red at the ceiling. The events of last night replayed in her mind - Smith's harsh words, his cold touch, the possessive look in his eyes. For a moment, she let herself feel the pa

ver showed her kindness, though she often wondered why. Amber rolled her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Oh, come on, Caleb. It's just a bit of fun. Besides," she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "you know as well as I do that she doesn't belong here." Raven's heart squeezed painfully, but she refused to let the tears come. Not here, not now. She clenched her fists at her sides, forcing herself to breathe evenly. "Enough, Amber," Caleb snapped. "Get back to training." Amber huffed but stalked off, muttering something under her breath. Caleb turned back to Raven, his expression softening. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. Raven nodded, her voice small. "I'm fine. Thank you." Caleb's lips pressed into a thin line. He looked like he wanted to say more, but then his eyes flicked past her shoulder, and his expression hardened. Raven didn't need to turn around to know who was approaching. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and her wolf whimpered inside her. The air around them seemed to chill as Smith Lockwood stepped into the training yard. The Alpha's presence was impossible to ignore. He moved with a predatory grace, his tall, muscular frame commanding attention. Pack members stopped what they were doing to bow their heads in respect, but Smith's eyes were only on her. "Raven," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. "A word." Raven's throat tightened, but she nodded and followed him without a word. She could feel the stares of the pack members burning into her back, hear the whispers as she trailed after the Alpha like a lost pup. Smith led her to the edge of the clearing, away from prying eyes and ears. When he finally turned to face her, his expression was unreadable, a mask of cool indifference. "You've been slacking," he said flatly. Raven blinked, taken aback. "I-I haven't-" "Don't lie to me," Smith cut her off, his voice sharp as a whip. He took a step closer, towering over her, the scent of pine and rain