LOGINNever in these last few months did I think I would be coming face to face with one of the reasons we have been training for. I have always thought this kind of danger would show up one day, but not today, not here, not when I was with the boys and far from everyone else. I did not even have time to think before the force slammed into me so hard that my feet slid across the dirt. My back twisted from the impact. My breath caught in my throat. I struggled to keep myself upright before realising the thing that hit me was a body. A heavy, half-shifted werewolf body.The creature snarled right above my face. He was half shifted. A long snout, human eyes, fur only on parts of his arms and legs. His claws were fully out, ready to tear into me.Rogues.And he wasn’t alone.We were surrounded.My stomach tensed in a hard knot. The one above my face tried to claw me before I pushed him backward with more force than I expected. His feet stumbled. Dirt flew under him. He growled and came at me
Aria’s POVI stepped out of my room with my training clothes already on and tied my hair back while I walked. I had a group to train and no time to worry about anything else.The path to the training ground was already busy. The new trainees moved around in small clusters. Some of them talked too much, some kept their eyes low like they did not want to be noticed. The mentors stood together in a line so I moved to join them.Master Callen stood in front of all of us. His hands were behind his back in that calm way of his.“You all will guide the new trainees through their first forest practice,” he said. “You will show them what you learned and how to move through the trees. This is not only for their benefit. It helps you understand your own skills better. You may move.”We broke into our groups. The trainees spread out to stand with whoever they were assigned to. My ten boys stood in a crooked line beside me. One of them looked half awake. Another kicked at the ground like he wanted
Aria’s POVTheo’s loud voice pulled me out of sleep before I even sat up. He was always so noisy no matter how tired we were from the day before.“Get up! If I have to be awake this early, you do too!” he called from the hall. I pushed myself off the bed and stretched my arms until the stiffness eased. The dorm had a soft buzz of movement. Doors opened. Boots scraped the floor. The other mentors stepped out one by one. Jace gave me a small nod as he tied his wrist strap. Darin yawned like he had barely slept. Bram bumped into a chair and muttered under his breath.We dressed fast. Training never waited.When I stepped outside with the others, the new recruits were already gathered on the open ground. They stood in lines, their eyes trying not to wander. Their eagerness showed in the way they stood.Master Callen arrived a moment later. His steps were steady, but the look on his face made every mentor go quiet. He had that expression he used when he planned something different. Someth
Aria’s POV I arrived at the training field just as the recruits were lining up. Today’s exercise was a running obstacle course. Wooden hurdles, cones and low barriers stretched across the ground. The goal was simple: run, dodge, jump and reach the end without losing control. “Today’s task is clear,” I said, addressing the recruits. “One at a time, run the course. Step carefully, keep your balance and watch the obstacles.” They nodded and moved into position, checking their footing. Their faces showed focus, not fear. They had improved since yesterday. The practice had made them more aware and coordinated. I gestured to the first one. “Go.” He pushed off, running towards the first hurdle. He jumped, landed unevenly but corrected mid-step. I followed the line, adjusting a bent elbow or a stiff knee. “Lower your shoulders. Watch your feet. Eyes on the obstacles.” The next recruit ran, nearly tripping over a low barrier. He corrected himself quickly, touched the marker at the end, a
Aria’s POVI waited at the center of the training grounds with the other nine mentors. The recruits were supposed to stand behind us, but mine were already drifting into a loose line trying to figure out what space belonged to them. Jace leaned towards me. “Yours look better today.”“They look the same,” I shrugged.“Well, fine. But they do look different.”I glanced at my line again. They were standing better than yesterday. Not perfect though but they looked more aware of themselves.“Maybe it was the stance practice,” I said.“See?” Jace nudged my arm. “They already act like they survived a war.”“They almost fell over ten times.”“And they lived. Growth.”I laughed under my breath.Callen stepped forward and the chatter between teams died at once. The instructors spread out behind him. Ronan watched everyone with his usual calm face. The Alpha King stood at the back, his arms behind him.Callen began speaking. “Today we begin your first movement drills. You will learn how to shif
Aria's POV I sat on the small bench outside the old dorms while the new recruits placed their bags inside their rooms. The halls were noisy with doors opening and closing. Their voices were low. They were still afraid to speak near me. Jace walked past with his own group. His recruits trailed behind him like ducks following their mother. He pointed at something with a lazy hand. “Beds. Closets. Floor. Try not to trip over any of them,” he said. One of his boys let out a confused sound. Jace shot me a look. “See. Brats.” I shook my head and tried not to smile. My own recruits stepped out of their rooms one by one. They lined up in the hallway without a single word. Their shoulders were tight again. One boy kept fixing the sleeves of his clothes like he did not know what to do with his hands. Another boy kept looking at the floor. The tallest boy stood at the back with his jaw set like he was bracing for something. I stood in front of them. “We will get familiar with each other







