The forest held its breath.
Every tree, every shadow, every whispering leaf waited as if aware that the world itself would tilt tonight. The Order’s hunters, disciplined and lethal, fanned across the ravine, encircling the last sanctuary Lena and Eli had claimed. Their magic hummed in waves, tightly coiled, precise, and deadly.
And yet, the hunters were not in control. Not truly.
Lena stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the town beyond, Eli at her side. Her eyes shimmered with gold and silver, pupils dilated, heartbeat synced with the pulse of the land itself. The wolves—wild, free, scarred and enormous—watched from the trees. Not as allies. Not as enemies. But as witnesses.
“You’re ready,” Eli said softly, voice almost lost in the wind. “I don’t need to ask, do I?”
She shook h
