The wind carried the scent of the forest—earthy, crisp, and laced with the lingering musk of prey. Leaves crunched beneath my boots as I followed Luca deeper into the thick woods, the moon barely cutting through the canopy above. He moved like a predator, each step calculated, muscles tight with the instinct of a hunter. I mirrored his pace, pretending to focus on the hunt when, in reality, I was waiting.
The plan was in motion.
The message from Caius had come that morning, the weight of it pressing against my ribs like a vice. Time is running out. Act soon, or I will act for you. I wasn’t ready for someone else to take control of my revenge. No, this had to be me.
Luca glanced over his shoulder, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. “You’re too quiet,” he observed. “Thinkin
