Chapter 42:
DARKNESS WITHIN
The air inside the pack residence felt heavier after we got back from the cliffs. We’d won the conflict, but it didn’t feel like a victory. The Shadowborn had been weakened, however they weren’t damaged. Their chief had escaped yet again, and their phrases still echoed in my thoughts: The Heart is already mine.
Ethan stayed near me, his protectiveness greater than ever. I should see the concern etched into his face, though he tried to cover it from the others. The pack Wished their Alpha robust and consistent, and Ethan gave them that, even as the weight of the conflict bore down on him.
That night, because the pack Settled into an uneasy calm, I found myself drawn to the clearing in which the Heart of the Moon’s power became strongest. The moon hung
