Chapter 1701: The Buried Secrets

The forest was eerily quiet as Elena and Liam made their way back to Blackwood Hollow. The encounter with the Alpha had left them both shaken, but there was a new sense of purpose in Liam's eyes. The Alpha's words echoed in Elena's mind—*the true danger lies not in the forest, but in the hearts of men*—but she still didn't fully understand what it meant.

As they walked, the air grew heavier, the shadows deepening and the trees closing in around them. The forest seemed to be alive, its presence almost suffocating. Elena couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that something—or someone—was lurking just out of sight.

"Do you feel that?" Elena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam nodded, his expression grim. "The forest is reacting to something," he said. "Something dark."

Elena's heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. "What do you think it is?"