Shadow's Threat
Maya felt the dark presence before she saw him. At five months pregnant, her powers had grown exponentially, her druid magic amplified by the dual-natured child within her. She was working in the clinic's herb garden when the shadows seemed to thicken, taking on substance.
"The pregnant druid queen," a voice like smoke and gravel emerged from the darkness. "You're even more powerful than the rumors say."
Her protective magic flared instantly, creating a shield around her slightly rounded belly where their pup's wolf and druid energies pulsed strongly. Through the mate bond, she sent a sharp alert to Blaze: *Danger. Dark wolf. Ancient.*
"Sebastian Cross," she said calmly, recognizing him from pack warnings. The notorious rogue alpha who collected supernatural powers like trophies. "You're a long way from your hunting grounds."
He materialized fully – tall, eerily beautiful, with eyes like black holes. His power felt wrong, twisted, stolen from others. "When I
