CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
My heart pounds in my chest, the rhythm matching the hurried pace of my boots against the forest floor. The trees blur past me as I race back to the village, their leaves whispering warnings with every gust of wind. My mind reels with the urgency of our situation—a rogue attack could ravage our home, and we must be prepared.
I burst through the edge of the woods, my dark brown hair whipping wildly around my face, and I don't stop running until I reach the center of the village where my pack is gathering. The air is charged with tension, thick with the scent of fear and determination. I scan the crowd quickly, noting the wide eyes and bared teeth of my packmates as I push my way to the front.
"Listen up," I call out, and a hush falls over the group like a blanket of
