[Cave]
Moonlight spilled through the crevices of the cave, casting silver ripples across the damp stone floor. Selene sat cross-legged near the center, her palms resting lightly on her knees, eyes closed in deep meditation.
The world outside was restless, but within this sacred place, she summoned stillness—her breath aligned with the moon's pull, her power humming like a silent current through the earth.
The barrier she'd cast around the cave shimmered faintly, an ancient enchantment forged of lunar essence and bloodline magic. She had made this place her sanctuary, a hiding spot from not just the world but those she wished never to cross paths with again.
But even the moon's protection had limits.
Her eyes fluttered beneath closed lids as a prickling sensation ran down her spine. A disruption. A presence. No—multiple presences. She inhaled sharply, and her inner vision sharpened like a blade drawn under moonlight.
Wolves.
