Eve’s POV
The walk back to Blackthorn was more draining than the fight itself. The forest was calmer by now, I was certain. Malik walked beside me silently, his hand brushing mine occasionally to remind me I wasn’t alone. I needed that reminder more than ever.
The sun had gone lower, casting the forest in shades of gold. Even though the danger had passed, I could feel the lingering pulse in the air. It was subtle but insidious, like a heartbeat under the soil.
As we walked from the familiar path leading to Blackthorn, I felt a knot form in my stomach. I had expected destruction, wolves injured, territory damaged but what greeted us was… different. The pack was really quiet. It was not the tense hush of the days before, instead it was a silence filled with unease, like they all knew som
