Chapter 215

Summer's POV Nova and I moved in perfect synchrony through the forest, our senses heightened to an almost painful degree. The cool evening air carried countless scents—pine, earth, small animals, distant water—but we filtered through them desperately seeking any trace of Aria's sweet scent. *She's out here somewhere, Sarah. We'll find her.* Nova's presence gave me strength even as panic threatened to overwhelm me. After five years of protecting my daughter, the thought that someone had taken her—ripped her from the safety of her home—made my blood run cold. Alexander and his search teams had fanned out across the territory, but Nova and I insisted on searching alone. Our connection to Aria was different, deeper. As her mother, I could sense things others couldn't. The wind shifted slightly, and suddenly my nostrils flared. Nova growled low in my throat. *Blood.* I froze, letting my enhanced senses pinpoint the direction. It was faint but unmistakable—the metallic tang of fresh blood ca