The night shattered into movement.

I barely had time to process before the shadow lunged. A flash of silver cut through the air where my throat had been a second earlier. I twisted aside, instinct taking over before thought could catch up. My wolf surged forward, sharpening the world into clarity. Every heartbeat. Every scrape of boot against stone.

The assassin moved like water. No wasted motion. No sound except breath and the whisper of steel cutting air.

I dropped low and swept my ...