e sky, but the full moon broke through in places, casting silver bars across the earth. Every shadow grew lo

f steaming herbal brew in her hands, t

l fear. Not li

hreat. But tonight, tonight, something called to her through the dark.

n and the low fence, the edge of the woods loomed like a sleeping beast. A breeze stirred the wil

mething else, too,

down slowly, ever

rees, some

ll, broad, clothed in a long tunic torn down one side, but he staggered, gripping hi

ed him. Not a

before she could th

m, and what happened nex

Bones cracked, reshaped. Fur sprouted along his shoulders, down his spine, across his hands. Hi

werewolf knelt whe

just any

i

eaks rippling across his shoulders. Golden eyes

oked

didn'

tension coiled in every line of his body. Not the tension of

gan to glow faintly once more, respo

owed, not in hostili

round the wooden mug she'd left on the po

" she said so

mug of water. Her hand extended just far enough to brid

lf stared

ly it was almost reve

ant for tearing and hu

r. The contact wasn't rough it was gentle, questioning. His palm cuppe

n her chest. They stood there in silence under the stars,

g tunic, she glimpsed a pendant: a simple circle etched with a crescent mo

e wind

d wolves, full-formed, black and gray, with pierc

f turned his

he garden, hackles raised. One snar

arn

versation happening in glances and body language. The way the gray w

wolf did not m

ed back

red, "Go. B

ped in front of her, placing his

throat. Not feral, but

licking with reluctance. The black one snarled once more,

a. For one more breath, he just l

rning gold. Ancie

ed after them, his form d

warm in her hand. Her fingers tingled where he had tou

, she coul

atterns across the ceiling. Her fingers curled unconsciously around the small pendan

the look in

Restraint. And something t

ng

riosity, but of recognition. Like remember

at pen

neven script, described the Moonmarked werewolves of the old clans who bore symbols of the moon goddess. Sacred wo

ld ink. "A hunter between worlds. Feared by man. Revered

etched in the margin: a circle

that hung aro

ays p

double shifts at the edge of the village. Lina had

him, di

ut the look in her e

collecting nightbloom herbs, a new sound reached her ears:

ed to th

tched her

ew he was

in her life, she no l