CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The forest seems to hold its breath as I race through it, my paws thundering against the damp earth. I can't outrun my own confusion, but at least I can try to find answers. Shifting back into my human form, a shiver runs down my spine, not from the cold but from the anxiety that coils tight in my chest. I need Jones. I need his wisdom. He's seen more seasons and survived more pack wars than any of us.
"Jones!" My voice comes out stronger than I feel, echoing between the towering pines of the West Mountains.
He emerges like a shadow, his graying fur giving way to the lines of age on his face as he shifts. "Ava," he greets me with a nod, his eyes a well of knowledge and understanding. "What troubles you?"
My heart is pounding so hard I'm afraid it'll burst out of my
