Richard’s POV
I turn the ignition, and we’re about to leave when Torren suddenly appeared at my window. I roll down the glass to speak to him.
“Alpha,” he says, dipping his head, “the bonfire’s already lit. Everyone is asking if you and Lady Emma are coming.”
Shit.
I completely forgot tonight was the last bonfire before winter locks us in. The one where every family from the outer villages comes to the clearing to trade stories, burn the old year’s worries, and howl at the moon together.
Emma looks at me with bright eyes. “Bonfire?”
I grin, already turning the key. “Change of plans, little mate. You’re about to see a real Nightforge tradition.”
Twenty minutes later, we roll into the great clearing. The fire is massive, roaring twenty feet high, sparks spiraling into the black
