Selene woke before the sun. Sleep had been thin, restless. She lay on her

made her skin prickle. Not the usual pack

m, lit only by the faint silver glow slipping through the small win

way his eyes seemed to read her thoughts. That moment when she almost asked hi

o the window, pulling the curtain back. The village lo

aught. It wasn't a wolf. Too tall. The figure stood there for

her door ma

r closest friend. Her voi

Come

aid, cheeks pale. She shut the door fast, l

yra whispered. "Karien, the blacksmith's

mach sank. "

yra's hands twisted the edge of her shawl. "But I hear

llowed har

her head.

he sky was starting to turn pale, the f

she'd felt last night when sh

ian," Lyra said, gl

"He already know

en why hasn't he

dn't have

-

s, armed with spears and bows. Women stayed close to their d

every glance. People didn't trust her here. Not fully. She'd come to this place less than a y

t-less shadow, more presence. His broad shoulders caught the light, his dark ha

heard,"

red her voice.

ent. "You saw something

"A shape. Near the tr

exed. "You shou

sure wha

is voice low. "Next

r and pine from his coat. Her pulse quickened. She wanted to ask if he thoug

meone calle

the older hunters. "Dor

y moving. Selene foll

mall group had gathered. The air smelled of c

e something heavy had been dragged. Beside it,

r into the woods

t. "No one goes in alone," he said

his tone told her this wasn't

-

follow. She wasn't trained for this. But her feet carried h

aving overhead, shutting out most of the light. The air was

now, but Dorian seemed to follow them without effort

e's skin prickled. She kept her eyes on Dorian's back,

e tracks

nd here was firm, covered in roo

make sense," G

makes sense," he said quietly. "If

the stillness. Low. Deep. A growl that

d. The air felt thick, like it

r. Then a shadow mov

Too fast to

d. Garrick ra

sharply. "Don't st

adow s

es in the dark. Pale yellow, fi

his voice low but steady

the shadows

heartbeat,

t fell si

. He turned to the gro

frowne

e left no room

lene caught his ar

rst time, she saw something in

want to kno

-

air felt heavy again, like the day hadn't moved forwar

the image of those eyes. The way they h

ling started again. Lo

w, staring toward the

e moved

enough for her to see t

th

rough the night

ime, it wa

d it, from somewhere