Chapter 17: Voices in the Dark

The forest swallowed them whole. Lucien and Serena moved carefully through the twisted trees, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of moss. The air smelled damp and metallic, like rain and rust, and the shadows clung to their skin like oil. Lucien kept Serena close, his body tense, every muscle coiled and ready to spring. His wolf prowled beneath his skin, restless and agitated, pacing like a caged animal. The voice hadn’t called out again. But Lucien could still feel it. A presence. Watching. Serena’s fingers tightened around his. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she whispered, her breath clouding in the cool air. “If the forest is still... infected, we might not be strong enough to fight it.” Lucien scanned the treeline, his eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. “I can’t ignore it,” he muttered. “If something’s still out here, we need to know what it is.” Serena nodded, but worry lingered in her gaze. “Promise me we won’t go too far,” she whispered. “Promise me we