Winter deepened its grip as the month wore on, the valley home now fully roofed and fortified, thick stone walls, reinforced gates, hidden watch posts carved into the surrounding ridges. The five packs had pooled resources: Eric’s mountain wolves brought siege-resistant timber and traps; Aurelian’s pine forest sentinels supplied archers trained in long-range precision; Broderick’s valley hunters contributed scouts who knew every hidden trail; Ethan’s coastal pack delivered salt-preserved provisions and swift messenger boats for the river routes. The central valley became a fortress disguised as a home.
Nancy’s messages came in broken shards, slipping down the fragile blood-bond thread into Cole’s mind. Each transmission was brief, dangerous, and soaked in fear, but together they painted a
