The black town car rolled to a stop at the edge of the pack lands, the ancient trees looming like silent sentinels against the inky night sky. Elena's heart thundered in her chest as she stepped out onto the familiar soil, the scents and sounds of her former life assailing her senses.

"Are you certain about this, Ms. Blackwood?" Ethan's voice was laced with concern as he fell into step beside her. "Confronting the pack directly could prove...unwise."

Elena's jaw tightened, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "I'm done running, Ethan. It's time to face my demons head-on, no matter the cost."

They approached the massive iron gates that...