The first rays of dawn spilled across the pack grounds, a muted gold brushing over the forest, but it did little to chase the darkness that clung to Evelyn’s chest. Every movement made her ribs ache, every step reminded her of the bruises lining her arms and shoulders from the previous days. She shivered as her bare feet sank into the cold, damp grass, the hem of her plain dress sticking to her skin.
The pack was already awake, alive with energy and dominance. Wolves shifted fluidly into human form, sparring with precision, growling and snapping, their muscles coiled with the tension of power. Evelyn’s small frame felt even smaller among them. Every gaze that passed over her felt like a needle, reminding her that she did not belong here.
From the shadows of the raised platform, a figure
