Chapter 8

Aria

A piercing howl shatters the silence of the night, jolting me from restless dreams. I bolt upright, heart pounding, the ghostly ache of a severed bond throbbing through me. The howl echoes again, full of longing and sorrow.

Trembling, I rise and go to the window, peering out into the darkened woods surrounding Leah's remote home. Moonlight filters through the trees, casting shifting shadows across the forest floor. As my eyes adjust, I spot a lone wolf standing at the tree line, massive form silhouetted in the silvery glow.

My breath catches. Even at this distance, I'd recognize that wolf anywhere. Broad shoulders. Jet black fur with a splash of silver across the chest. The white flash of scars on his face, marks of an Alpha who has battled fiercely to protect his pack.

Callum.

My wolf stirs inside me, whining softly. She aches for our mate, yearns to run to him, and nuzzle into his familiar fur. To pretend, just for a moment, that things are as they were before.

But I force