Alera’s POV
The cool night air carried the scent of pine and damp earth as I sat near the training grounds, watching the warriors shift into their wolves and race into the thick forest. Their howls echoed into the night, a song of strength and unity. The sight was mesmerizing—powerful beasts, blending into the darkness as their paws barely made a sound against the forest floor.
I admired them. They were born for this, for the hunt, for the fight. The way they moved with such precision, such control, made me envious in a way I couldn’t fully explain.
Because no matter how many times I watched, I knew—I didn’t belong.
I had never shifted. Not once.
For days now, I had been training harder than ever, pushing my limits under the watchful eye of Lira, one of the strongest female warriors i
