The moment that thing stepped out of the shadowseverything inside me froze.It wasn’t a wolf.It wasn’t even fully human.It stood upright, its form cloaked in darkness that seemed to move like smoke, curling and shifting around its body as if it were alive. Its eyes burned an unnatural, glowing crimson that cut straight through the dim forest light.And they were locked on me.Not Kael.Not the warriors.Me.My breath hitched sharply.“This…” I whispered, my voice barely there, “…this isn’t a rogue.”Kael’s arm tightened protectively around me.“I know,” he said, his voice low, dangerous.Around us, the warriors shifted uneasily, their confidence faltering for the first time since I had arrived in Blackthorn territory. Even the wolves growled with uncertainty, their instincts reacting to something they didn’t understand.The creature tilted its head slightly, studying me.Thenit smiled.A slow, unsettling curve of its lips that made my stomach twist.“So,” it said, its voice echoin
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