Morning light filtered through the pines, soft and gold, but Shadowpeak felt anything but peaceful. Wolves moved with purpose, reinforcing borders, sharpening defenses, preparing for the inevitable clash.
Lyra stood in the training clearing with Mira, her wolf restless beneath her skin. She could feel the tension in the air — the pack’s urgency, Kayden’s worry, Crescent Ridge’s looming threat.
Kayden arrived moments later, his presence steady but charged. He carried a rolled map under his arm and a weight in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“Lyra,” he said, voice low. “We’re changing your training.”
Lyra exchanged a glance with Mira. “Why?”
Kayden unrolled the map across a flat stone. “Because Crescent Ridge isn’t just watching you. They’re testing how close they can get.”
Mir
