“I know,” she said gently. “But Aria… he may be the only one capable of helping you.”
Her voice softened.
“And you don’t have the luxury of pride anymore.”
My thoughts immediately turned to Marcus lying motionless in the infirmary.
“You have Marcus.”
Silence stretched between us.
Finally, I nodded.
“I trust you.”
Relief flashed across her face.
“Good.”
The following morning, a messenger wolf delivered the address Lily had promised.
The moment I saw the location written on the parchment, unease crawled up my spine.
The territory was… familiar.
Too familiar.
It lay dangerously close to the lands dominated by the Lutherford pack.
My nerves were already stretched thin when I arrived.
I had barely stepped onto the street when something small crashed directly into my legs.
“Oof—!”
I stumbled back in surprise.
A little boy—no older than six—had run straight into me like a reckless pup.
I crouched quickly, steadying him by the shoulders.
“Careful,” I said gently, brushing dust from his clothes. “Running near the road is dangerous.”
Instead of answering, the child stared at me with wide, searching eyes.
Like he was trying to recognize a scent buried deep in memory.
Then he whispered softly.
“Angel.”
I blinked.