Perceived

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CHAPTER 217

~Kaid's POV~

The scent of Zara lingered in the air, growing stronger with each step I took toward the clearing. My claws dug into the earth as I moved cautiously, my wolf growling low in my mind.

She's here. She was here.

But as I stepped into the open space bathed in moonlight, I saw nothing. The clearing was empty—silent, still, and utterly devoid of her presence.

My heart pounded as I scanned the area, my sharp gaze sweeping across every shadow, every patch of grass. There was no movement, no sign of life. Just the faint echo of her scent clinging to the air like a taunt.

My wolf stirred restlessly, pacing in my mind. "She's not here, but she was."

"I can smell that, genius," I muttered under my breath, my frustration mounting.