The sun had barely pierced the dense canopy of the forest when Kael led me back to the clearing where I had faced the circle of awakened wolves. The mist had thinned, leaving the air crisp and heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth. My muscles still throbbed from the trials of the previous day, yet I felt stronger, sharper, and more attuned to the world around me than ever. Every heartbeat, every rustle of leaves, every distant cry of animals seemed amplified.
Kael moved with silent precision, his golden eyes scanning the forest ahead as though expecting danger at any moment. “Today,” he said quietly, “you will meet others from beyond Hawthorne Ridge. Some are allies, some are rivals, and some are neither. Their presence will test your instincts, your control, and your ability to nav
