Upon opening the door, I came face to face with Ulrich. His copper eyes stared at me, as piercing as ever. His smile was defiant, as if he knew something I had yet to discover. Ulrich, the beta of the pack, the right-hand man of Alpha Alastair. Tall and muscular in his human form, an intimidating figure carrying the marks of lupine battles. Ulrich turned to me, his copper eyes locked onto mine. His smile was a silent challenge, and I didn't back down from his confident expression. “Fierce, long time no see,” he said, flashing a smile that revealed more distrust than friendship. I stared at him, maintaining my composure. The scar cutting across his left eye was a visible reminder of his struggles as a werewolf, a testament to the brutality of the world to which we belonged. “Ulrich, wha


