The Howl Of Winterveil

, her coat soaked with blood-some of it her own, most of it not. She collapsed into her chair, staring blankly at the floor. Her

worn as she felt, his face pale, the edges of his coat streaked with claw marks.

that," he s

r," Maren replied

snapped. "We can't af

lood moon was far from over, and she h

-

own M

wnsfolk were ragged and hollow-eyed, many of them nursing wounds hastily bandaged

"We fought hard last night, but the beasts will return. Tonight w

ice tinged with bitterness. "We lost half our fighters

ice. The blood moon doesn't end until the third night. That's when th

ice carried over the crowd, stronger than she felt. "Kill

itation in his eyes. He glanced at the gathered townsfolk, then e

t?" someon

is tied to an alpha-the first of the beasts

was tantalizing, but Maren could see the fear in their eyes. The be

Maren asked,

orest. In the heart of the old s

aid, surprising even hers

oesn't just live there. It controls the forest. The

?" Maren asked, h

rkly. "It corrupts. The closer you get to the source, th

. The enormity of the

ther?" someone muttere

d, her voice rising, "there won'

-

the F

either to defend the square or to barricade themselves in their homes. Maren packed her medical bag, her hands steady despite th

glow illuminating the snow-covered landscape. The forest loomed ah

stayed close behind him, her senses heightened by the oppressive silence.

arker. Maren felt an unnatural pull, as if the forest itsel

-

irst

group. A scream pierced the night as the man fell, his blood staining the snow. Kieran fi

n barked. "Don't le

forest seemed to twist around them, the trees shifting and clo

g in her chest. Her heart raced as she fought to keep her mind f

d, as if reading her thought

s how?"

it can use against you," Kieran said. "

-

rt of t

settlement, the remnants of wooden cabins and stone chimneys half-buried in snow. The air

crimson light. The alpha. Its fur was black as midnight, its eyes glowing like molten gol

icipated, disappearing into the shadows. A guttural growl echoe

Kieran said, his grip t

rd. Maren's heart pounded as she scanned the darknes

he others fired wildly, their bullets ricocheting off the ruins. Maren aimed and fired, the recoil joltin

id, her voice shaking. "We're

tened. "Then what

tied to the curse, right? Maybe there's so

n said, "but it migh

-

erate

the largest cabin, Maren found an old chest buried beneath a pile

an asked, glancing

ing the text. "It says the alpha can b

ieran asked, though his ton

as she read the final li

moment. Then he said, "We don

n shock. "No. There h

"You know it as well as I do. If th

ing roar shook the clearing. The alpha was