le of firewood and the distant rustling of the wind through the trees. Every wolf in t

rled around his skin like unseen tendrils. His golden eyes remained fixed on the

e ground beneath their feet. It wasn't the sound of any ordinary

his muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap. "Azriel," he

d to. The entire pack felt it-the wr

ure stepped int

ight around it. But as it moved, its shape wavered-an unnatural distortion, as if it wasn't bound

ing with something

their wolf forms, their growls filling the tense air. The pack's warrior

lifted a ha

sitated but obeyed. He stepped forward al

, all eyes locked on their Al

instincts screamed at him to stop, but something

he voic

Whis

n from what yo

ine. The words weren't spoken a

kness. It was spea

ide him, her silver-blonde hair glowing under the

er, his brows furr

said, her voice

ickered violently, casting shifting shadows across the clearing. The pack's unease thi

l, his voice low. "We can't j

e. He wasn't reckless, but he ne

ho are you?" His voice was steady, though his fingers twitc

ocked its head

darkness, and yo

he voice echoed through his mind. A flood of images-blurred, disjointed-flashed behind his eyes.

se was

bed his ar

pain. He lifted his gaze back to the creature, forci

The flames around the clearing flared wildly, as if r

nk of an eye, th

he ground, claws raking against his shoulder as they rolled across the dirt. His wolf i

resistance-but not flesh. It was like slicing through thick s

back, its form shifting again, t

nstant, blood dripping from th

d forward, ready to join the fight

ad, as if listen

red, its form wavered-blurring, darke

silence

with adrenaline. His golden eyes scanned the

arply. "What the

stared at the spot where the creat

ly, he str

murmured, more to hi

ew-whatever had come for

it wouldn't jus