. Mane stood before the towering gates of the Nightingale Kingdom, his heart beating fast. He had memorized every path, every whisper of the wind, and every possible danger that could have ended him before he reached this place.

Now, finally, he stood before Alpha Caelen, the ruler of Nightingale—known across the kingdoms not just for his strength, but for the rare kindness that lived in his eyes. Caelen’s throne room was lit by the soft glow of silver lamps. The scent of pine and steel ...