The estate was quieter than usual, the air heavy with anticipation as Lily, Eric, and Esme returned from the forest. The pack had been briefed on the potential threat of the creatures, and the heightened alert left an eerie sense of calm, like the silence before a storm.
Lily had hoped for a moment of peace, a brief respite to gather her thoughts, but the magic inside her wouldn’t allow it. It pressed against her, cold and relentless, like a constant whisper in the back of her mind. Every time she thought she had a handle on it, the power would stir again, reminding her that the bond, no matter how strong, was only a temporary solution.
Eric stayed close, his protective energy ever-present, but Lily could sense his unease. He was always watching the edges of the estate, scanning for an
