Duncan
I strode across the training field, boots crunching against packed dirt, the familiar rhythm of exertion and discipline filling the air. The scent of sweat and warm earth mixed with the faint metallic tang of magic lingering from earlier drills. A glow of pride settled heavy and warm in my chest as I watched our warriors move through their exercises—bodies in motion, instincts sharp, the pack alive and strong beneath the mid-afternoon sun.
Near the front of the group, Julian stood with Kayla. He had moved her from private sessions to group training a week ago. It was a deliberate choice, but not an easy one. They had both agreed it was time. Our warriors needed to see their new Beta female in the dirt with them, needed to know she wasn’t above the work or the bruises. Kayla, for h
