Chapter 75. Werewolves

AURELIA

The journey back to the capital stretched endlessly across a landscape transformed by winter’s icy grip. Snow blanketed the ground, turning once lush forests into skeletal, white-coated groves. The air was sharp and biting, making every breath feel like shards of glass scraping the throat.

The convoy of soldiers, refugees, and wagons snaked along the frozen trail, a procession of wearied souls wrapped in cloaks and blankets. Horses snorted clouds of steam, their hooves crunching against the frosted earth, while the wagons groaned under the weight of supplies and tired passengers.

Despite the bitter cold, Vesta seemed untouched by the harsh conditions. She rode at the front, her presence commanding, her voice carrying easily over the wind. Soldiers hung on her every word, their deference to her puzzling and infuriating. Her aura was magnetic, impossible to ignore. Even Julian, my betrothed, moved in her orbit as though tethered to her will.

I sat in th