The trail left by the hybrids was easy to follow — trampled underbrush, claw marks on tree trunks, and the faint stench of dark magic lingering in the air. Penelope moved swiftly, her senses on high alert, with Lucian a silent shadow at her side. The closer they got to the Royal Moon Pack, the heavier the air became, thick with an oppressive darkness that made her skin crawl. She clenched her fists, her heart pounding as the realization hit her: Elijah was already on the move.
As they crossed the border into the pack’s territory, the sight that greeted them made her blood run cold. Hybrids — half-wolf, half-something monstrous — prowled the outskirts, their glowing eyes scanning the area. They were guards, stationed to keep anyone from interfering. Penelope’s grip tightened on her dagger,
