*~Young Lilith's POV~*
The moment I stepped inside the cave, the stench hit me first..thick, metallic, rotten. My stomach lurched, and before my eyes could adjust to the shadows, I froze.
Bodies….Witches.
Dead witches sprawled across the cave floor, their lifeless eyes reflecting the torchlight.
A strangled scream tore from my throat as I stumbled back, slamming into my father. "Dad! Dad! Witches! Witches!" My voice cracked, shaking with panic.
But instead of pulling me away, instead of protecting me, he shoved me forward.
Rough hands caught me before I could fall—old wolves, their grips iron-strong. My eyes widened in horror. "Dad! Dad!" I screamed again, but the cave door slammed shut with a finality that crushed the last thread of hope in me.
