Nathan stood at the window of his office and stared out into the darkness of the night. The full moon hung large and bright in the sky, its silvery light casting long shadows over the property. The past few weeks had dragged on endlessly, and every minute had been filled with growing worry and despair.

Serena's condition had worsened dramatically. The ritual Mara performed didn't seem to free her from her curse, but only weakened her further. Nathan had watched as she lost weight, her once bright eyes became dull and empty. She was now just a shadow of herself, a ghost stalking the halls of the pack house, trying...