Scarlett’s POV

The sun is barely climbing over the ridge, casting a pale light across the training grounds. I stand in the center, breath ragged, hands shaking, pulse hammering in my ears. Around me, the pack watches, some in awe, others in thinly veiled apprehension. I can feel it—the surge of ancestral energy coursing through me, untamed and raw, prickling my skin like a swarm of fire ants.

I glance at the guard opposite me, a young wolf with a stoic expression, and I know I’ve pushed ...