Thelma's POV
Xavier's hands dropped, and the devastation in his eyes was terrible to observe. But I turned away and kept walking.
The sun was setting when we encountered the ice wraiths.
They materialized from the snow itself, creatures of frozen mist and malice. I counted seven of them, their forms shifting and reforming as they circled our group.
"They feed on emotion," Luna said, her voice tight with fear. "Don't let them touch you."
The wraiths converged, and chaos erupted. Elena screamed as one wrapped around her, its touch pulling something vital from her body. Theo blasted two with his Alpha power, but they reformed instantly. Xavier fought like a demon, but every time a wraith touched him, he staggered, his face going gray.
I watched it all with clinical interest. The wraiths
