Chapter 57
Astrid's POV
Kaeleen led me through the pack grounds. The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, but I barely noticed. My stomach was churning with anxiety.
"Where exactly are we going?" I finally asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Kaeleen glanced at me, his expression softening. "We're going to the Shrine," he said. "It's where we'll perform the mating Ritual."
"Oh." I said as the realization dawned on me.
As we walked further, the trees grew denser, the air cooler. An almost palpable sense of ancient power seemed to emanate from the earth. Finally, we reached a clearing. In the center stood a structure unlike anything I'd ever seen. It wasn't a building, exactly, but more of an open-air sanctuary. Stone pillars, carved with intricate designs of wolves, moons, and stars, supported a roof of woven branches and vines. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and wildflowers.
"This is it," Kaeleen said.
"How old is this shrine?" I asked him.
