Night draped the forest like a dark velvet curtain, and the stars above seemed cold and distant. The air was heavy, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine, but beneath it, something sharper pulsed — an unnatural tension that raised the hackles of every wolf standing guard.
Bane crouched at the northern ridge, ears twitching, muscles coiled like springs. The telepathic mindlink between the patrols was alive tonight: quick flashes of thoughts, warnings, and confirmation signals racing through the network.
All clear, north ridge.
Eyes on the treeline. Movement minimal.
Wait—something’s off.
Bree stirred within Crystal, silent and tense. They’re close. Too close. Something’s not right.
Crystal shifted beside Dustin, barely making a sound. Her senses stretched through the land, connect
