POV: Elara
The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth as I left the compound that evening, my heart still racing from the trials. The pack had begun to retreat to their homes, murmuring to one another in low voices, casting glances in my direction as they went. Some of the wolves had offered quiet words of congratulations; others had remained silent, their expressions unreadable. But even in the quiet, the energy in the air felt charged, as though the trials had awakened something within all of us.
I needed a moment away from their watchful eyes, a moment to breathe and let the weight of the day settle. So I slipped into the forest, following a familiar path that led to a small clearing overlooking the valley. It was one of my favorite places, a hidden refuge where the world felt
