The Devourer's presence slammed into the estate like a tidal wave. Samantha felt it first in her chest—a vibration that made every bone, every heartbeat, resonate as if she were part of its body. Its hunger wasn't just an abstract force; it pressed against them like gravity, relentless and suffocating.
Kai growled low in his throat, his eyes gleaming gold as he shifted slightly, wolf senses heightening. "It's massive. Bigger than anything we've faced."
"And older," Marcus added, his calm composure fraying. "Older than the oldest bloodlines. Older than the mountains themselves. And it knows we're here."
Samantha's fingers tightened around Nova, who was glowing faintly at the center of the ritual. The baby's tiny hands were already radiating a pulse of power that made even Kai stagger back slightly. It was enough to make the Devourer hesitate—just for a heartbeat.
