Alle Kapitel von HOUR OF THE WOLF: Kapitel 11 – Kapitel 20

It is the day of the dreaded birthday party.Her room has been transformed into a beauty parlour, filled with people moving around her, touching, adjusting, perfecting. The large bay windows flood the space with afternoon light, and soft music plays in the background, barely masking the murmur of voices.Minnow sits silently in front of the illuminated mirror, her reflection staring back with a deepening frown.None of this is her idea.It is all her mother."Hurry up, people. I'm not paying you to stand around!"Dovie's voice slices through the room, sending everyone scrambling.Minnow closes her eyes for a moment, her jaw tightening.A migraine waiting to happen.The makeup artist works with steady, practised hands, brushing colour across Minnow's skin. Dark winged liner sharpens her gaze, soft gold shimmer catches the warmth in her brown eyes, and a touch of blush and gloss gradually transforms her reflection into someone brighter, softer... almost unfamiliar.Behind her, the hairdr

As the evening unfolds, Minnow moves effortlessly through the crowd, her body swaying with a sensual grace she would never normally allow herself. She meets the lingering gazes of influential men without flinching, holding their attention with a confidence she doesn't recognise.Laughter comes easily.Too easily.It feels distant, as though she's watching herself from behind glass.From across the ballroom, her grandfather watches from the centre of a small circle of guests. His usual disapproval still marks his face, but tonight something else has slipped into his expression—curiosity. Interest."You seem... different," Saylor says as they move together across the dance floor. "I thought you hated these things."She turns towards him, her lips curving into a slow, playful smile that doesn't quite belong to her."Maybe I changed my mind.""Or maybe you drank something I didn't see," he replies, studying her more closely.She laughs and slips effortlessly from his reach, already driftin

MilesThe invitation arrives three days after the girl in black leaves Moonfall.It sits on the farmhouse table between Ivy's half-finished toast and his grandmother's sewing basket, a thick black envelope sealed with gold wax.Miles knows the crest before he touches it.Venandi.He breaks the seal and unfolds the card.Mr Miles CarterMr and Mrs Dovie Venandi request the pleasure of your company...His eyes drift lower....to celebrate the eighteenth birthday of their daughter.He frowns.He has no idea the Venandis even have a daughter.Ivy leans over his shoulder."Well," she says. "That looks cheerful."Miles folds the invitation again."The Venandis.""So I gathered," Ivy says dryly.Their grandmother looks up from her chair by the window."You going?"He shrugs."Probably."His grandmother reaches for the invitation and reads it slowly. Her expression gives nothing away, but the room seems to quiet around her."They don't invite people because they like them.""I know.""They inv

The grass crunches beneath Lyssa's feet, brittle with frost and growing wild across the uneven, moss-covered ground. A gust of wind carries the rich scent of the forest, and for a moment it feels almost cleansing.She stands still, listening.When you're lost, you retrace your steps.That is the rule.Harder to follow when you've been dragged somewhere with a sack over your head.Turning slowly, Lyssa surveys the area. Near the sinkhole she finds large, deep footprints leading away from the edge. She follows them with her eyes before deliberately choosing the opposite direction. The last thing she wants is to stumble across whoever brought her here.Behind her, the pit gapes open like a wound in the earth, its edges uneven where soil and stone have given way. In the growing light she can finally see the bottom clearly: crushed boxes, stained mattresses and debris left to rot.The rope still hangs where she climbed it, its fibres darkened with age and old stains. It's secured to a nearb

A steady whirring fills Minnow's ears as she blinks, her eyes adjusting to the dim light.The room stretches wide around her, with high ceilings and smooth concrete walls.For a heartbeat, she wonders if she's walked into the wrong house.Desks line the walls, each workstation alive with glowing monitors, laptops and humming computers. Above them, large screens display surveillance footage from places she doesn't recognise. Opposite, glass cabinets hold rows of weapons.One wall is dominated by a wooden bookshelf, its worn timber standing in stark contrast to the concrete around it. Every shelf is packed with well-thumbed books.In the centre of the room stands a steel table, papers and maps scattered across its surface.And around it—Her family."Mum? Dad... what is this?"Dovie doesn't answer straight away. She glances at her watch."Impressive timing, darling. We weren't expecting you back this soon."Minnow stares at her."What do you mean?" Her voice tightens. "You knew?"Dovie'