Ellie moved through the dense forest with deliberate steps, her breath visible in the cold night air. The moon hung high above, its silver light filtering through the skeletal branches and illuminating her path. Every sound seemed amplified in the stillness—the crunch of snow beneath her boots, the rustle of leaves swayed by the breeze.
She stayed in her human form, her wolf instincts urging her to shift, but she resisted. She didn’t want to frighten Nick, not tonight. This was her chance to make him see the truth of their bond, to change his mind. Kida was restless, pacing within her mind.
"We shouldn’t be in this form," Kida growled. "It’s too dangerous out here."
"I won’t scare him away," Ellie thought back firmly. "We need to show him trust, not fear."
The cabin was close, she coul
