"Think on it carefully, lass." Moira's voice followed us out of the cottage, heavy with warning. "The ritual isn't something to be rushed into. Not if ye want to survive it."
Cheerful. Very cheerful.
The walk to the pack house was quiet, filled with the kind of silence that feels like it's waiting for something to break it. Fallen leaves crunched under our feet, the autumn air sharp with the promise of winter, and I tried not to think about how many more walks like this I'd get if the ritual went wrong.
The pack house wasn't what I expected. No gothic mansion or creepy Victorian vibes—just a sprawling modern building that looked like someone had merged a luxury resort with a really nice college dorm. All clean lines and huge windows and what had to be at least four different wings.
"Th
