The forest trembled as the massive shadow loomed over us. The ground cracked beneath its weight, the roots twisting like serpents, trying to reach the trapped fragments, trying to feed. The Mirror pulsed erratically, frantic, its heartbeat wild under my skin. My wolf snarled, muscles coiling, every nerve screaming danger, but no instinct could fully prepare me for the sheer scale of this presence.
Jax tightened his grip on my arm. “It’s… huge.” He muttered, voice tight with disbelief. His amber eyes reflected the glow of the Mirror, wide and unblinking.
“I know.” I said quietly, teeth gritted, claws scraping against the earth. “It’s… older than anything we’ve faced. And it’s not just a shadow. It’s… intelligent. Patient. And it’s feeding off the fragments.”
Hazel’s circle flared weakly,
