The forest trembled under the weight of the first wave. Now the second wave closed in with a different kind of menace. The cursed wolves moved with predatory grace, their forms blurring between human and beast. Their eyes glowed like embers, reflecting the faint light from Valentine’s surging energy. Each step they took left scorch marks in the dirt, a trace of dark magic that hinted at their unnatural origin.
Valentine’s chest heaved. Her hands trembled, not from fear, but from the raw energy coursing through her veins. Each pulse of power felt like both a gift and a warning. The forest itself seemed to whisper her limits and dared her to surpass them.
“Keep calm,” Eryx urged, his voice steady but firm. “They feed on fear. Do not let them taste it.”
Luther’s silver eyes narrowed, his j
