The weight of everything threatened to crush Ava. She sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers trembling as she clutched a small trinket her father had given her as a child. It was a simple wooden carving of a wolf, worn smooth over years of her holding it during moments of doubt. Now, it felt like the only tether to her former life, a life she wasn’t sure she could believe in anymore.
Her uncle’s words echoed in her mind, sharp and cutting. She had finally met him after a long wait, and asked why he was suddenly turning away from the prearranged plan.
“You’re unfit to lead, Ava. Your hesitation, your constant questioning—it’s a weakness. The pack needs strength, not a leader who doubts their own blood.”
She had been stunned when he said it, the words twisting like a knife in her chest.
