e ignored. But I noticed... I noticed everything. I had to. Growing up as the daughter of a disgraced Alpha meant I spent most of my childhood studying people. I learned who pitied me

ather spent years searching through old records." "Searching for what?" Mara hesitated. Then she whispered: "Something connected to your birth." I frowned. "My birth?" "Yes." "That doesn't make sense." "It will eventually." I hated that answer. Again. Always eventually. Always later. Always when you're ready. I wasn't a child anymore. I was twenty-two years old. I had crossed territories alone. I had fought rogues. I had survived because I didn't wait for people to save me. "I need you to stop protecting me from the truth." Mara looked at me sadly. "I'm not protecting you." "Then what are you doing?" "Trying to prepare you." --- That afternoon, I left Silver Ridge territory. Alpha Cedric had offered to let me stay longer, but staying meant waiting. And I had spent enough of my life waiting. My next destination was the western territories. According to my father's old records, he had traveled there frequently before my mother's death. Maybe I would find something. A witness. A clue. Anything. The journey was quiet at first. Too quiet. My instincts told me I was being watched. I stopped near a river and looked around. Nothing. No movement. No scent. But the feeling remained. Someone was there. I reached for my dagger. "Come out." Silence. I waited. Then a branch snapped. I turned. Nothing. Whoever it was, they were good. Very good. A normal wolf would have missed them completely. But I wasn't normal. Not anymore. I continued walking, but I kept my guard up. The strange feeling followed me until sunset. Then, suddenly, it disappeared. That both