The forest held its breath as the Blackwood pack carried Jonas back to their camp. The night was eerily still, the usual cacophony of crickets and distant wolves replaced by a tense silence that mirrored their emotions. Lyla felt as though the shadows themselves were watching, waiting for a crack in their fragile unity.

Jonas leaned heavily on Eli, his steps faltering despite the support. His body was bruised and battered, his clothes torn and stained with dirt and blood. But it wasn’t just ...