Caitlyn awoke with a start, her heart racing and her breath sharp in her chest. The remnants of the dream clung to her like a fog she couldn’t shake. In the darkness of her mind, flashes of an ancient, buried temple had danced before her eyes. She saw a chained wolf, its eyes glowing with a deep, unnerving hunger, surrounded by an endless blackness. And then, her own reflection—a version of herself that wasn’t quite right—whispering, “It’s not over.”

The words reverberated in her mind, a chilling echo that sank deep into her bones.

Raymond stirred beside her, his presence a steady warmth against the cold fear that had gripped...