The sun was barely a sliver on the horizon when Evelina was awakened by the soft yet urgent knock on her door. She blinked, the remnants of sleep quickly replaced by a sense of foreboding. Alden stirred beside her, instantly alert.

“Come in,” Evelina called softly.

The door opened, revealing Jaxon Hale, his face drawn with worry. “Alpha, we’ve received more reports. The new pack is closer than we thought. They’ve been sighted near the northern border.”

Evelina swung her legs out of bed, her mind racing. “How far are they exactly?”

“Less than half a mile,” Jaxon replied. “We need to act fast.”

Alden was already on his feet,...