The camp was alive when Angel and Lucian returned.
Fires burned low, their shadows flickering across the tents while shifters streamed in from the borders, to pledge loyalty to Steel and the new alliance. Wolves, bears, and cats glided like restless spirits through the night. Their voices, low and tense, mingled with the lingering scent of blood and smoke—a brutal reminder that peace here was always fleeting, never meant to last.
Somewhere beyond the circle of light, a lion growled—deep, resonant, claiming the dark.
Lucian’s jaw tightened until his teeth ached, frustration riding the line of his shoulders.
“Ojore,” he spat. “You know he’s in love with you.”
Angel stopped mid-stride, turning to face him. “We are just friends.”
Lucian laughed, sharp and bitter. “Friends don’t look lik
