The journey went on for hours. The winter forest seemed endless. Starblood wolves padded in silence most of the way, their breath misting in the cold.
Crystal walked beside Ryder. Ethan and Luca trailed just behind, Alia and Thalia close to their mates. No one spoke much after the last rest stop… the weight of where they were going was immense.
At last, Ryder slowed. His nostrils flared.
“We are here,” he said quietly, his voice loud enough for the group to hear.
The Shadow Pack’s borders stood ahead. No grand gates or banners but with a natural barrier… jagged black pines pressing close together, almost choking out the light.
A thin mist curled along the ground, clinging to their ankles. The land itself felt different.
Crystal’s ears twitched. She could hear faint pawsteps moving
