I’ll be armed with truth.
I don’t regret coming alone. This was something I needed to confirm without interference, without the pack’s energy clouding what I sensed. But I don’t want to face what comes next by myself either.
I move to the edge of the clearing, positioning myself between two perfectly aligned pines. My knife is in my hand, loose and ready. My body is calm, centered. Alert.
Waiting.
Chapter 36
Dane
Cold sheets. Empty space. Nova’s scent lingers, but she’s gone.
I open my eyes, already knowing. The bond between us hums with purpose and distance: a thread pulled taut across miles. She’s gone to the ridge. The place she warned us about. Where Faelan’s energy concentrates.
No rage surges through me. No panic. Just clarity. I’ve been fighting this connection for weeks, denying what my wolf knew instantly. She’s my mate. The truth settles in my chest, no longer a question but a certainty as I track her presence through the bond.
I sit up and scan the room. Her clothes are gone. The obsidian blade she keeps at her thigh—missing from where she set it last night.
The sky outside is still dark, pre-dawn gray just beginning to soften the blackness. I dress methodically—jeans, shirt, boots. Minimal layers. I’ll be shifting soon. My shifter pack sits ready by the door. I strap it on, checking the weapons inside. The enchanted leather will reshape when I shift, fitting my wolf form without restricting movement.
Every motion is precise. My mind runs sharp and clear—not spiraling with what-ifs, just focused on what needs to happen next.
I don’t need to track her scent. The bond tells me exactly where to find her.
The compound is quiet when I step outside, frost crunching under my boots. Most wolves are still preparing, expecting to move out after dawn. Ben stands by the armory, checking gear. His head snaps up when he sees me.
“She’s gone,” he says.
“To the ridge.” I keep walking. “I’m heading out now.”
Ben falls into step beside me. “I’ll grab my gear.”
“No.” My tone isn’t harsh, but it is final. “Stay with the pack. Lead them north on schedule.”
“Dane—“
“This isn’t about trust, Ben.” I pause, meeting his eyes. “It’s about understanding what we’re walking into. I need someone here I can count on.”
His jaw tightens, but he nods once.
Kari approaches from the main cabin, Rafe a shadow behind her. Her posture screams tension.
“You’re going alone?” she inquires, voice low.
“Yes.”
Rafe steps forward. “I can provide backup. Something’s not right about this energy pattern.”
“I know exactly what she’s walking into,” I say, looking between them. “And she won’t face it without me.”
I don’t wait for their response. I’ve already wasted enough time. The compound perimeter slides past as I lengthen my stride. Twenty yards into the trees, I let the shift take me—bones cracking, muscles reshaping, consciousness expanding.
The transformation doesn’t break my momentum. My paws hit the forest floor at a run, barely disturbing the frost-covered leaves. The world sharpens through wolf senses—every scent intensified, every sound distinct.
The bond pulls me forward like a compass. Higher ground. Toward the heart of what’s coming.
As I run, the forest begins to change. Light thins, stretching oddly between trees. Sounds warp and echo. The air carries a metallic tang that doesn’t belong.
