Chapter 24:Return of the Shadow Alpha

(Scarlett’s POV) The voice on the other end of Hunter's call stopped me cold. My breath caught, my grip on the phone tightening until my knuckles turned white. “Scarlett,” the voice said. Deep, commanding, and unmistakable. Roman. The name hit me like a tidal wave. My mind reeled, my chest tightened, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. “I’ll arrive at the eastern border before dusk,” he continued, his tone even and firm. There was no hesitation. No room for argument. “We need to talk.” Before I could muster a response, the call ended, leaving me in silence. I stared at the phone in my hand, half expecting it to buzz again, to give me some excuse to dismiss his presence. But the silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. Roman. I lowered the phone, but my thoughts refused to settle. Roman was coming here. Tonight. My wolf, Cora, stirred uneasily beneath my skin. She didn’t like the idea of Roman being so close again, of the memories his name dredged up. But I couldn’t sto