Training had given me a newfound sense of purpose. Instead of drowning in thoughts of loss, I began to focus on the possibilities of tomorrow. I kept waiting for fear to settle in, to overwhelm me with the realization that joining had been a terrible mistake. But when that fear never came, I was left surprised—and relieved.
With something else to focus on, the tears that had threatened to fall faded away, and I found myself enjoying the day with Chiara and Sofia.
"See? Nothing a good girls' day can't fix," Sofia quipped, admiring her freshly painted nails with a satisfied grin. She held her hands out for me to inspect.
"They’re beautiful," I nodded, taking a moment to follow my wolf’s advice and remain in the present. "But how do you even fight with fake nails on?"
"Very, very ca
