The cool afternoon air wrapped around me as I wandered the edges of the pack territory, my fingers tingling with the lingering energy of my last spell. The further I walked, the more I could feel the pulse of magic humming beneath my skin. My stomach, swollen with the life growing inside me, stretched uncomfortably as I moved, but I didn’t mind. This child was everything to me. I had to master my magic—not for myself, but for it.
I exhaled slowly, focusing my energy as I raised my hand toward a fallen branch. It trembled and lifted a few inches before wobbling back to the ground. Frustration gnawed at me, but I couldn’t afford impatience. I had to keep trying. I had to be stronger. For them.
Hours slipped by as I practiced, pushing my limits until exhaustion tugged at my limbs. The fores
