ELLIE’S POV
The forest smelled of damp pine and wet earth as Jovani and I moved swiftly through the underbrush in the rain. Every footstep was calculated, every sound weighed. I had shifted fully before we left Maela’s hut, letting the wolf guide my senses, and I could feel the strength coiling in my muscles, ready for anything.
“We need allies,” I said, breaking the tense silence between us. My voice was low and measured. “If we’re going to survive whatever Wesley throws at us next, we can’t do it alone.”
Jovani’s jaw tightened. “I’ve already thought about that. There’s one pack. They are neutral, ancient ties to Moonshade. They’ve stayed out of the conflicts, but they remember the old bloodlines.”
I glanced at him. “You mean the Greyfen Pack?”
“Yes,” he said. His eyes were sharp, sc
