Kieran

The afternoon sun filters through the canopy as I make my way into the woods, following the path I’ve walked twice before. The wolves know I’m coming—I can feel them tracking me through the trees, silent and watchful.

I need answers. I need to know what happened to her, who did this. For Daciana’s sake.

The grave comes into view, marked by the stone I helped place and the flowers that Daciana left. They’re wilting now, but somehow that makes it more poignant. More real.

I kneel beside the grave, feeling the earth beneath my knees. The wolves emerge from the shadows, surrounding me in a loose circle. They...