The day of the ceremony arrived wrapped in false brightness.
From the moment the sun crested the treeline, the pack buzzed with restless enthusiasm. Laughter echoed through the streets, banners were hung, and the air itself seemed charged with anticipation. Graduation day was more than a ceremony here. It marked transitions, alliances, futures being sealed. New warriors. New scholars. New mates-to-be. For the pack, it was a promise of continuity.
For Iva, it felt like an execution countdown.
By now, almost everyone had received their letter of acceptance somewhere. Some waved them proudly, others whispered in tight circles, tears of joy or disappointment staining their faces. The lucky ones already spoke of departures to academies, of honor and prestige.
Everyone except her.
The absen
