The sun was at its peak, casting warm rays across the Crescent Moon Pack’s lands. Lesley stood on the training grounds, his shirt damp with sweat as he directed the warriors. Ava watched from the side-lines, her arms crossed but her expression soft as her gaze lingered on him.
“You’re pushing them hard today,” she said as he dismissed the group for a break.
“They need it,” Lesley replied, grabbing a towel to wipe his face. “The pack has to be ready for anything. Complacency isn’t an option. You know that very well.”
Ava stepped closer, her tone teasing. “You’ve been saying that every day for weeks now. Is this about the festival? The king was just being overprotective. Nothing was wrong with our security.”
Lesley paused, his eyes flickering with a mix of emotions. “It’s not just the fe
