Chapter 16: Reclaiming the Hollow

The forest breathed with them. Lucien padded through the undergrowth in his wolf form, his muscles taut, ears pricked for the faintest sound. His senses were sharper than before — painfully sharp — and every shift of the wind made his hackles rise. The Hollow wasn’t as quiet as it seemed. Behind him, Serena moved carefully, her fingers brushing against the hilt of her dagger. She kept close, her eyes sweeping the forest, watching for movement. The pack spread out in a loose formation, their wolves blending into the shadows, paws crunching softly against fallen leaves. Lucien slowed, his nose twitching. The scent was faint, but unmistakable. Blood. He shifted back, skin rippling, bones cracking, until he stood human again. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to Serena. “Something’s here,” he whispered. Serena nodded, her jaw tight. “Evelyn’s magic is gone. It shouldn’t still feel this... wrong.” Lucien scanned the trees, his heart thudding. “The forest doesn’t forget,