
Luna noticed it the moment she stepped outside. The air was thicker, heavier, as though the forest itself was holding its breath. A strange tension coiled in her chest, her wolf stirring restlessly beneath her skin.
Something was wrong.
She wrapped her arms around herself, scanning the tree line beyond Silverpine. The shadows seemed deeper than usual, stretching unnaturally between the trunks. Her senses sharpened instinctively, catching every whisper of wind, every distant rustle.
And then she felt it.
A presence.
Not Ethan.
Something darker.
Her heart began to pound.
“Luna.”
Ethan’s voice cut through the silence, low and steady. She turned sharply, relief flooding her as he emerged from the darkness. His presence grounded her instantly, yet there was a
