Stevie
The forest breathes around me. Every inhale feels like the trees themselves are whispering secrets I’m too distracted to hear. Damp leaves press against my palms as I crouch low behind a fallen log, eyes scanning for any sign of movement.
Denver is out there somewhere—silent, watchful, waiting.
I should be focused. Stealth training isn’t a game; it’s survival. But no matter how many times I remind myself, my mind keeps drifting to the meeting that’s waiting for me after this session. Alpha Keith. My secret. My mother. Everything I’ve hidden for years.
If he kicks us out…
I swallow hard and shake my head, pushing the thought away. No. Don’t go there. Not now.
A faint crunch of a branch somewhere to my right. My heart skips. Denver’s close.
I shift silently, hugging the tree li
