(Cora POV)
By the time the sun rose high in the afternoon sky, the training grounds were humming with activity. The air was thick with dust and the smell of wood. Small groups of wolves from the pack gathered, their eyes darting toward me with curiosity. Their looks, as well as the weight of their unspoken criticisms, were pushing like an unseen force against my skin.
I observed them from the clearing's edge. Liam was not far away; he never went too far. Despite our long silence, I valued his presence. Knowing he was there, even in the shadows, was comforting in a way.
However, the consolation did not lessen the growing stress within me.
"Cora, are you ready?" With a call, a voice stopped my thoughts. One of the pack's trainers, Gale, was there. He was a tall, thin wolf with an
