Kaelin stood on the edge of the Silverwood cliffs, the wind tearing through her hair as the sun cast gold and crimson across the sky. The roar of the sea below, wild and unrelenting, matched the pounding of her heart. Behind her, the camp buzzed with preparations—soldiers sharpening blades, wolves growling low in anticipation, emissaries moving between tents with hurried whispers. The war they had tried to delay was finally upon them.
And she stood at its heart.
Theron appeared beside her, silent but steady. His presence had become her anchor over the past few moons, both a comfort and a challenge. She had once thought mate bonds were chains, but now, she felt their weight in a different way—protective, unyielding, and terrifying in its intensity.
"They've breached the eastern border,"
