Chapter 22: Into the Heart of the Forest

The forest loomed ahead, its ancient trees casting long shadows in the early morning light. Sarah and I exchanged a determined glance, knowing that this journey would test us in ways we couldn’t yet imagine. With every step we took deeper into the woods, the air grew thicker with a sense of foreboding.

Sarah tightened the straps on her backpack, her face set in grim determination. “We need to find that rogue werewolf before it causes more harm,” she said. “And we need to figure out how Gabriel is connected to all this.”

I nodded, my thoughts racing. “Agreed. But we also need to be careful. The forest is dangerous, and we don’t know who or what we might encounter out here.”

As we made our way deeper into the forest, the trees closed in around us, their gnarled branches creating a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight. The air was cool and damp, filled with the earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves. Every rustle of the underbrush set my nerves on edge, and I couldn’t shake the