Hazel's Point of View
I stand frozen for a few heartbeats, my eyes locked on the forest. The sound of paws thundering against the earth fades quickly, swallowed by the dense trees. Drake’s massive dark wolf, Mark’s gray wolf, and Aiden’s sandy coat wolf are gone in seconds, vanishing into the shadows like they were never here.
Only then do I exhale, the tension in my chest loosening just enough for me to speak. I turn to Nicole, who is still watching the treeline with her hands resting protectively over her swollen belly.
“Let’s head back into the pack house,” I say, my voice calmer than I feel. “I will put up a barrier around it, make sure nothing else gets through.”
She meets my gaze, something unspoken passing between us, a shared understanding, and a shared worry. Then she nods her
