Chapter 7. The Mark Evolves

Selene didn’t sleep.

Not really.

She drifted in and out of something deeper than dreams—something that felt like sinking into a warm, endless current. Her body was still. Her breath calm. But her wolf paced, agitated just beneath the surface, prowling the space between skin and soul.

When she opened her eyes, the fire was still burning low. Ashes glowed softly in the hearth, the light throwing long shadows across the stone walls of Alaric’s den. The air smelled of earth, iron, and leather. A place that had never been meant for softness.

She sat up slowly, the furs sliding from her body. The oversized shirt she wore—a faded gray thing that had clearly belonged to Alaric—clung to her damp skin.

Her heart beat slower than usual. But stronger.

Everything felt sharper. Louder. The crackle of ash, the cool sweat