**Lysander**

Tonight.

Tonight I reject Gaia.

The thought should bring relief. Clarity. The certainty that I'm doing the right thing.

Instead, it brings pain.

Sharp. Constant. Overwhelming.

I stand in my temporary quarters, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

'This is necessary,' I tell myself. 'For the pack. For stability. For the future we need to build.'

But my wolf, Ares, ...