The moment Ellie stepped into the forest, a primal energy surged through her veins. Muscles rippled and bones shifted as she embraced her wolf form, her senses sharpening to a razor's edge. The transformation was swift, leaving her on four paws, her fur bristling in the cold air.
Ellie's nose twitched, Nick's scent stronger now. Pine needles crunched beneath her paws as she loped forward, urgency driving her deeper into the shadowy woods. The forest seemed to hold its breath, an eerie silence broken only by the occasional snap of a twig.
Nick, where are you? She projected the thought, hoping their mate bond would carry it to him. No response came.
A flicker of movement caught her eye. Ellie froze, hackles rising. A raven watched her from a gnarled branch, its beady eyes unnervingly inte
