Chapter 163 Loneliness In The Wild

• ~ Elara ~
• The moment I stepped out of Eastwind pack territory, I felt the weight of the journey press down on my shoulders. The path before me stretched long and uncertain, winding through the dense, shadowy forest. The trees were tall, ancient, their limbs twisting like skeletal hands reaching toward the sky. Every step I took felt heavier than the last, as though the very earth beneath my feet could sense the burden I carried. I was determined, yes, but the anxiety simmered beneath my skin like a low flame, threatening to engulf me if I allowed it to.
• The silence around me was unnerving, broken only by the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional snap of a branch. I was alone, truly alone, for the first time in what felt like forever. No pack, no mates, no allies. Just me and the task at hand—protecting the gem, stopping Draven, and somehow reclaiming my place in a world that had cast me out.