ael was nothing

rutal, spiritual, raw. He didn't just train my body-he stripped

ing as I struggled to block his attacks. "It's in

me easily, sweeping my feet out from under me in one

ga

ing. "Do you ever get ti

hand. "Do you ever ge

e days since I'

My body ached in places I didn't know existed. But somethi

er. More present. Sometimes, I could

e to the mountaintop behind the fortress. Th

id, staring at the sky.

oes it feel like s

use i

uld feel it too-a pulse in the earth, a whis

smell

ok

bl

beside me. "We

distance-low, sav

pted with noise. Not just o

chest. They're not

eyes glowing. "Ge

head. "I

n't your

eeth. "Then

from the trees below, eyes glowing red, foam at its

ther now, almost natural. Lyra leapt forward

rough the grass, and I felt every strik

was st

h into its thr

collapsed

lazing, their howls filled with madness. I had nev

elt...

form was enormous-nearly twice my size, covered in obsidian fur with

every side. Magic surged through the

en, si

d in blood-some mine, most not. My l

claw wounds and blood. "You did well,"

rom my mouth. "

imly. "But not natural. So

rned. "That's

Kael said.

-

s trembling when he handed Kael the scroll,

n darkening with every word. Wh

om your

ze. "

hree days ago. Over a dozen wolve

clenched. I didn't want to ca

e?" I asked

oll. The last line was

who can stop him. Pl

nearly

s wrot

ently, your Alpha h

teeth. "Or

softly. "But if you do... you wo

forest, where the ash

hispered.