The storm came with the night, an ominous wind howling through the trees as if the forest itself anticipated the coming battle. Thick clouds hung low in the sky, veiling the moon and casting the camp into shadows. Lyla stood at the edge of the clearing, her heart heavy with the weight of her growing power and the responsibility it brought.

The pack was restless, their murmurs blending with the rustling of the wind. Even the forest felt different, charged with energy yet burdened by the ...