Chapter 49

Aubrey's POV The harsh ring of Knox's phone shattered our peaceful sleep. I felt him stir beside me, his arm tightening briefly around my waist before he reached for the device on the nightstand. The digital clock read 3:47 AM, its red numbers casting a faint glow in the darkness. "What is it?" Knox's voice was instantly alert, all traces of sleep gone. I could hear the urgency in the Beta's voice on the other end, though I couldn't make out the exact words. Knox's body tensed as he listened, and I felt his energy shift—the protective, caring mate replaced by the powerful Alpha. "We'll be there in twenty minutes." "What's wrong?" I asked as he ended the call, already moving to get dressed. "Young wolves are disappearing," he said grimly, pulling on a black shirt. "Ones approaching their seasonal shift. It's happening across multiple packs." The news sent a chill down my spine. Seasonal shifts were when young wolves were most vulnerable—their bodies preparing for the transformation that