Chapter 17 The Shadow Within

• The voice slid through the smoke — low, ancient, familiar. It wasn’t just a sound; it was a presence that pressed against my chest, a weight that made my skin tingle and my heart stutter. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my feet were rooted, frozen in place.
• Lucien moved in front of me instantly, claws extended, eyes burning gold in the dim moonlight. His stance was protective, unyielding, and dangerous. The shadows seemed to coil around him, alive with the promise of violence.
• “Show yourself,” he snarled, voice deep, commanding, and full of warning. Every muscle in his body radiated readiness, his aura a storm waiting to break.