~ Seraphina’s POV ~
The forest felt alive around me — not in the gentle, soothing way it used to be when I was a child, running through the Crimson Moon territory, chasing the sound of crickets and the faint glimmer of fireflies.
No, this was different. The trees seemed to breathe, their ancient branches groaning under the weight of secrets too old for even the earth to remember. The cold, damp air clung to my skin, mixing with the sweat that trickled down the back of my neck as I stumbled through the undergrowth.
The mark on my shoulder seared, sending sharp tendrils of heat down my arm, wrapping around my chest like invisible claws.
I bit back a cry, my breath coming in ragged gasps. “Alaric…”
His hand was tight around mine as he pulled me along, his face a storm of anger and focus
