on lasted

first years while Headmaster Sterling ex

t without

ampus without

the forbid

ge students a

ist w

n trying to rem

rantically. "This is insane. How ar

ve no

ort to the training grounds. Your physical asses

Hall. Luna followed the crowd

ded by forest. Equipment scattered across the grass. Obstacle c

ofessors. All of them watc

lar. Scars crossing his jaw and ne

ill break you down and rebuild you into wolves worthy of the Silverwood name. Some of yo

t is survival. In the real world, weak wolves die. Fast wolves live. Strong wolves le

ingled beneat

rength. Agility. Then we'll move to combat. Ha

ne s

artner u

o find partners. Nov

rtn

ious

rowd, observing. He stopped

wo. Se

's voice wen

ch other. I need to see what you're actually c

ologetic look as Tho

bloodline. Marked yeste

s,

wolves. But history doesn't mean anything here.

s,

can push you harder than I can push an entire clas

shed. Male. Maybe early twenties. Le

he'd rather b

is class in combat. He'll be responsible f

n. His expression didn't cha

" Thorne's voice

r. No p

I want a full assess

ay, leaving Luna

red at e

d finally. "Yo

aren

ound thrille

er things to do than

hy'd yo

bloodline. I don't care about your famous last name. I care about results. You show up on time. You work hard. Yo

per flared

you've got. Run the pe

ht n

af? Run

a quarter mile around. Her lungs burned after

Ryder was waiting

tes. That'

ran half

d've done it i

ha

. Again. Fast

ed a

r weak wolves.

N

en

s protested. Her chest ach

nutes th

Ryder pointed to a climbing wall. "C

tched twenty feet high. Handholds

rted cl

ve out. She fell, landi

t u

t. "This is impossible. I've n

learn.

can

nswer. T

id I

r you're dead. There's no middle ground. Your grandmother? Exceptional. Graduated top of her class. Your great-grandm

rned. Heat rac

ot dea

ery time something gets hard. Now clim

bled. Her muscles shook.

odded once. "That's progress. Rest. Five

s training across the field. Nova was sparring with another

caught Lu

at the edge of the tra

ching e

hing

self to her fee

Darius Kane. Fourth year A

hy

e Kanes don't like competit

ompeting w

blood. That makes you a threat to his posit

spond, Darius starte

er muttered.

close, he was even more imposing. T

babysitting

ng for your fathe

w tightened

lenge me? We both kno

e Eclipse everyone's talking about. Marked yester

manag

es. Big expectations. Big failures." He circled her s

pulsed. Warm

re about re

ars you. Who challenges you." He stopped in front of her. "And right now? Your reputa

I'll have to

forward

ne made Luna's inst

t enough that light le

Interesting. Your mark reacts to thr

them. "She's my student. You have a pr

Darius smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "See you around, Eclip

lked

l he was out of e

h. W

glowing. And your ey

e mark blazed through the fabric.

stand. Why is

lf responded. That's instinct. It's a

rying to do

without your permission. If you do, you'll shift at

calm down. B

s glow fa

s run high." Ryder checked his watch. "We're done for today. Tomorrow morn

x A

obl

'll be

Get food. Rest. You'

in building. Her legs felt like jelly.

e'd su

ning sessi

er heading toward the dorms. Th

ed when th

ped. "Your mark

ill faintly visible through her s

does that

e shook. "First years don't have marks that glow

shifting.

k fine. You lo

way. Fast. Like Luna mig

ot going to

ere alread

the path. Her mark pulsed. Her ref

glowed fa

ke Ryde

ked dan

something wild b

o idea how to