The full moon hung low in the velvet sky, casting a silver glow over the ancient clearing where the Blackthorn pack had gathered for the ritual. Tall pines encircled the space like silent sentinels, their branches heavy with fresh snow that glittered under the lunar light. The air was crisp and biting, carrying the sharp scent of pine sap and wood smoke from the central fire that roared in a stone pit. Flames danced high, throwing long shadows across the faces of the assembled wolves, their eyes reflecting the fire's glow with a mix of awe and sorrow. This was no ordinary gathering; it was a night of reckoning, of punishment and healing, where the pack's justice would be meted out under the moon's watchful eye.
I stood at the edge of the circle, my cloak wrapped tight around me, but the c
