sat on the edge of her bed at the inn, staring at the notebook she'd once used to capture stories of quaint

she really be the one to help break a curse that had plagued the pack f

t the door bro

e called, her

filling the doorway. He looked weary,

left Sylvia's," he said, c

tracing the edge of the n

harged with unspoken tension. "Emma, you don't have to go th

said firmly, cutting him

ough his hair. "You're the most

"You're not the first

wasn't lying. This ritual isn't just dangerous-it's dea

out you forgiving yourself, Kael. It's about saving your pa

eemed to hold its breath. Kael's silver gaze

ve your trust,

d. "You deserve mo

given them a list of items they'd need: herbs, crystals, a

gather the supplies, despite her pro

thout me," he said, his tone

but secretly apprecia

ma had never ventured into. The path was overgrown, and

. different," Emma

he pack used to hold ceremonies her

g trees and the faint mist that cl

led the air. The spring itself was a small pool surrounded by

filling a glass vial Sylvia had given hi

ction rippling in the water. "Do

ed at her. "I don't know.

pond, a low growl ech

et, his body tense.

er heart poun

ze scanning the shadows. "N

m the darkness, a massive wolf stepped into the clearing. Its

mma whispered, ta

a shadow wolf. A creature born fro

ed, its gaze l

el ordered, his voic

ut

, Em

med into his wolf form. His silver fur bristled as he stood betw

. The two wolves clashed in a blur of fur and t

mind racing. She wanted to h

ds echoed in her mind:

chaos around it. She grabbed a handful of herbs from her bag and tosse

light seemed to pulse, growing

Emma s

e shadow wolf, his silv

the water!"

s weight to drive it toward the spring. The creature resiste

forced the shadow wolf

her eyes. When the light faded, the shadow wolf was go

her heart poundin

was just the beginning. The curse knows we're tryin

ardened. "Then w

with a mix of admiration and fear. "You'r

ly. "You're not

seemed to watch them, its shadows whis

me, she felt like she truly belonged-no

ey would face wh