Chapter 32 Power Surge

• The watcher pressed their back against the rough bark of an ancient pine, heart hammering against ribs with the rhythm of a war drum. Sleep had been impossible after witnessing that unholy bargain in the clearing—Lexi's desperate voice, Samuel's predatory laughter, and the metallic scent of blood sealing a pact that would damn an innocent girl.
• "A binding requires blood," Samuel's words echoed in their memory. "Your problem will be solved within the week."
• The watcher's hands trembled as they recalled Bobby's face from yesterday's training session—fierce determination masking the vulnerability of someone still learning her place in a world that had been stolen from her as an infant. The urge to warn her battled against self-preservation. Lexi's influence ran deep in this pack. Cross her, and the consequences would be swift and final.