Demetrius didn't hesitate. His golden eyes locked onto the jagged shadow of the lower cave opening down the ravine ledge. Without breaking his composure, he gestured toward two of the vanguard guards standing near the flank—Gideon and Marcus.
"Check it out," Demetrius ordered, his voice dropping to a low, commanding whisper. "Keep your shields up and your ears open. Don't engage unless forced."
"Understood, Alpha," Gideon murmured. He and Eric unsheathed their short blades, their movements fluid and practiced as they began a careful, deliberate descent down the narrow stone path clinging to the cliffside.
Above them, the rest of us stood frozen in place. The silence of the ravine pressed heavily against my chest, amplified by the hollow, mournful whistling of the icy wind blowing throug
