Maya's POV
Two days of traveling through unclaimed territories brought us to the edge of a hidden valley I never knew existed.
I stood at the ridgeline with Derek and my thirty followers, looking down at what my mother had built. It wasn't just a camp, it was a small village. Wooden structures built into the natural landscape, training grounds, gardens, even what looked like a medical facility. Seventy wolves, Victoria had said. From here, it looked like more.
"That's... impressive," Derek whispered beside me.
It was. My mother hadn't just been surviving out here. She'd been thriving. Building something real.
"Stay here," I told my people. "Let me go down first. Make sure it's safe."
"Maya, we should come with you," Derek protested.
"No." My voice was firm. "If this goes wrong, I ne
