ARIA
The wolf inside me pushed closer to the surface. I held my breath, waiting to see if she would take over. She didn’t. She stayed right there, present but restrained. Close enough to feel the ground under our paws. Close enough to enjoy the run. Not close enough to steal control.
I turned my head and spotted Elara. She was small for a wolf, blond, her body marked with old scars. She watched me instead of the trees, alert and careful.
When I chuffed at her, she slipped through the doorway without hesitation. I followed, letting instinct guide my legs.
It felt like freedom. Real freedom. I let myself sink into the feeling, into the strange mix of wonder and alertness. I tried to loosen the tight grip of fear I carried everywhere. We ran. We stopped to sniff. Elara even tried to pla
