Chloe’s pov
The warm glow of the hearth fire flickered quietly across the small border cottage.
Lisa was fast asleep on her narrow cot in the corner, her breathing deep and rhythmic under the heavy fur mantle. Across the room, Ted sat on the stone floorboards, his back resting against the wooden bench as he stared into the dying embers.
The unspoken truth about the wolf fang necklace hung heavy in the warm air between us. We weren't fated mates.
My hand rested over my stomach beneath my wool cloak, guarding the tiny life inside me. My mind raced with unanswered questions. If Ted wasn't the male from the woods, who had marked me?
Suddenly, the horses tethered outside let out a sharp, terrified whinny.
SNAP!
A heavy wooden shutter shattered near the back door.
My head snapped up, my
