( Kael's POV )
The moment Kael stepped out of the longhouse, the Hollow shifted.
Wolves moved like shadows between the mist and trees, some still carrying the scent of blood and storm from the night before. The fires burned low, more smoke than flame now, curling thin and gray into the pale light. The air itself seemed to hold its breath, heavy with the weight of something waiting just beyond sight.
Aria kept close to Kael as they crossed the clearing, Jarek a pace behind. Her boots squelched against the soaked earth, the ground slick from the storm. She could hear the distant snapping of branches, the low growls of wolves in their skin, patrolling the perimeter. The Hollow had always felt alive, but this was different. The forest wasn’t just alive. It was watching.
Kael’s jaw was set
