A sharp, agonized howl cut through the still dawn, followed by urgent voices shouting in the distance. Rydan’s eyes flew open, instincts firing all at once. That eerie sensation from earlier slammed back into him, dragging his thoughts into clarity.
His gaze shot toward the window again—his mind instinctively turning to the place where Marian had been left.
Something was terribly wrong.
It was the beta who stumbled upon the scene first.
He had returned—but much too late. Whatever guilt had gnawed at him overnight must have finally broken through, forcing him back before the morning light had fully touched the sky.
He hadn’t expected the carnage.
The clearing was soaked in blood, littered with shards of bone, and chunks of raw, torn flesh. The stench alone was thick enough to choke on—death hanging heavy in the air.
He stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide. His breath hitched as his stomach twisted violently.