I stepped outside, squinting into the sunlight and silently asking myself what kind of “preparation” Alpha Black had meant. Training had already started, and I was still in the same clothes—light, breathable, good enough to move in. Good enough for now. I followed the sound of clashing bodies and barked commands. The Pack was already mid-session, and sure enough, I spotted Diva waving me over from across the training field. She and Dianne were lounging on the grass, sweat-slicked and grinning like they'd just come out of a warzone and loved every minute of it. I jogged over, and as I approached, they both stood. Without much of a greeting, the training began. Sparring. Forms. Movement drills. It didn’t matter what came first—once I tapped into that rhythm, everything faded. My muscles

