VALERIA

“Specters? Why haven’t you reported this to the Guardians so they can investigate?” Aldric interrogated him coldly.

“It’s just… it’s just that there haven’t been any sightings in years. But in our pack, there’s a story—those who venture into this place are cursed, marked by specters to die later. That’s what happened to a couple, good people, members of our pack.”

He spoke with his head bowed, sounding sorrowful. I had a strong feeling he was talking about my parents.

“They found an abandoned baby in this forest, at the Altar, they said. Can you imagine? What baby could have survived here? We warned them repeatedly not to bring it to the pack, that the child was strange, but they didn’t listen. A few years later, they were torn apart by a specter, and only that abomination survived.”

I clenched my fists at his words, wanting to lash out and defend myself, but Aldric beat me to it.

“So, you would have left a baby to die in the forest out of fear?” Aldric interrupted, his voice