The announcement went up by midmorning.
Elias noticed it on his way back from patrol duty, the parchment newly pinned to the central board in the packhouse hall. Fresh ink. Clean edges. Official enough that people had already begun to gather.
ROWAN, ELIAS
FIRST SHIFT CELEBRATION
THREE WEEKS — FULL MOON
He stopped walking.
His name looked strange like that—bold, centered, public.
“Well, s**t,” someone muttered nearby.
Elias didn’t have to turn to know who it was.
“Congrats, man,” Theo Mercer said, clapping him on the shoulder hard enough to jolt him forward. “Guess you’re officially on the clock now.”
Elias huffed a laugh. “Didn’t realize the whole pack needed to know.”
Theo grinned. “You kidding? First shifts are a big deal. Especially for someone who’s been training as long as
