heartbeat matching the rhythm of her pounding footsteps. Alpha Elias followed close behind, his presence a silent force of authority. The wind howled through the pines, carry

ged from the trees. Selene's breath caught. The wolf was massive, larger than any rogue she had ever seen. Its fur was a deep, smoky gray, streaked with silver markings that almost seemed to glow under the moonlight. Its eyes-piercing and eerily familiar-locked onto hers. For a moment, everything else faded. She knew this wolf. Not by name, not by memory-but by something deeper, something instinctual. The wolf took a slow step forward, and before anyone could react, it shifted. A man now stood before them, tall and lean, his face sharp and angular. His silver-streaked hair was wild, his expression unreadable. He was covered in battle scars, but his stance held no fear. Instead, he smirked. "Hello, Selene," he