Morning light spilled across Crescent Ridge like liquid gold, warming the rooftops and sliding through the open windows of the packhouse. Wolves moved through the courtyard with steady purpose, carrying supplies and calling out greetings, preparing for another peaceful day. The air smelled like dew and pine. A quiet breeze rustled the trees along the border.
I had just finished my second training session when one of the border guards hurried across the grounds toward me. His cheeks were flushed, breath uneven, cloak dripping with morning mist.
“Luna Kaia.” He said. “A messenger waits at the gate. He carries a scroll bearing the mark of the Council of Alphas.”
The Council rarely communicated directly. And never politely.
I exchanged a look with Kael who raised a brow. Soren’s eyes narro
