The memory wolf

d full of the kind of silence that

Whispers slithered through the ranks like vipers. I could feel them, everyone o

clearing. Rhea stood at the center, her gaz

into the undergrowth, but Kelan's

sharp, slicing the quiet like a blade. "Your powers...

eath my skin, eager, impatient, dangerous. Tel

o

I'm not hiding anything," I said. The words sounded

elt last night... the tremors beneath your feet, the pul

dn't, but I couldn't stop my claws

the truth... my wolf would be free,

e, a silent warning. Cont

, harder this time. "I'm fine. Tr

tions. The air thickened with the pack's collective attention. Everyone was watch

massive and imposing. Gol

spers. Enough speculation. You will tell me the truth. Now an

I tell him, it will change everything. But if

," I said, carefully choosing each word. "Nothin

g, trying to pierce the veil I had built. My wolf hissed inside me,

ontinue your training, openly, in front of the pa

Every instinct

g a smile that didn't re

ion was unreadable, but the slight tilt of her head

The pack formed a ring around the clearing, eyes sharp, waiting for me to falter. Every

. But as I ran drills, dodging, leaping, striking, I could f

al... too strong...

cting, watching. He didn't speak much,

h the pack's thoughts. A whisper among whispers, just faint en

aws scraped the earth. The pack members nearby glance

ldn't meet his gaze. My wolf had already stiffened, re

tion. "What is it?" he dema

control over the wolf's sudden surge. "Nothing," I said, for

f throbbed beneath my skin, aware

her head. "I know you're hiding something, Ayla. Everyone can feel i

jaw, forcing my wolf to retreat, to hide itself. Every instinct scr

k with tension, sweat, and adrenaline. The pack began to dispers

"Ayla," he said, voice low, ur

the edge of the forest where the

n the Alpha. They feel your energy. They sense something different. And if you don't...

muttered. But my words sounded hollow even

oubled. Then he said something

No more lies. No more hiding. Or

e. "You don't need to follow m

ter. He wouldn't leave me alone.

he d

of leaves, every snapping twig, every flicker of shadow made my wolf

owledge that the Shadow Wolf was near, the pack was suspicious, and