MELISSA'S POV

“She hasn’t come back,” I heard one of the guards mutter as I turned to leave.

“Leon will have our hides if we fail,” another one growled.

I forced my body low, sliding behind a stack of firewood, the sharp bite of bark scraping my palms. From here, I could see the entrance to our quarters, and Clara’s window was shut tight. I prayed she hadn’t stirred, that she wouldn’t betray me by rushing out to check.

The guards were restless. One of them sniffed the air and muttered something to the others. My wolf snarled inside me, tense and coiled, but I shoved her down. Instinct would...