"Sleep felt impossible with the weight of tomorrow on my shoulders."
The dormitory had gone quiet hours ago, but my mind refused to follow. I lay on my narrow bed, staring at the ceiling beams barely visible in the darkness. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Gideon's smile. Heard the crowd's eager whispers. Felt the weight of all those eyes waiting to watch me fall.
Tomorrow, everything I'd scraped and clawed for would be tested in front of the entire Academy.
My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless but not panicked. She prowled back and forth like she was already in the arena, already preparing. The fear was mine alone. She just wanted to fight.
I thought about the journey that had brought me here. Walking through those gates months ago, hearing the whispers follow me down every co
