Lucien POV

The air was cold as we walked through the trees. Ivy stayed close beside me, her steps quiet but tense. The clearing ahead glowed faintly with blue fire, the kind only witches used to mark neutral ground. I didn’t trust it, just like I didn’t trust any of them. But we came anyway because the messenger had said it was urgent.

Two witch sentinels stood at the entrance. Their eyes followed us without blinking. One stepped forward. “Alpha Lucien. Luna Ivy. You may enter.”

I ...