The atmosphere in the dining hall was thick with tension, the air humming with the unspoken rivalries that thrived at the Bran Military Academy. Cadets filled the long wooden tables, clattering cutlery and low murmurs echoing through the grand chamber as they settled in for their meal. The hall’s stone walls were lined with banners depicting ancient battles, the legacy of warriors who had come before them, but Axel was hardly paying attention to his surroundings.
He was starving, his fangs itching for something more substantial than the bland food offered on his tray. Despite his best efforts, the hunger gnawed at him like a beast. He took a tentative bite of the roasted meat on his plate, only to grimace as it turned to dust in his mouth. It was no use. Nothing tasted right. Nothing sati
