Chapter 26

• Rose's POV
• The sun had barely crested the treetops when I found myself standing at the edge of the training grounds, hidden partially behind a tall wooden post. Morning light spilled across the open field, casting long golden streaks over the dirt and the sweating bodies of young wolves mid-combat. The crisp scent of dew and churned earth lingered in the air, mixed with the sharper tang of adrenaline.
• Dozens of boys and girls—most of them my age—were sparring fiercely under the watchful eye of a grizzled warrior, his sharp eyes scanning every movement like a hawk circling above. His commands cut through the noise like blades: firm, sharp, unyielding. These weren't just training sessions. They were evaluations. Every jab, every takedown, was a chance to prove something—to maybe even earn a place among the elite warriors of our pack.