Nicholas~
I burst through the treeline, my paws skidding on the slick grass as the rain hammered down like a thousand accusations. The palace rose before me, its towering stone walls blurred by the downpour, but it was a beacon pulling me forward. My wolf form trembled with exhaustion and urgency, fur matted and heavy with water. With a grunt, I shifted back mid-stride, bones cracking and reforming in a painful rush that left me gasping on two legs. Naked and drenched, I stumbled toward the side entrance, the cold rain stinging my skin like needles.
"Nick, hurry," Leo urged in my mind, his voice a low growl laced with panic. "Something's off. I can't... I can't sense her."
I froze for a split second, water streaming into my eyes. "What do you mean you can't sense Winter? The bond—it's still there, right? I can still feel the bond."
