Serena woke to muffled voices outside the cabin. The sun had just started to rise, and the faint glow barely eased the chill in the air. She groggily rubbed her eyes and peeked out the window, only to see Callum and Ronan in yet another heated argument.
Ronan stood confidently, arms crossed and smirking like he was enjoying the fight, while Callum glared daggers at him, visibly on edge.
Ivy, as usual, looked amused, calmly sharpening her dagger nearby like the argument was her morning entertainment.
Unable to ignore the tension, Serena stepped outside, wrapping her arms around herself against the cool morning air.
"Morning, sunshine," Ronan greeted her with that infuriating smirk.
"Why are you two bickering at this ungodly hour?" Serena asked, her voice heavy with sleep.
"We weren't bickering," Callum snapped.
"Sure, because growling at each other is totally normal conversation," Serena quipped.
Ronan chuckled. "I was just pointing out the obvious flaw in Callum's plan to stay here and hope for a miracle."
Callum's jaw tightened. "This isn't your call to make, Ronan."
Serena sighed and stepped between them.
"Okay, enough. Can someone tell me what's going on and why it apparently involves me?"
Ivy, clearly eager to fill Serena in, said, "Ronan wants us to leave. He thinks staying in the cabin is a death wish."
"It is," Ronan chimed in smugly.
"And where exactly would we go?" Serena asked skeptically.
"To the old Lycan haven," Ronan replied, his tone serious now. "It's protected by ancient wards. No wolf would dare step foot there."
Callum's posture stiffened. "That place hasn't been used in decades. The wards could be unstable. It's too dangerous."
"More dangerous than staying here?" Ronan countered. "The pack is already closing in, Callum. They'll find us soon, and when they do, they'll bring their best."
Serena frowned. "So our options are to stay here and wait for an attack or go to this haven and hope it doesn't collapse on us?"
"Basically," Ivy said with a shrug.
"Great," Serena muttered. "Exactly the kind of life and death decision I love making before breakfast."
Ronan chuckled, while Callum just looked increasingly annoyed.
After a tense silence, Callum spoke. "We'll vote. Majority rules."
"Fine," Ronan said. "I vote for the haven."
"Obviously," Callum muttered. "I vote to stay."
"I vote haven," Ivy said cheerfully, not even looking up from her dagger.
All eyes turned to Serena.
"Seriously?" she asked, incredulous. "You're leaving this up to me?"
"Your life, your choice," Ronan said with a wink.
Serena groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Fine. If this haven is as safe as you claim, let's go. Sitting here waiting to be ambushed doesn't sound appealing."
Callum looked less than thrilled but nodded reluctantly. "We leave at dawn tomorrow. Pack only what's essential."
"I travel light," Ivy said, patting her bow.
"Don't worry, princess," Ronan said with a grin. "I'll carry your bags."
"Already regretting this," Serena muttered, heading back into the cabin.
As they prepared to leave, Serena couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just a simple decision. It felt like the first step into something far more dangerous than she'd imagined.