The Wolf Mark

inst the trees. She stretched, feeling the slight ache in her muscles from the long drive the day before. As she pulled herself from the warmth of

ettling about the way the fog clung to the trees, as t

ound in the closet. The house had its quirks, but she would settle into it. She had no ch

he strange, cryptic warnings it contained. *The wolves are always watching. The mark is not a gift, but a curse.* Amber had been half-tempted to call someone-a friend, maybe, or even h

he thick woods that extended for miles in every direction. She could see the town center from where she stood: a few shops, a diner, and what looked like a small, crumbling post office. Th

ed by the unmistakable sound of barking. Amber's curiosity piqued, and she stepped off the porch, heading toward the woods

and the ground was soft beneath her boots. As she walked deeper into the woods, her senses seemed to heighten. She could hear e

en came the unmistakable sound o

ng her to turn back. The sun was still low in the sky, and the light filtering through the trees gave the forest an eerie, al

clearing. The sight that greeted

w breaths. Around him, two large dogs-wolves, she realized-circled, their eyes glowing with an unnatural amber hue

ing back to avoid whatever danger these creatures might represent. But before she could decide,

round. He looked vaguely familiar-someone from the town, she was sure of it-but she couldn't place him. Her instincts sc

his lips cracked, and his eyes were wide with terror. When he looked at

o speak. His voice was hoarse, a

ut as she tried to dial, the signal was nonexistent. Of course. She was miles from civi

he looked at his wounds. The blood was congealing around his r

face contorted with fear. "They're out there," he w

What are you talking about? Wolv

"You don't know the truth about this place, d

f he couldn't control it. Panic surged through Amber as she placed her hand on his

er wrist. "Tell them... tell them to stop... the full moon's

went still. His eyes glazed over, and Amber

acing. The man's words echoed in her mi

ckly, heart hammering in her chest, and turned to find Marcus Blackwood walking toward her, his face

ed over to the man's body, kneeling beside him. His gaze l

e here," he said quietly.

. "What the hell happened? Who

r, his expression unreadable. "That's Victor Keller. He was one of the town's hunters. He we

sank. "What wa

hisper. "The wolves. But you

stone. The wolves weren't just ordinary animals. There was something darker a

deep breath and stood up. "You need to go back to

ut

f. "Get out of the woods

ear in them, a deep-rooted fear, that made her blood run cold. He wasn't just trying t