Chapter 13
The estate loomed ahead, its towering silhouette cutting into the night sky like jagged stone. An older manor, its deep stone walls and towering chimneys spoke of power built long before Cole ever walked its halls. Ivy coiled like veins along the façade, winding toward shuttered windows, framing the place with an eerie, ancient beauty. The house had belonged to his family for generations—long before Black Hollow was anything more than a whisper of territory and bloodlines.
Despite its grandeur, there was always a stillness here. A quiet that only those used to secrets, power, and old promises carried. The woods shielded the manor from prying eyes, but the locals knew better than to wander too close. Those foolish enough to ignore the warnings usually didn't return. The hunters
