Chapter 58. The Reckoning

The wind came first, whispering down from the northern cliffs and threading through the trees like a warning carried on an unseen breath. Selene felt it stir the hair at the nape of her neck, lifting it with a touch that felt almost spectral. Ahead, the Hollow Grounds lay muted beneath a heavy, overcast sky, the forest drawn back to reveal the ancient ceremonial clearing. Lanterns sputtered weakly as dusk crept closer, their flames unsteady against the gathering dark, while fires burned low within rings of stone long neglected by time and reverence alike.

The wolves were already there, waiting.

Selene slowed at the treeline and came to a measured stop beside Alaric, her heart beating low and steady within her ribs. She could feel the gathered packs before she truly saw them, massed around the sacred circle with rigid postures and guarded stances. Their scents lay