Emerald's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the shadowy figure. The woman's pale eyes glinted softly through the bushes, and she looked so much like Ares that it felt too exact to be a coincidence.
Her wolf stirred within her, feeling uneasy. She could sense Viola's energy, its claws itching just beneath her skin.
"That's not him," Viola whispered inside her mind. "Whatever you're looking at, it isn't Ares."
Emerald's throat tightened. "Then what… or who is it?"
"No idea. My hackles are up, and yours should be too."
Emerald swallowed, her pulse quickening. "But she looked like him. Exactly like him…"
Viola growled. "I don't care if she wore his face like a mask. That wasn't him. Trust me, I know his scent better than you do, and she had none. No warmth. No bond. Nothing."
Emerald tightened her hands on her weapon, took a hesitant step forward, and spoke in a low voice. "Who are you?"
The woman didn't answer.
