The air atop the war tower tasted of rain—crisp, sharp, and full of promises it didn’t intend to keep.
Rayne hadn’t moved for over an hour.
Below her, the Valen stronghold pulsed with restless energy. Warriors trained. Scouts darted in and out of the gates. Garran had doubled the guards per her command. Jace had updated the patrol routes. Everything was in motion for war, and still—her heart wasn’t in it. Not fully.
Not yet.
She felt… unbalanced. Like she was standing in two realities at once. One where she was the Alpha of the Valen wolves, leading them into a war that would define their survival. And another where she was just Rayne, the girl who once believed she could steal moments of happiness from the gods if she was careful enough.
But she hadn’t been careful.
And now the gods
