The first tendrils of dawn cut through the mist like silver knives, illuminating the cabin in ghostly light. Selene stood at the edge of the clearing, her breath forming small clouds in the chill morning air. The Moon had long set, but its lingering glow seemed to pulse faintly in the sky, as if echoing her heartbeat.

The plague was spreading faster than anyone had predicted, striking the outer wards with a cruelty that left no room for error. And worse , a child, hidden deep within the pack, ...