The clearing was alive with movement, the night pulsing with energy. Shadows lunged from the edges of the forest, their shapes flickering and twisting like smoke in the wind. I stood at the center with Asher, Eryx, and the pack around me, our combined energy forming a protective barrier that shimmered in the silver light of the full moon.
“Stay close!” Asher shouted, his voice steady, his gray eyes scanning the darkness for the next attack. “Don’t let them split us up!”
I gripped his hand, the bond between us thrumming with heat and strength. My heart pounded—not just with fear, but with adrenaline, energy, and determination. I wasn’t going to fail. Not now, not when so much was at stake.
The first shadow lunged at me, jagged and swift. I moved instinctively, stepping to the side, energ
