Mated to the Alpha CEO
Aria, of course, was already there — she had never really left, her seer's wisdom woven into the fabric of the First Lesson like silver thread through a tapestry.
On the fourth day, the training ground was full. Hundreds of wolves — young and old, from every territory, every background — gathered around the ancient oak. They sat in concentric rings, the way they had for countless lessons over the years. The morning sun broke through the branches, dappling the ground with gold.
Lira stood at the center, leaning slightly on Thane's shoulder. She had insisted on standing. She would meet this moment on her paws.
"You all know why I've called you here," she began, her voice thinner than it once w