Elsa’s POV
By the time we returned to the pack house, the sun was already sinking, painting the sky in hues of amber and crimson. The breeze carried the scent of pine and rain-soaked earth, and for the first time in days, I felt a little lighter. Shopping with Neris had helped me forget just for a few hours everything that had gone wrong.
But as the SUV rolled past the training grounds and toward the main residence, I could sense the whispers even before we stepped out.
“Did you see what she’s wearing?”
“Alpha’s black card, they say.”
“She thinks she’s the Luna already.”
Their words floated through the air like venomous smoke. My stomach tightened, but I lifted my chin higher. I had learned to wear my composure like armor—it was the only thing that kept me from breaking.
Neris notic
