KAEL'S POV
Wolves burst from the treeline in a storm of snarls and flashing fangs, pelts glinting silver in the fractured moonlight. The ground shook under their charge, paws pounding the dirt like war drums. Their howls rolled through the forest in a chorus that set my blood alight.
Our pack. Our kin.
The hunters' net shattered as their focus broke, panic slicing through their ranks. Some turned to brace, others faltered—too late. Wolves crashed into them, tearing cloaks, ripping through flesh. Magic clashed with fang and claw, red light bursting against gold fire.
I staggered back, cradling Ayla closer. Relief and fury tangled in my chest, but my body was past its limit. My legs trembled, every breath shallow. I couldn't drop her. I wouldn't.
