Marcus and Callum stiffened, already moving to defend Samantha. Kai bared his teeth as his werewolf instincts were on full alert. Even Orion straightened slightly, his sharp gaze scanning the room.
A whisper. Low, almost imperceptible. It slithered through the air, curling around Samantha's ears like poisoned silk.
"He waits for you."
Samantha's blood ran cold.
Darkness swallowed the room, thick and suffocating. Samantha's breath caught in her throat as the last torch flickered out, leaving only the eerie glow of their eyes in the blackness. The whisper still curled around her skin, slithering into her bones like ice.
Kai let out a low growl, his stance shifting into one of defense. "Samantha—"
"I heard it," she whispered, her voice steady despite the fear curling inside her. "We all did."
Marcus's fingers brushed against hers in the dark, grounding her. "Light," he ordered, his voice calm but firm.