Chapter 9 Into The Wild

The forest hums with a restless energy as we walk north, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot blending with the low rumble of the pack. Dawn still hasn’t come, just a glimmer of gold lining the horizon, but the air is cold against my skin, sharp and unyielding. My breath clouds ahead of me, and I cinch my jacket tighter, but the air still chills the marrow in my bones. And it’s not just the cold — it’s the weight of what’s ahead. Rogues. Bloodthirsty wolves. A threat I can hardly get my head around.” Morgan is at the front, his wide shoulders cleaving the mist like a knife. He hasn’t said much since we parted ways, but every now and then, his silver eyes flick back to me, checking. I don’t know what he wants there — strength, fear, something else — but it makes my stomach twist all the same. Next to him walks Clara, her step measured, face closed in that stable, inscrutable way she is fond of. Elena and Jake come to stand on either side of me, their presence a soft reassurance, though I can feel the tension dripping off them, as well.