I stare out the window of my assigned chamber, feeling the walls closing in around me more and more with each passing moment. The palace’s gilded constraints press against my lungs like a physical weight. Ironic, how these enclosed spaces represent power in the Wolf Kingdom when true strength comes from the boundless mountains that have sheltered my pack for generations.
But here I stand. Trapped in this ornate cage of political necessity.
The scent of pine needles and fresh mountain air still clings to my clothes, a reminder of home that both comforts and haunts me. I roll my shoulders, trying to shed the discomfort of being so far from my territory.
“Have you actually thought this through?” Artisem’s voice breaks the silence as he enters without knocking, comfortable with the familiar
