The forest was unnaturally quiet.
The kind of silence that pressed against the skin, as if nature itself was holding its breath.
Evelyn stood at the edge of the clearing where the Moonfire Summit had been held just days ago. Now, it was deserted—cleared and fortified, transformed into a command outpost. The air smelled of damp earth and tension.
The storm was coming.
Not of thunder or rain—but of blood and destiny.
She could feel it in her bones. Aria, her wolf, paced inside her restlessly.
“He’s close,” Aria murmured. “Too close.”
Kade’s scouts had been spotted along the western ridge. The final confrontation was near.
Evelyn turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Ronan emerged from the tree line, his dark cloak fluttering behind him like a shadow come to life. His silver e
