Chapter 14 – Blood on the Border
The night after her first shift, Elena hardly slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the wolf stirring beneath her skin, restless and eager, as though it had been caged too long and now refused to return quietly to the dark.
She tossed under the thin blankets in the Blackwood estate, listening to the groans of the old house and the faint rhythm of Damien’s pacing in the hall. He hadn’t left her side since the clearing, though he hadn’t said it aloud. She knew it was both protection and watchfulness. Perhaps even doubt.
By dawn, she gave up trying to rest and went to the balcony. The mountains glowed faintly in the rising sun, but there was no peace in them. The forest felt tense, holding its breath. Somewhere out there, Lucian’s wolves lingered,
