Rejected by the Alpha, Claimed by the Beast
The moment Lyra voiced the decision, the covenant trembled as if it understood the weight of what she intended to do. Splitting the bond was not a simple adjustment of power. The covenant had always thrived on unity, on the seamless merging of wolves, guardians, and forest into a single force. To divide it meant reshaping its very nature again, forcing it into something it had never been before. Rowan felt the hesitation ripple through the network like a faint echo. Not doubt. Instinct. The covenant resisted the idea of separation because it had been built to unite. He closed his eyes briefly, centering himself within the bond, and then pushed his will forward with steady clarity. “Trust her