and Silas returned to the cabin as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dense trees. Exhaustio

t still clung to her. Silas leaned against the wall, his golden eyes unreadable as he watched her. His

she poured steaming tea into two chipped mugs. She

Kael may be gone, but his followers won't stop. The

hearing it aloud made the weight of the situation settle even hea

just their leader he was their symbol of strength. His dea

s from him, her gaze ste

he forest, a place tied to the wolves' connection to the land. It's called the Heart of t

the Forest?"

trength, their bond to the wild. It's sacred to us, but it's also vulnera

n we can't let that happen.

eart is hidden, even from most of the pack. Only t

rora asked, h

journey will be dangerous. The forest will test us. And onc

avering. "Then we go. Whatever

d parts of the forest. Aurora followed closely, her hand resting on the knife strapped to her belt. Th

winding and narrowing in ways that defied logic. Aurora could feel the weight of

Silas said ove

ora replied, though her voice

tilting slightly as though listeni

urora asked, he

lowed," Silas sa

. She saw nothing but the dense trees, but t

d through the forest a low, menacing

ready. "Show yourself," he commanded, his voice

fur was jet black, and its eyes glowed with an eerie red light. It wasn't

muttered, his

er knife, but Silas hel

e said, his tone leavin

blur, his strength and agility unmatched. Aurora watched in awe an

arging toward Aurora. She stumbled b

re the wolf could reach her,

though something had broken its hold. It

choes of the howl faded. Aurora ran to his si

she asked, her

said, though his e

hat howl?"

"The forest. It's tryin

ng. The forest had intervened? The tho

aid. "The Heart is close, but so

faintly, their trunks etched with intricate patterns that pulsed with a soft, green light. I

orest," Silas said,

felt the energy emanating from the tree. It was ali

tiful," sh

on the tree. "But it's also f

d trembled. The air grew heavy, and a

" Silas said,

ues emerged from the shadows. There were more this ti

repared to fight. Aurora stepped beside

eart," she said,

r of something pride, perhaps

ad, her movements guided by instinct and adrenaline. Silas was a whirlwind of

used to back down. She knew what was at stake not just the

g grew silent once more. Silas stoo

dible," he said

er chest heaving

and for a moment, the w

anymore, Aurora," he said. "You'

welling as she met his gaze. "And I

d the watchful eyes of the forest, their co

ad chosen th