VANESSA'S POV
The first location was a place of old power. A clearing where the oldest tree in the territory stood, its gnarled roots digging deep into the heart of the land. It was a nexus point, Sage Nolan explained, where the pack's energy naturally gathered and flowed. A perfect anchor for our first line of defense.
The journey there was silent, tense. Kael and two of his most stoic warriors flanked Nolan and me, their eyes scanning the dappled shadows of the forest for threats both seen and unseen. The air itself felt charged, as if the woods were holding their breath. I clutched the charged moonstone shard in my palm, its gentle hum a constant, reassuring presence against my skin.
We reached the clearing. The ancient oak stood in the center, a silent, wise sentinel. Its branches s
