The ground settles, but the night presses in. Rogues and pack alike circle in the dark, neither side moving, both held by the same terrible awe. Footsteps shift instead of retreating. Breath carries from places that should be empty. Sweat and fur and blood cling to everything.Her wounded arm burns, but Maya's hand stays locked against Alec's chest, slick and warm, pressure doing nothing now except telling her how fast he's bleeding out. His breathing barely moves, and when it does the sound catches wrong, thin and wet, as if his body has forgotten how to finish the motion.She leans over him, shoulder curling protectively without thought, even knowing how little that would matter if they rush her. "Ivy," she says, low, close to the ground. "Stay here."Ivy is shaking hard enough that Maya feels it through her arm, a relentless tremor running through her small body. Her fingers are twisted into the back of Maya's shirt, knuckles white, grip desperate enough to hurt.Someone moves clos
Last Updated : 2026-01-05 Read more