[Ava's POV]
Night had fallen with an almost oppressive silence, blanketing the Den in a calm that was anything but peaceful. The house seemed to hold its breath as the moonlight filtered in through the tall windows, casting pale, fractured shadows on the floors and walls.
Ava’s room felt suffocating, the stillness closing in on her as she stared up at the ceiling. The dark, unfamiliar energy inside her had yet to settle, twisting in her chest like a coil, restless and demanding.
She turned on her side, tugging the covers tighter around her, but it didn’t help. Every inch of her skin felt too tight. Her mind raced. Her heart was quickening again, faster now, as if something was calling her. The pressure building inside her, the pull, was undeniable, too strong to ignore.
The bond.
She
