Morning sunlight streamed through the open window, slashing across my face and forcing me to blink awake. The brightness felt like a sign, a new beginning, a test, or maybe a warning. I stretched my limbs slowly, feeling a strange mixture of fear and determination twist in my stomach. Today wasn’t like any other day. Today, I would finally join the pack for general training.

It had been weeks since I trained privately with Sean, but now I was ready, or at least I told myself I was. I wanted ...