Chapter 26 – The Edge of the Hunt
The growls multiplied, echoing through the dense woods like a chorus of death. Elara’s chest tightened, her pulse racing as the crimson eyes drew nearer—circling them, weaving through the shadows like predators savoring the chase.
Kael’s stance shifted instantly, his alpha presence blazing. His shoulders squared, muscles tense beneath his shirt, as a guttural snarl ripped from his throat. The sound made the night itself tremble.
“Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice sharp, edged with command.
But Elara’s feet refused to move backward. Fear clawed at her, but so did something deeper—an instinct. A whisper at the core of her blood urging her not to cower, not to run.
“No,” she whispered back, shaking her head. “I won’t hide while you fight.”
Kael’s g
