Chapter 187

In the heart of a sprawling forest, shadows clung to gnarled trees like ominous curtains. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, broken only by the terrified breath of a lone figure stumbling through the darkness. Her footsteps echoed, lost in the vast expanse of the trees that towered above. Where was she? How did she get here? Just moments ago, she had been in the midst of a familiar crowd, finishing with a family dinner, after which she greeted a few pack members and decided to go for a little walk. Nothing about the trees and shadows that loomed felt familiar. Everything felt menacing, the cold night breeze, thick with the promise of something to come, a danger that lurked. Another failed attempt to reach the pack link had anxiety bubbling within her. Her heart thumped so loud she could almost hear it over the ringing in her ears. Her steps faltered in the darkness, fatigue creeping in and almost overtaking the urgency seered into her aching bones by the adrenaline. She spared