MasukMira's POVThe morning air was cold and sharp in my lungs. I walked to the training yard. Nobody looked up when I got in. Everyone here treated me like I was invisible. I started slow. Footwork only. I was letting my body remember how to move without bracing for pain at every step. My shoulder ached distantly but the pain didn't flare. My ribs pulled when I twisted too far. I was in a much better shape than two days ago.By the time Josh found me I had worked up a proper sweat."You're supposed to still be resting," he said."I've rested.""For just two days?""Yes. I didn't come to this camp to rest."He looked at me for a moment with that exasperated expression I knew well. "There's someone I want you to meet," he said. "Who?""Just follow me."Josh took me to the main hall. We walked to a tent just outside the door, to a table in a corner. A girl was seated at the table with a cup of something hot between her hands. She looked up when she saw us coming and smiled at us. I mean
Caden's POVThe training yard was empty, except for me and my friends. This was our style. We stayed back to practice more after everyone else had gone to their dorm. Nobody worked harder than us in the whole of Ironridge.I rolled my shoulder and advanced towards Riven. My grip tightened on the blade hilt. Across from me, Theo reset his stance, leaning slightly forward.I crossed swords with Riven, knocking down his blade in a swift move. Then I evaded Theo's advance. I twisted away from his attack and had my blade at his throat. Clean and fast.Theo exhaled. "One day I'll figure you out."Bastian laughed from the fence where he was lifting dumbbells. "You've been saying that for two years now."Cael said nothing. He was sharpening the edge of his short blade with a whetstone.Riven picked up his blade. "Let's go again."We circled one another. Riven to my right. Theo to my left.Theo charged first. I blocked his strike. Then I bent and kicked his legs. He groaned and dropped his bla
Mira's POVThe leopard guy stepped closer. His three friends fanned out, blocking every direction I could run.My ribs throbbed. My shoulder was wrecked. My ankle still burned from the fight with Caden hours ago. I had nothing left in the tank."I beat you fair," I said. "What more do you want?""You embarrassed me." His voice was low, ugly. "In front of the whole camp."He grabbed my arm. I tried to yank free but my shoulder lit up with so much pain that my vision blurred. A second guy caught my other wrist. The third shoved me from behind. My knees hit the ground hard.I kicked at the closest pair of legs. Connected with a shin. He cursed but held on. The leopard guy grabbed a fistful of my jacket and hauled me up, slamming me against the wall. My head cracked against the stone. Stars exploded across my eyes."Let go of me," I said through clenched teeth."Or what?" He leaned close. His breath was hot on my face. "You'll challenge me again? Look at you. You can barely stand."He was
Mira's POVI sat on the edge of the medic bed. My gaze was fixed on the paper. The handwriting was sharp and confident with thick strokes. I still couldn't believe the words on the page.We need to talk? About what??My thumb traced the edge of the paper. What could Caden possibly want from me? It made no sense that he would send this to me.The memory of his voice after the fight still burned in my mind. Omegas belong in the peace zone. He hadn't even looked sorry. Felt like he was stating a fact. I couldn't forget that he had capitalised on my momentary loss of concentration."So why call me out now?" I muttered, staring at the wall.Was he trying to apologize in private?The rumor about Caden's mate flashed through my mind. The whole camp was buzzing with it. I dropped the paper on the bed. Caden's name was like a prayer now in everyone's mouth. Who could his mate be? I had no idea. It would certainly be some high-blood shifter with perfect lineage and a spirit animal that matche
Chapter SixMira's POVThe medic pressed two fingers against my ribs. I winced."Breath out," she said. "Slowly."I exhaled. Pain gripped my side like an electric shock.She nodded. "Not broken. But close."Thank Goodness.She moved to my shoulder next. She rotated it carefully and I bit my lip, trying not to scream. The pain in my shoulder was worse than the ribs. I had known that since the moment Caden knocked me down."Soft tissue injury," she noted. "You need to rest it for at least three days. Then you'll be fine.""I have drills tomorrow."She looked at me over her glasses. "You have bruised ribs and a shoulder that will swell by morning if you don't ice it properly tonight.""So I need to ice it and stay away from the drills? Noted."She gave me a hard look, wrote something on her note, and left me alone in the camp's medic room.I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall.The room was small and smelled like antiseptic. A single window let in grey afternoon light. Outs
Mira's POV The crowd pulled back to give us space.I rolled my neck and flexed my wrists. My ankle was still throbbing from the leopard fight. My forearm had a long red scrape from where I had hit the ground. I did not look at either injury. Looking at things made them hurt more.Caden stood across from me and tied up his hair. The instructor held his whistle close to his mouth. "You both know the rules."Neither of us responded.He blew the whistle. Caden shifted right away.I was curious to see what he would shift into. The shift rolled through him like a tide. His body expanded. His shoulders pushed outward and his spine lengthened and from his back, rising and spreading in one slow continuous movement, came wings. A winged lion stood across from me. Its head came up to my chest. Its mane was dense and dark. Its wings were half open, not fully extended, and even at half extension they reached further than my arms could span.The crowd cheered harder than they did for the leopard







