Talia’s POV
The bonfire cracked loud enough to echo into the forest, its flames high. Sparks snapped upward, dying fast against the cold stretch of night. The smoke was heavy with sage, cedar, and something sharp that made my wolf restless beneath my skin.
The ritual always felt like this — a little sacred, a little cruel. It was supposed to be about bonding, about honoring the bond of sisterhood that came with our blood. But in Seraphine’s hands? It was just another stage to humiliate whoever she set her sights on. And tonight, her target was obvious.
Zara.
She sat across from me, just inside the circle of firelight. The shadows painted her sharp, her hair catching the glow like strands of molten metal. She looked tense, her jaw tight, her fingers flexing on her knees like she was pre
