Chapter 165

CHAPTER 9… VALENTINA The forest had changed. Every leaf, every branch, every ripple of the stream glimmered with a silver light that hadn’t been there before. The twin crescents on Luciano’s wrist pulsed in time with his heartbeat, and with every pulse, the ground beneath us seemed to hum. I clutched him closer, feeling both awe and fear. The wound in his hand had faded now, turning back to normal for now… Andres knelt beside us, his hands steadying our son. “It’s stronger than I thought,” he murmured, his voice low but firm. His golden eyes flickered to the treeline, scanning for danger. I could feel the tension in him, the Lycan coiled beneath his calm exterior, his muscles were taut… My focus broke at the sudden rustle. We both stiffened. Shadows shifted unnaturally among the trees, moving too fast, too fluid, as if the mist itself had come to life. Luciano stirred, his small fingers digging into my shoulder, and his eyes blinked open — silver flecks dancing in their depths. “Mama…”