The night was heavy with stillness, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets. Althea sat on the edge of a small stone bench tucked behind the packhouse, her gaze fixed on the sky above. The moon hung full and bright, its light illuminating the quiet garden.
Her thoughts twisted like a storm she couldn’t contain, each wave crashing harder than the last. Bianca's words from earlier still rang in her ears, and the weight of the pack’s whispers pressed heavily on her chest.
“Too much focus on her.”
“Not ready for this role.”
Her jaw tightened as she traced the scar on her hand with her thumb, a nervous habit she hadn’t shaken. No matter how far she’d come, no matter how much stronger she’d grown, doubt clung to her like a second skin.
“You’re unraveli
