(Lena's POV).
I kept my breathing even, just like Lucas taught me.
“Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. Small steps, conserve energy,” I muttered to myself under my breath, feeling the ground thud beneath my boots as I pushed through the dense Darmos forest.
My legs burned with every step, but I forced myself to stay steady, not fast. Steady.
Ahead of me, a group of faster wolves surged past, their bodies blurs of speed and effortless grace.
One of them, a tall guy with sandy hair, sneered over his shoulder at me.
"You’re wasting your time, human!" he called out, his voice dripping with amusement. "Go home before you embarrass yourself even more!"
A chorus of laughter followed, and another girl, this one with bright pink streaks in her hair, cackled as she spr
