Ryker doesn’t wait for further instruction.
He steps forward.
The portal opens like a tear in reality — swirling silver and violet, humming with power. The air bends, the edges shimmering like heat over asphalt. Ryker feels the pull immediately, a force tugging at his chest, at the bond, at everything inside him.
He doesn’t hesitate.
He walks into the light.
The world twists.
The ground disappears.
The air thins.
Sound stretches into a long, distorted hum.
Then everything snaps back into place.
Ryker’s boots hit solid earth.
Cold air slams into his lungs, sharp and biting. The scent of pine, damp soil, and distant wolves fills his senses. The forest around them is dense, shadows layered upon shadows, moonlight barely piercing the canopy.
Kai appears beside him, stumbling once b
