POV: Elara
A tense quiet had settled over the compound in the days since our intensified training began. Even the younger wolves, usually quick to laugh and chatter, had grown serious, their focus unbroken as they went through the relentless drills Dante and I had set for them. Every member of Talon Pack seemed to sense it—the ominous weight of something lurking just beyond the borders, waiting for the right moment to strike.
And that moment came sooner than we’d hoped.
It was late afternoon when a messenger arrived from the border. I was in the Alpha’s house, going over the latest patrol reports, when Lyle burst in, his face pale and eyes wide.
“Alpha,” he gasped, struggling to catch his breath. “There’s… there’s a message. From Silas.”
The words sent a chill through me, but I kept m
