THE ULTIMATE TRIAL
The forest was a war zone of distorted light and shadow. Trees bent unnaturally, their branches twisted into grotesque shapes, roots rising like skeletal hands from the scorched earth. Wolves moved cautiously, muscles coiled, eyes scanning every crevice, every flicker of movement. The previous encounters had tested their endurance—but nothing had prepared them for what awaited.
Lykos stood at the center of the clearing, silver aura blazing around him, every fiber of his being tuned to the bond with Aria. His jaw tightened, wolf instincts flaring with low, resonant growls. The fragment pulsed at his chest, tethered to the pack and to Aria, amplifying their strength, stabilizing their senses, and acting as a conduit of willpower, courage, and unity.
Aria hovered beside
