Mag-log inWe all stood, watching the Blackwater Mountains that stood before us, their dark peaks disappearing into the clouds. From a distance, they had looked impressive enough, but now that we were standing at their base, I could see just how enormous they were. The slopes were steep, covered in black rock and patches of stubborn vegetation, and the higher parts were hidden behind thick layers of mist.Somewhere beyond those mountains lay the path to Hollowfang.I looked at the narrow trail leading away from the forest, then back at Kael. He had already dismounted and was speaking with Jason, who had spread our map across the saddle of his horse. Desmond and his beta Aeron joined them while the rest of the warriors checked their supplies and made sure the horses were ready for the next part of the journey.I climbed down from my horse and walked closer, curious to see what they had found.“How far until we reach the other side?” I asked.Jason ran a finger along the map. “If this route is st
I looked at him. “You think something is wrong with this place?”“I think we should be careful until we know what we’re dealing with.”He said before moving ahead to speak with Jason, and I watched him go before urging my horse forward.We hadn’t traveled much farther when one of the warriors suddenly pulled on his reins.“Wait.”The command passed through the group, and the horses gradually came to a stop.The warrior was staring into the trees to our right. He looked confused at first, then slowly turned his head as though he were trying to follow a sound that kept moving farther away.“Did someone call me?” he asked.Jason looked back at him. “Who?”“My brother.”The words drew everyone’s attention because the warrior’s brother had died years ago, according to what Emma had told me earlier in the journey. I remembered the sadness in his voice when he had spoken about him around the campfire, but I hadn’t expected to hear his name mentioned here.“He’s not here,” Jason said carefull
The Strange ForestSome warriors with kael took turns keeping over the night, while the others rested, but even those who had managed a few hours of sleep looked exhausted when we finally began preparing to leave.I sat on a fallen log while Emma helped clean a cut on one of the warriors’ arms. My own body ached from the previous night’s fight, especially my legs, but I was more concerned about the men who had taken the worst of the injuries. Desmond was sitting a short distance away, allowing the healer's supplies to be used on his wounds while Jason helped tighten the straps around his old injury that was disturbed again.Kael had barely spoken since waking up.That wasn’t unusual for him when we were preparing for a journey, but I couldn’t ignore the way his attention kept drifting toward me.I noticed it the first time when I looked up from the small piece of bread I had been trying to eat. He was standing beside Jason, listening to a report from one of the warriors, yet his eyes
Kael acknowledging that he had needed me felt more intimate than any compliment he could have given me. I looked at him and whispered. “You’re welcome,” His gaze softened as we both in that moment didn’t know what to say next . I was still holding his arm, and he hadn’t made any move to pull away. If anything, he seemed to have become just as aware of the contact as I was.His eyes dropped briefly to my fingers before lifting to meet my eyes again.“Your hands are shaking.”I looked down and realized they were. “I think the adrenaline is wearing off.”“Is that all?”I frowned. “What else would it be?”He studied me for another second.“I don’t know. You tell me.”his voice was so husky and seductive that it made my pulse stumble.I tried to look away, but his gaze held mine for just long enough to make the effort feel obvious.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”“No?”“No.”His mouth curved slightly.“All right.”I hated that he could make two simple words sound like a challenge.
My fingers then settled around his wrist,turning his forearm slightly to examine the scratches.His skin was warm beneath my touch.“Does this hurt?” I asked.“Not particularly.”I looked up at him.“That’s not an answer.”“It’s the answer you’re getting.”I shook my head.“You’re impossible.”He said nothing and I suddenly became aware of the heat radiating from his body and the strong scent he has that always leaves me completely intoxicated, yet calm. The clearing hadn’t become silent, not really. As I could still hear the distant movements of the warriors and the occasional sound of a horse shifting in its enclosure.But somehow, all of it seemed to fade into the background as Kael fixed his tempting gaze on me.His eyes moved slowly over my face, and the teasing expression I’d grown accustomed to seeing gave way to something quieter and sweeter.My stomach tightened as I became very conscious of every single sensation.The warmth of his skin beneath my fingers. The strong scent of h
Kael’s voice carried across the clearing, firm enough to silence the nearby conversations.The change in him was immediate as I watched him move toward the center of the clearing, unable to ignore the strange feeling that settled in my chest.There was something undeniably attractive about the way he took control of a situation.because even when things went wrong, Kael never seemed to stop thinking about the people depending on him.“We need to account for everyone and check for injuries first,” he ordered. “Then I want the bodies examined. Nobody touches them without gloves, and nobody goes into those trees alone. We don’t know whether there are more of them nearby.”The warriors immediately began following his instructions then Kael waited until the noise had settled before continuing.“According to the records we collected before this journey, this region has a history of encounters with creatures that aren’t commonly found in werewolf territory. We’ve read about them, but reading







