PTE

ene

into their small group,

arrated her experience with other pack wolves and I wo

ven broke through the trees, he forced me into drills - striking, dodging, counteri

he third time that day. His breath was steady, while mine was ragged. "Out

e, like it's some kind of s

from my mouth and sto

d. "Then,

I

n react. Riven never let me give up, but neither did I. The bruises covering my b

mask my scent, how to become the hunter instead of the hunted. "Most wolves rely on brute strength," she

f the wild itself. A bird suddenly taking flight, the absence of crickets, the way the wind car

p, her encouraging words and ente

elements, how to set traps for food, how to find my way when I had nothing but the stars. "You never know when you'll b

more times than I succ

he night that ch

ted with

smelled wrong-tainted with sw

" she w

he air. It stuck itself in the tree behind where I'd b

e hun

and eliminate exiled wolves. They fought with

ed to all fours, his wolf dark and massive. Dara melted int

uld ha

o had been betrayed, exile

I d

I ducked under his swing, moving so fast I barely recognized my mo

him stumble. Before he could recover, my

ide with shock as he c

stepped, grabbed his wrist, and

y we took down, how many more ran away into the

loodied lip, grinning at me. "No

speak, but when he met my gaze, I

s were still shaking, my b

't just some random hit squad. They knew what they were doing. Som

ey're not done. Whoever sent them won't stop." Her sh

anking something off his belt. A worn metal emblem with

e Order," h

whistle. "Well. Tha

"Who the hel

funded mercs. They don't do clean-u

per lay in the dirt and I picked it up to see an image. It wasn't e

for you," I sai

gives up, doesn't

ked co

him killed, but we just ended up running away

hey want wi

other as if hesitatin

me dead. They wil

the next attack. We wil

grin. "Now that's

he's finally thin

g, just gave a sin

You keep this up, and we might

don't think I'm

e got that whole 'vengeful, badass leade

his shoulder and

n't hesitate to rip out yo

everything they've gone through,