Aria's pulse pounded in her ears as the wind carried an all-too-familiar scent into the night air. A scent she hadn't encountered in years, one that had haunted her nightmares long before she knew what true fear was. The scent of cedar and blood—ancient, primal, and unmistakable.
"No," she whispered, stepping back instinctively.
Ethan was at her side in an instant, his grip firm on her wrist. "What is it?"
Aria’s lips parted, but before she could form the words, the sky above them rippled with unnatural energy. The moon, once luminous and comforting, dimmed under an ominous shadow. Then, like a whisper cutting through a storm, a deep, velvety voice slithered into the night.
"Did you miss me, little wolf?"
The air grew thick with tension, and Aria felt her heart lurch. She turned, and
