The walk to the pack house was so quiet that I could hear the sound of our footsteps echoing against the stone path. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and smoke, and every step I took made my chest tighten more. I didn’t know why, but I could feel something in the air, something like I didn’t belong.

The room we came out of was at the far end of the pack’s compound, almost hidden among the trees. From there, the pack house stood tall and proud like a palace made of gold and stone. ...