I avoided Kieran for exactly six hours.
Not because I was afraid.
I was absolutely afraid.
But that wasn't the reason.
The reason was that every time I looked at him, I remembered what Elyra had said.
The soul she was meant to find.
The words had lodged themselves in my brain and refused to leave.
I hated that.
Mostly because my wolf seemed entirely too pleased about it.
By midday, Beaumont was chaos.
Not panicked chaos.
Purposeful chaos.
Warriors moved through the village preparing defenses.
Patrols doubled.
Messengers came and went from the packhouse.
The hunters hadn't arrived.
Yet.
But everyone felt their approach.
Like distant thunder before a storm.
The village was bracing itself.
And somehow...
So was I.
I spent most of the morning helping Mara.
The healer's d
