The road to Silverblade was dressed in winter’s finest.
Snow-laced pines lined the mountain pass, their branches bowing under white crowns that glittered in the morning sun. The sky was a clean, impossible blue, the kind that only appeared after a long, cold night—sharp, bright, and full of promise. Hoofprints and tire tracks crisscrossed the path ahead, evidence that Silverblade had been busy preparing for the holidays long before Crescent Moon ever set foot on their land.
Darius slowed the vehicle as the familiar stone markers came into view.
Silverblade Pack Territory.
The moment the wards recognized them, the air shifted—subtle but unmistakable. The land itself seemed to exhale, welcoming kin rather than challengers.
Elaine smiled, resting her hand against the window. “It feels th
