when Lily stepped be

her back filled with things that made sense: a small knife, a bundle of sage, a piece of o

f they'd help, bu

the branches, casting a soft glow on the forest floor. The wind whispered anci

s alrea

back to her. The muscles of his shoulders moved like coiled pow

said softly, no

id I

s eyes glinted, golden and sharp in the

ding his gaze. "I read m

brow fu

other was part of it too." Her voice shook, but not

kened. "Then you unde

ding didn't save her.

nge kind of reverence in his g

ooled like water and the air pulsed with ancient magic. He moved l

g to her. "That's not how this works. You'

want to be a wolf. I

th his finger. "This is a warding circle. Step

g shifted. Her skin tingled. The air grew heavier. Her heartb

said. "Now cl

e

ste

eard nothing bu

ll beneath leaves. Water trickling in the distan

sound like a second he

ser. His face inches from hers. He had

lt it,"

d. "What

It's starti

h. "What happens

"I don't know. I've never seen it happ

hand on his chest. His heart

e whispered. "But I also

s. Warm. Strong. "Th

iffened. His eyes flicked toward

're c

ho

's wo

body we

nt of her. "They're here for us. They've sensed the b

throat. Not quite human. Not

ve to

he satchel tig

he al

altar past the

her sharply.

e there once. Said it

this forest. If we finish the bond there, under

if we

dropped, l

't get a sec