The morning sun had barely touched the jagged peaks when I was already moving. The mountain wind bit at my skin, sharp and merciless, but the chill only sharpened my senses. Last night’s victory over the rival scouts had proven one thing: I could survive. But survival was no longer enough. If I was to return and claim what was mine, I needed mastery, mastery over my body, my mind, and the bond that tethered me to Kael.
Sera’s instructions were simple: today, I would hunt alone. Not small prey, not convenient targets hidden in the valleys or shallow streams. I was to track, corner, and bring down a wolf twice my size. It was a test of strength, cunning, and instinct.
I crouched low in the morning mist, the cold grass wet against my palms, eyes scanning the horizon. The quarry moved cautio
