Winter had arrived with teeth.

  Nova sat in the stands, arms crossed against the cold, watching her classmates get wrecked by the warriors they were supposed to learn from. Most were volunteers, young wolves eager to impress.

  She wasn't one of them. Not after going against Hunter Ryker the night before. Her ribs were sore and her wrists were still blistered from the silver.

  Across the snow ring, the warriors stood in formation. The largest female among them was Helga Emberhide, a sparring champion. Beside her stood Colonel Brutus Sterling, tall with grey-streaked hair and a lightning-bolt scar across one eye.

  "Anyone else brave enough to step in?" Colonel Sterling called.

  Nova hoped to gods someone would step forward. Anyone.

  Then she felt it. A pair of eyes.

  Professor Draven was looking at her. She liked him. Trusted him, even. Up until last night.

  No. No, no, no—

  "Nova," he said simply, nodding once. "Go ahead."

  Her stomach sank. Her classmates whipped around to stare.

  Colonel Sterling raised an eyebrow. "You sure? She'd be going up against my champion."

  Draven's voice didn't waver. "She's ready."

  On the far side of the field, Aeron sat on a frost-covered bench, a book open across his lap.

  He looked up just as she stepped into the ring.

  Their eyes met. He didn't speak. But he didn't have to. She knew what he was thinking. Keep in control.

  She didn't want to disappoint him.

  Helga walked across the ring, cracked her neck and sneered. "Better hope I don't mess up that pretty face," she called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Wouldn't want the Gamma losing interest in his little pet."

  The other warriors snickered.

  Nova took a slow breath.

  Across the grounds, Aeron mindlinked Professor Draven.

  Aeron: You're sending her against THAT woman. On purpose.

  Draven stood perfectly still, arms folded. His jaw tightened.

  Draven: Yes. She is one of the main students the Colonel wanted to see. She won't go unless I make her.

  Aeron: I see that. But why against this barbaric giant woman?

  Draven: I want to see someone take this champion down a peg. She can handle it.

  Aeron: Let's keep this private.

  Aeron grimaced. Hopefully their pack leadership would be too busy to pick up on a mindlink like this. Members of higher rank, especially the Alpha had that ability, unless the link was intentionally made private.

  From inside the castle, Fin went utterly still. The mindlink's echo had caught his attention. He knew exactly who they were referring to.

  He was seated at a long table with courtiers and diplomats and Princess Meredith.

  The princess was speaking, words laced with honey and venom as she traced her finger along the rim of her goblet.

  "And as I was saying, I find this region's architecture—"

  He wasn't listening. He focused on Nova, trying to understand her emotions.

  She was ... anxious? No that wasn't it.

  After a few seconds, he finally understood. She was afraid of losing control. A fear all too familiar for many wolves.

  Meanwhile, in the war tower, Jax was reviewing northern patrol routes. He stilled at the mindlink as well.

  There was no question that was about Nova.

  His Nova.

  He stood.

  Beta Cael Valehart looked up. "Something wrong?"

  Jax's answer was short. "I hope not."

  ???

  Nova stepped into the ring, every pair of eyes on her.

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  She looked at Draven for reassurance. Even though she wasn't happy with him at the moment. He gave her a small, silent nod.

  Across from her, Helga Emberhide rolled her shoulders, cracked her knuckles, and spat on the ground.

  The moment the Colonel blew the whistle, Helga lunged.

  Nova didn't flinch, evading each blow with calm precision. She was relying on patience, not strength, letting Helga burn herself out.

  Nova caught Helga's momentum and redirected it. A heartbeat later, Helga was on one knee, locked in a submission hold.

  The crowd gasped as the Colonel's voice cut in. "Reset."

  At that moment, Jax entered the training arena. His brows were creased.

  The Colonel whistled and round two began.

  Helga shouted loud enough for the arena to hear. "Don't want your pretty hair to be pulled now do we? Unless it's in bed, right? Preferably by our Gamma or Alpha."

  Nova said nothing, but her cheeks burned. The accusation was ridiculous. She hadn't spoken to the Alpha once since coming here.

  She heard snickers from the warriors.

  From the stands Rael did a slow clap. "Careful Helga, your jealousy is showing. Might want to tuck that back in before someone steps on it."

  The stands erupted with low chuckles and a few outright howls.

  Sterling and Draven looked at each other for a second, shocked. This was not normal. A little trash talk here and there but never personal like this.

  Helga feinted left, spun right, and caught Nova off-guard. She slammed Nova into the snow and pinned her there.

  "What's wrong, little bastard slave?" she called out for the crowd. "Don't want to mess up that pretty face? Are you scared you might disappoint your dead mommy? I heard she was like you. No better than a common whore."

  Something snapped inside Nova, heat flaring sharp and violent in her chest, anger drowning out the pain.

  Nova knew she already lost, but didn't wait for the whistle. Her right boot slammed into Helga's gut with such force, she flew back several meters and hit the ground gasping.

  The crowd erupted into shocked voices.

  "Did you see that—?"

  Nova flipped onto her feet in one clean motion. She wasn't going to take this sitting down if this was going to be personal.

  Her lip was bleeding. Her fists were clenched.

  Her expression?

  Pissed.

  From across the stands, Beta Cael turned to Jax. "Did that warrior just call her a bastard slave and her mother a whore... what the actual hell is happening?"

  Jax didn't answer. Her anger hit him like a shockwave, hot, sharp, blindingly clear.

  The colonel's voice rang out again.

  "Reset. One to One."

  Helga spat into the snow and stalked back into position. "Aww, is the little wolf angry now? Your mommy would be proud of the show you are putting on. Just enough to turn on the warriors."

  Elle couldn't take it anymore. She yelled across the field. "Funny because the only thing you've turned on today is everyone's secondhand embarrassment!"

  There was a huge laugh from the crowd on both sides. Even Nova cracked a small smile.

  Cael stiffened like he'd been struck by lightning. His eyes locked onto Elle.

  Colonel Sterling blew the whistle.

  Helga circled closer, still putting on a show for the crowd.

  "That's the thing about girls like you, isn't it? Pretty enough to get fucked. But just a toy. Ugly on the inside. I've heard all about you from Princess Meredith."

  Nova didn't respond. Trying her best to keep composed.

  Helga kept going. "Deep down, you know what you really are. Unworthy. And when they're done fucking you, they will throw you away. Wolfless runt."

  The warriors stilled. Her venom finally registering.

  Nova felt her wolf for the first time since Ashbane, furious and desperate to surface. And, for the first time in her life, she had to push it down.

  Helga came fast. Too Fast.

  Nova dodged, swept her legs out, and pinned her in the snow— knee to chest.

  "Down Two," the Colonel called, his voice less amused now.

  Helga snarled low in her throat, her hands curling into fists. She was still speaking to Nova, but the words were muffled and not fully registering.

  Helga's face twisted. "Answer me, you little slut!"

  Then she shifted. Fur erupted in thick brown waves.

  "Shift is against sparring protocol," Beta Cael's voice boomed.

  Too late.

  A massive brown wolf lunged.

  Nova leapt back just in time to avoid being shredded.

  Helga's wolf skidded and circled her, snarling.

  Nova's pulse thudded in her ears.

  She glanced at Draven confused. Why wasn't he calling it? But he was mindlinking with Colonel Sterling.

  "Stay focused. Finish this," he said after a few seconds.

  "In real combat, they'll shift. You might not be able to. Figure this out without shifting." Colonel Sterling called, studying Nova. His interest piqued for the first time today.

  The wolf lunged again. Nova spun away, letting it skid past in the snow.

  A student near the edge whispered too loudly, "We haven't practiced sparring human to wolf combat yet!"

  The colonel's voice exploded across the field. "You think the enemy waits for your lesson plan?!"

  The student shut up instantly.

  The Colonel stepped forward, glaring across the group.

  He pointed toward Nova, who seemed perfectly calm on the surface. "Watch her."

  Nova's face gave away her thoughts at that moment. Confusion. She had no clue what she was doing.

  The she-wolf lunged again, teeth bared, faster this time.

  Nova's mind raced.

  She threw snow and dirt into the its eyes. The wolf snarled, half-blinded. Nova kicked its legs out from under it, and drove it down into the snow with a crunch.

  She was small. But she was a wolf. No one could argue based on her strength shown.

  The brown she-wolf bared her teeth again... but didn't rise.

  The Colonel raised one hand, voice sharp and final.

  "Three. Match goes to Nova."

  Nova blinked against the swirl of snowflakes and relief flooded through her.

  Her classmates rushed to the edges of the ring. A small smile crossed her lips as she walked towards them.

  "Nova!" Elle screamed.

  But Nova didn't hear the rest. She turned just in time to see death coming.

  She didn't think.

  She didn't scream.

  She shifted.

  Light burst outward in a silver flash.

  The brown wolf collided with her mid-shift, which was dangerous, but less dangerous than being hit from the back in human form.

  Nova's wolf was knocked from mid-air, Helga's teeth sinking into her shoulder.

  Nova got back up on four paws quickly, legs shaking.

  She had never ran through the forest in her wolf form, let alone fought in it.

  Her wolf spoke in her mind.

  Seraphine: Let me handle her.

  Nova was relieved to hear her voice again and let her take control.

  Helga charged again and Nova's wolf met her head-on. She jumped and landed on Helga's back, knocking her backward into the snow with a heavy thud.

  Nova stood over her in total silence.

  Nobody moved.

  The warriors. Her classmates. Even the Colonel.

  The brown she-wolf didn't rise again.

  At the edge of the stands, Aeron stood slowly, his book dropped, eyes wide. Her wolf was a lightning-strikes-only-once sight and he almost couldn't believe it.

  Her wolf was a lightning-strikes-only-once sight and he almost couldn't believe it.

  In the corner of her vision, Nova saw Jax, staring with an expression she couldn't name.

  Was that shock or fear on his face? When did he get here?

  He was the one who'd carried her. Sat beside her. Tried to make her laugh. And now...

  "Holy gods," someone whispered.

  No one moved.

  "Her wolf is..."