POV: APHRODITE
I don't move. Don't make a sound that might alert whatever is circling us to the fact that I've noticed them.
Instead, I reach carefully through the bond to Draco and Lucen, pushing a single thought toward them with as much clarity as I can manage.
Wake up. We're being watched.
Both twins snap awake instantly, years of Alpha training keeping them from making any sudden movements that would reveal their alertness. Through the bond, I feel their immediate focus sharpening.
How many? Draco's question comes through the bond like a whisper.
Five, I answer. Maybe six. Circling the perimeter. Haven't triggered the alarms yet.
Lucen shifts slightly in his bedroll, positioning himself to spring into action if needed. Should we alert Cassian and Bastien?
I glance toward where both males are on watch. They're alert but haven't noticed the threat yet. The circling wolves are staying just beyond the range where normal wolf senses would detect them.
