The snow fell heavier by nightfall, a thick, silvery blanket that softened the forest’s edges and muffled the sounds of movement. Each flake seemed to carry a warning, a reminder that the world beyond our camp was shifting. I stood near the fire pit, arms crossed against the cold, my breath forming faint clouds that drifted into the darkness.
The wolves around me had settled into quiet routines. Some were cleaning their gear, others tending to the younger ones, but all eyes occasionally flicked to me. I felt their silent expectations pressing against my shoulders. Leadership was not a mantle of comfort, it was a cage made of responsibility.
I drew a deep breath and allowed my senses to stretch beyond the firelight, into the surrounding forest. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, muscles ten
