The summons came just before dusk.
Rowan felt it snap across his awareness like a wire pulled too tight—sharp, urgent, unmistakable. A mindlink flared from the western patrol, panic bleeding through discipline.
Alpha—multiple wolves at the river cut. Not scouts. Fighters.
Rowan was on his feet before the message ended.
Dustin looked up instantly, already feeling the shift in the air. Serena straightened from where she’d been speaking with two warriors near the hearth.
“How many?” Dustin asked.
Rowan’s jaw tightened. “At least five. Possibly more.”
Serena cursed under her breath. “That’s a push.”
“It’s a challenge,” Rowan corrected.
Holly froze halfway across the room, mug still in her hands. The tension rippled through her before Rowan even turned toward her.
“No,” she said softl
