The air felt wrong that morning. Too heavy, like the world had drawn a breath and forgotten to let it go.
I paused halfway across the courtyard, my wolf stirring beneath my ribs. A low hum thrummed through my chest, primal and insistent. Something was off.
I scanned the grounds. Everything looked normal. Students sparred near the training field. Laughter echoed from the fountain. Council banners snapped lazily in the breeze. But my instincts screamed otherwise.
My wolf knew danger when it circled close.
Darius noticed the shift in me before anyone else. He crossed the courtyard with purposeful strides, voice low when he reached me. "You feel it too."
I nodded. "Faint. But close."
His jaw tightened. "Stay here. I'll circle the perimeter."
"Don't treat me like I need protecting."
He
