***
Ethan’s POV
***
The first light of dawn barely pierced the dense canopy of the forest as I set out once more, determined to follow the scant trail left behind at the crash site. Ryder's disappearance gnawed at me, a constant, painful reminder of my responsibility to my pack. My senses were heightened, every sound and scent scrutinized as I made my way through the underbrush.
As I walked, my thoughts drifted back to Ava. There was something different about her earlier—an intensity in her eyes, a new strength I hadn't seen before. The way she had spoken with such resolve, the fire in her voice, it was as if she had tapped into a well of power I hadn't known she possessed. Could it be the mark I left on her? Did it awaken something deeper within her?
I shook my head, trying to focus
