Athena

The forest was silent, almost too silent, as we made our way back to Grayhound territory. Every snap of a twig underfoot, every rustle of leaves, felt like an alarm bell. Gian had retreated tonight, but his threat lingered like a shadow stretching across the horizon.

I walked alongside Beauty and Theodore, my mind racing with strategies, contingencies, and worst-case scenarios. Every time I thought I had accounted for Gian’s instincts, I realized he might already be planning three ...