Elena POV
The forest had always had this eerie kind of beauty, like a place where the air was thick with mystery, and the shadows whispered secrets from an ancient world. But tonight, as I ventured deeper, the trees felt taller, their branches more twisted, like skeletal hands reaching out to grab anyone who got too close.
The full moon hung high above, casting silver beams through the dense canopy, but even that light felt cold and distant, barely cutting through the darkness around me. In the distance, I could hear wolves howling, their voices echoing through the night. Each howl had its own distinct tone, and from the intensity, I could tell the hunting was fierce.
I’d memorized the map Ethan had shown me, the one that guided me through this maze of trees, and I followed it without h
