I didn’t hear about the challenge directly. That’s never how things work anymore.
Information travels faster than intention on this campus. Everyone enjoyed gossiping, as usual.
By the time it reached me, it’s already been passed through too many mouths, sharpened by excitement, dulled by ignorance, and twisted just enough to sound silly.
I hear it while crossing the quad.
Two wolves behind me, voices low but careless.
“…straight up challenged her.”
“No way. Garice?”
“Yeah. Captain spot. Some transfer.”
“High pack too, apparently.”
That’s when my wolf stiffens.
Jane Garice.
Everything else fades.
I slow my pace without meaning to, senses sharpening, ears catching every word whether I want them to or not.
“—name’s Mira, I think. She didn’t even ease into it. Just walked in like
