Penelope's POV
Crimson University is everything Frostfang wasn't sprawling, diverse, alive with possibilities I never knew existed.
My dorm room might be tiny, but it's mine. Actually mine. No shared space with pack housing politics, no thin walls where everyone can hear your business, no constant reminders of where you rank in the social hierarchy.
"Oh my god, you're here!" A hurricane of red curls and boundless energy explodes through the door, arms full of shopping bags and what appears to be a small potted plant. Her voice carries the breathless excitement of someone who's been waiting for this moment all day. "I'm Isla, your roommate, and we're going to be best friends."
I blink at her enthusiasm, then break into the first genuine smile I've had in days. The muscles in my face fee
