The training field smelled of crushed grass, damp earth, and the metallic tang of sweat—scents that used to mean home but now felt like a taunt. I stood at the edge of the clearing, watching the rhythmic blur of bodies in motion. Warriors clashed with wooden practice blades, their movements fluid and fueled by the raw power of the wolves living beneath their skin.
Once, I had been the center of this world. Now, I was a ghost haunting my own life.
I took a breath, feeling the bruise on my ribs where Lyra’s words had struck deeper than any physical blow could. I shouldn't have come. It would highlight everything I had lost. But the warmth in my chest—the strange, pulsing ember that had stayed with me since Lyra left my room—pushed me forward.
The Beta was there, standing near the ce
