His powerful wolf, Storm, fell into step behind me, a dark shadow keeping pace. I could feel his presence at my back — protective, steady, and far too familiar.
The forest blurred around us as we raced toward the children. My heart pounded with a mixture of terror and fragile hope. The muffled pulses of fear from Caius, Noah, Lyra, and Maria were still there… but they felt a little closer now.
I just prayed we wouldn’t be too late.
We reached the edge of the abandoned warehouse complex faster than I expected. The place was a decaying sprawl of rusted metal and broken concrete, half-swallowed by overgrown vines and shadows. The air felt thick with dark magic — heavy, just like the veil smothering my bond with the children.
I slowed, paws silent on the damp ground, and shifted back to hu
