For a long moment, no one moved.
The wind had stilled, the forest holding its breath as though it knew that what stood before us didn’t belong to this quiet world anymore.
The wolf stayed low, its body taut and trembling, head bowed toward the hooded figure who had stepped out of the shadows. The tension in the air was so sharp it hurt to breathe.
Elias was the first to find his voice, though it came out rough.
“Who are you?” He demanded, taking a cautious step forward. “State your business, or…”
“Don’t.” My voice came out softer, steadier than I felt.
Something in me already knew.
The hood slipped the rest of the way down, and pale light brushed across a face I hadn’t seen in years, but knew instantly. Recognition hit like a lightning strike, cutting through the fog in my mind.
“D
