The air within the cramped cabin was thick with tension, the flickering flames of the hearth casting dancing shadows across the weathered walls. Brielle sat huddled beside the fire, her arms wrapped protectively around Evan as she listened to her father's tale unfold.

"After I was banished from the Silver Moon pack, I wandered for years," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. "Seeking solace in the wilderness, trying to escape the ghosts of my past."

Brielle's breath caught in her throat, her fingers tightening around Evan's tiny form. "But why?" she whispered, her brow furrowed. "What could you have possibly done to warrant such a harsh punishment?"

Her father's...