hadn't slept. Every sound during the night-every snap of a twig, every whisper of wind-had her hear

opening slowly. They glowed faintly in the dim light

said, his voice rough with s

n her shoulders. "Didn't seem like th

. His movements were fluid, more animal than man. "We n

ned at the thought.

tly, kicking dirt over the dying embers of

her. "Great. So we just

eyes with a steady gaze. "W

time to dwell on them. Adrian was already moving, checkin

legs. The events of the previous night had left her shaken

the clearing. "What's the next step? You keep say

It's the heart of the Howlbound's territory,

ned. "The Ridge?

left anything behind-notes, weapons, spells-it'll be th

making her stomach turn. But she couldn't ignore the determinatio

find anything?" she asked,

n said with a grim smile.

The path was uneven, roots and rocks threatening to trip her at every step. Adri

oulder. "The deeper we go, the more

ruggling to keep up. "You m

mindless beasts. They have a hierarchy, a structure. A

k. "An Alpha? So

s the strongest, the most dangerous. If he's set his sights on

n't want to imagine what a creature like

voice cracking. "Why is

part of the legacy. Your bloodline is tied to the Ridge, to

anger flaring. "I'm not som

eyes blazing. "Fight back. Learn what you're cap

ey ignited something inside her-a spa

start," she admitted, her vo

ian said, his tone soften

ention to the side. Adrian's hand shot out, pulling Elena

ouder, and a low gr

rian hissed, hi

fur gleaming in the dim light. It was smaller than

sent shivers down Elena's spine. The wolf pause

grab her knife, but Adrian

"A scout. They'll know we're here

s jaws snapping. Adrian met it

the two creatures collide. Adrian's strength was terr

Adrian was relentless. He pinned it to t

ted, his voice

r knife and rushed forward, plungi

a final, strangled cr

r hands were slick with blood, the reality

his gaze steady. "You

t she forced herself to

an said grimly. "But it

at, the weight of the kill press

dge. The air grew colder, and the trees became gnarled and tw

g," Elena said, her voice

cursed for centuries. It's soaked in blo

ckled. "Feed

"The curse ties them to the land, makes them

rable

a faint smile. "That's wha

iew. At its center stood the ruins of an old sto

er's base," Adrian

her. The answers she'd been searching for were somewhere wit

hing useful," Adrian said, l

ergy that made Elena's skin crawl. She tightened h