KAEL'S POV
Rylan stepped from the tree line as if the forest itself had breathed him out. Ash clung to his coat, his eyes glowing faint violet under the moonlight.
Ayla went still.
My own wolf surged to the surface, teeth scraping against my control. The air between us bent, thick with the scent of tension and old blood.
I heard my own voice come out low. "Rogue."
Rylan's gaze flicked toward Ayla before meeting mine. "King."
One word, calm. Too calm.
The silence that followed wasn't empty; it was the space between lightning and thunder.
"What did you bring with you?" I asked. "Because the ground's humming, and that's not wolf magic."
He tilted his head. "You really want to talk about magic after what's crawling under your skin?"
Ayla's voice cut in, rough. "Stop it. Both of you."
But neither of us moved.
Rylan's hand brushed the hilt of the dagger at his belt, a motion so slight most wouldn't notice. I did. My wolf did.
"You followed us," I said.
