LOGINSerena's POVI'd been sitting against the wall for what felt like hours.My wrists burned from the chain holding them bound. My shoulders ached from being pulled back for so long. I wasn't going to just sit here and wait for whatever they planned for me.~Think, Serena. Think!~My shift was still suppressed. I felt a dark force pressing down on my wolf every time I tried to shift.But I hadn't tried everything yet. I hadn't pushed past the pain.I closed my eyes and pulled every bit of focus I had left and directed it inward. At the wolf behind it.I thought about Josh and Mira. They would be so worried about me. I needed to break free from here.I pushed until my head felt like it was splitting open and my whole body was shaking and the pain in my shoulders exploded white and hot.~Free me now!~I strained my muscles and let the shift take me. The darkness holding me back slowly cleared. My wolf broke free. I shifted fast. Faster than ever before. My bones rearranged, and my muscl
Vessa's POVAs Bastian kissed Kayla on the stage, the crowd clapped harder. I clapped too, barely. My focus wasn't on the stage.My eyes were on Caden.He was sitting three rows ahead of me, next to Mira and Josh. His body language was off, like someone sitting through something they were enduring rather than watching. He didn't clap, although his friend had delivered a wonderful performance with Kayla on the stage.Mira and Josh were the same. They all seemed disconnected and worried about something.~What are they so worked up about?~The instructor returned to the stage to announce the next performers. I watched Caden lean over and say something to Mira. She nodded once.Caden stood up.Then Josh. Then Mira. Then Riven and Cael, one after the other, like they'd rehearsed the exit. They moved along the row quietly, stepping past knees and bags, and slipped out through the side door of the arena before the next act had even gotten on stage.Nobody around seemed to notice. The crowd's
Justin POVThe first night was rough. The shelter barely fit all three of us, and none of us slept well. Every sound from the jungle had us jerking awake - birds, insects, rustling leaves. Without our wolf hearing, we couldn't tell if the sounds were threatening or harmless.When dawn broke, we were exhausted but alive."We need to organize," I said as we sat outside the shelter. "Divide responsibilities.""Who made you leader?" Mateo asked, that familiar challenge in his voice."Someone needs to take charge," I shot back. "Unless you have a better idea?""Maybe we should vote," he suggested sarcastically."Seriously?" I stood up, frustration already building. "We're stranded on an island and you want to have a democracy debate?""I'm just saying you don't automatically get to—""Stop!" Nivia interrupted, standing between us. "This is exactly what we can't do. Fight over stupid things like who's in charge.""It's not stupid," Mateo said. "Leadership matters in survival situations.""T
Mira's POVAfter breakfast, we converged in the common room to discuss our next course of action. I sat on the arm of a worn sofa. Josh paced in front of the window, arms crossed tight over his chest. Caden stood near the door with his shoulder against the door frame. His eyes met mine and he flashed a gentle smile. I smiled back. I missed us hanging out, doing simple things together. Now, we didn't have time to train together or hold hands. Serena was our priority. Riven and Cael sat side by side on cane chairs. Tyrell came too, standing apart near the bookshelf. He looked dashing in his denim jacket. I knew Caden wasn't happy I called him, but we needed as many trusted hands as we could get. "If the security unit gives us nothing by tonight," I said, "we’ll follow the trail ourselves. We'll start at the garden gate. That's the last confirmed point. And from there, we'll work outward. I'm very sure we'll find her." "I'd already be out there already if it were only up to me," Jo
Veron's POVI stepped into the woods, heading to the same Douglas fir tree I used the last time. I found the spot easily this time. My feet already knew the path through the trees without me needing to think about it.I shouldn't have needed to come back so soon. But those Dractharis are running wild. We had an agreement. I pressed my palm against the trunk and spoke the sacred words that would connect me to the realm beyond ours. The forest went quiet. Birds fell silent. Wind died down. It was like the air itself understood something unnatural was about to happen here. Darkness spiraled out from the bark and widened into a black hole that swallowed the space in front of me. The hum followed. It was low and grating against the inside of my skull. I hated these rituals, the process it took to connect to the Dractharis. I couldn't wait to hold physical meetings with them. Two figures emerged from the darkness and stood with their arms folded in front of me. "Why have you summoned us
Josh's POVMira and I met Caden waiting in front of the security office."Where's the evidence?" He asked Mira. "Did you bring it along?""No, we didn't touch it. Only took videos.""What if someone tampers with it before we get back?"Mira shook her head. "Not by this time. Apart from the guards, we're probably the only ones awake."Caden shrugged."Let's go in," I told them, and then I led the way to the door."Come in," a thick voice boomed from the other side when I knocked.The security office looked different at night.The same wide desk. The same filing cabinets along the wall. The same board covered in patrol schedules and shift rotations. But the fluorescent light overhead was harsher in the dark and the room felt smaller somehow.There was a different officer at the front desk from the one we spoke to that morning. Younger, with a thin face and careful eyes. He had a tablet on his desk when the three of us walked in and he quickly turned off the display."We need to speak to
Mira's POVThe tournament fixture went up right after the orientation ended. Students pushed in from every angle, craning necks, standing on their toes.I joined the back of the crowd and worked my way through. Nobody moved for me. I squeezed between shoulders and elbows until I was close enough to
Caden's POVI sat on my bed and raised a mug of tea to my lips. Riven was in the bed opposite mine. He had one leg thrown over the bunk, flipping a knife and catching it by the handle. His brown hair had fallen into his eyes again. He hadn't pushed it back. Yesterday had been eventful. I had gott
Caden's POVBastian drummed his fingers on his thighs. "I got the candidate from Stormveil.""You'll win," Riven said, not looking up from his phone."Obviously. I'm just noting the level."Cael was cleaning his boots on the other side of the room. He didn't comment. He'd been paired with Josh Call
Mira's POVI was still enjoying my sleep when something landed on my bed. I jolted awake, heart lurching. My hand already reached for the blade I kept under my pillow. Then I saw what was on my bed. A black attire packed in a cellophane wrap.What's this?I rubbed up eyes and grabbed the package. T







