Alera's Pov
The air felt thick with tension as I stood in the command tent, Kael’s sharp gaze cutting through the room like a blade. His presence alone was enough to make my pulse race, but the weight of what he was about to ask of me made it harder to breathe.
The Lycan Kingdom was under threat. A rival faction had moved in on one of our farthest outposts, and Kael had given strict orders: hold the line at all costs. No matter what. But as I looked over the map, my mind raced. Something didn’t sit right. The terrain, the timing, the enemy movements—it all felt like a trap.
"Take your team and do your job, Alera," Kael’s voice was firm, commanding. There was no room for hesitation, no space for doubt.
I gripped the hilt of my sword, the metal cool beneath my fingers, a solid reminder o
