The private training ground behind the east wing was empty at dawn. Exactly as planned.
I stood in the center of the packed dirt circle, breathing in the cold morning air. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless after days of forced politeness and council surveillance. She wanted out. Wanted to run, to fight, to prove we were more than political pawns.
"Ready?" Darius circled me slowly, already half-shifted. His eyes glowed gold in the pre-dawn light.
"As I'll ever be."
"Remember what we practiced. Don't fight the wolf. Guide her." He stopped directly in front of me. "And most importantly, don't let her guide you."
"That's easier said than done."
"Everything worth doing is." He smiled, feral and encouraging. "Now shift."
I closed my eyes and reached for the wolf inside me. She sur
