LOGINThird Person POV Tanya Knox stood deep in the frozen woods, hidden behind a thick wall of snow and rocks. The small fire in front of her was weak and low. Her ten wolves sat around it, looking tired and cold. Tanya’s expensive coat was still clean. Her dark hair was neat under her hood. She looked like she had not suffered much.One of her wolves, a tall man named Ronan, stood near her. He was one of the strongest in her group. Tanya turned to him with sharp eyes.“Did any of them get killed yet?” she asked. Her voice was cold and impatient.Ronan shook his head quickly. “No, your highness. None of Calla’s wolves have died yet. They fought off a small pack of monsters earlier, but they all survived.”Tanya’s face twisted with anger. She clenched her fists. “But didn’t you say it was part of your family gift to control these creatures?”Ronan started sweating even in the freezing air. His face turned pale. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “That… that is not what I
Calla's POV The small cave under the rocks felt a little warmer now. The tiny fire we made gave soft light and some heat. My ten wolves sat around it. They were resting after the long day. No one had died yet. We were all still here. That was good.I sat with my back against the rock wall. My body hurt everywhere. My leg still stung from the monster scratch. My arm throbbed. The cold had got into my bones. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to rest my head.One of the wolves stood up. She was a beautiful female wolf with soft gray fur and kind eyes. Her name was Lira. She moved quietly and filled a small cup with water from our pack. She walked over to me and held the cup out.“Here, Lady Calla,” she said softly. “Drink. You need it.”I opened my eyes and took the cup. The water was cold but clean. I drank it slowly. It felt good going down my dry throat. I gave the empty cup back to her.“Thank you,” I said.Lira stayed standing there. She looked at me for a moment. “May I sit
Calla's POV I woke up before the sun rose. The cold air felt sharp on my skin. My body ached from the long night. My ten wolves moved slowly around the secure spot on the high ridge. No one had died yet. We were all still here. That gave me a little hope.“Eat something small,” I told them. My voice was quiet. “Then we move. We cannot stay here long.”We shared pieces of dried meat and hard bread. It was not much. My stomach felt empty. My arm still hurts from the graze. The marks on my wrists glowed soft blue in the gray morning light. They reminded me to keep going.We packed our things and started down the ridge. The snow was deep. Every step took effort. My boots slipped on ice. My legs felt heavy. But I kept my head up.We walked for two hours. The trees grew thicker. The cold went deeper into my bones. Then I heard it. A deep growl. Low and angry. It rolled through the woods like thunder.Blade.My heart jumped. The pull hit me hard. My knees felt weak. I grabbed a tree to s
Calla's POV I moved through the snow with my wolves. The night was very dark. The full moon gave some light but the cold felt sharper than before. My boots sank deep with every step. My legs hurt. My arm still throbbed from the bullet graze. But I kept walking. We needed a new secure spot before the Alphas came closer.“Stay close,” I told the ten wolves. “No one walks alone. Watch the trees. Listen for footsteps.”They nodded. Their faces looked tired but determined. We found a small valley between two ridges. Thick trees gave cover. A big rock wall blocked the wind on one side. “Here,” I said.The wolves worked quickly. They piled snow into low walls. They cut branches for cover. I helped carry heavy logs. My hands got numb. The marks on my wrists glowed soft blue. They reminded me to stay strong.When the shelter was ready we sat inside. I ate a small piece of dried meat. It tasted like nothing but it gave me energy. The cold made my body shake. I rubbed my arms to keep warm
Blade's POV I stood on a high ridge, hidden among the dark trees. The snow fell lightly around me. I had changed into tight black hunting clothes. The fabric fit my body perfectly … strong but flexible. It let me move fast and quiet through the frozen woods. My black hair was tied back. My gray eyes scanned the distance. I could see Calla’s group far below. They had built a new secure spot on another ridge. Small fires glowed and they moved carefully. They were learning.The cold bit my skin but I did not feel it much. My wolf was awake. The mate pull burned inside me like fire. Every time I looked at Calla my knees felt weak. I wanted to drop down and worship the ground she walked on. I hated it. I hated how she made me feel like a puppy. I was the Alpha King. Not some weak fool.I watched her long curly brown hair swing when she moved. Even from this distance she looked strong. The golden circlet with the red ruby caught the moonlight. Her body looked powerful in the winter g
Calla's POV I stood in the big open field just outside the frozen woods. The cold wind blew hard. Snow fell lightly even though it was not a full winter.My body felt tense and it was all because the real trial was about to start.I wore my warm layers and good boots. My long curly brown hair was tied back tight. The golden circlet with the red ruby sat on my head. It felt warm against the cold air.Adele was safe back at the pack house. I hugged her many times before I left. She gave me her stuffed wolf again for luck. I promised I would come back strong. Now I was here alone. With no daughter to protect in the woods. Just me.Tanya stood not far from me. She looked ready in her expensive gear. Her dark hair was under a warm hood. She stared at me with cold eyes. I did not look away. I knew she would do anything to win.The elder stood in front of us with the council. Blade and Brynne were there too. Blade looked angry. His gray eyes watched me hard. Brynne smiled a little. His
Calla’s POVThe arrow hit the tree. I groaned, rubbing my face in anger. Using an arrow was so fucking hard but it’s one of the things I really really wanna learn. The thoughts of shooting all my enemies filled me with glee.I wipe the smirk off my face and focus on the target on the tree.This ti
Calla’s POVThe water was at my knees.I stood in the dark with my back against the door and my hands flat against the wood behind me and I took one breath. Just one. The same way Tyson had been teaching me to breathe before I reacted to anything.Assess first, he always said. React second.Okay.
Calla’s POVI was sweaty, sore, and ready to collapse.Training with Tyson was not the kind of thing you walked away from feeling good about yourself. It was the kind of thing you walked away from feeling like your arms had been replaced with wet noodles and someone had quietly removed all the bon
Calla’s POVThe words had barely left his mouth before he moved.One moment he was sitting in his chair with his toast in his hand and his eyes on mine and the next moment he was on his feet and the chair was scraping back against the wooden floor and the sound of it cut through the kitchen like a







