Ethan's howl reverberated through the old forest, a sound that cut through the night's tension. Aurora was in the middle of a circle made up of her three alphas, their eyes fixed on the looming darkness ahead. The moon cast a spooky light on the gnarled trees, shadows swaying like ghosts.

"Stay close," Damien's voice was a low growl, his eyes darting between the shifting shadows and Aurora. She nodded, her heart thumping in time with the far-off drums of danger.

Gabriel's fingers lightly touched hers, a fleeting contact that sent shivers down her spine. "We'll confront whatever comes our way together," he murmured, his gaze piercing the darkness.

The...