As the guys and Kylie left for the Alpha’s box, a strange nervous energy began to bubble in my chest. Today was different. Today, we’d be fighting in wolf form. Few people even knew I had shifted early, let alone seen my wolf. I wondered briefly if my father would be angry that I hadn’t told him. Would he see it as defiance? Or would he be proud that I was strong enough to shift early?

Before I could spiral too far into those thoughts, Delta Kyle’s voice boomed across the arena, pulling us to attention.

“Alright, today’s trial will begin similarly to yesterday,” he announced, scanning the crowd. “You’ll start with one-on-one fights in your wolf form. Instructors will pair you based on skill and style. To start, we’ll separate males and females, but once you’ve warmed up, we’ll mix things up. You’ll find tents along the edge of the arena where you can shift privately.” He grinned, a rare crack in his otherwise serious demeanor. “So you won’t have to get naked in front of everyone.”

A collective chuckle rippled through the crowd, followed by relieved sighs. I could practically feel the tension lift. Shifting in front of hundreds of people was not something anyone looked forward to. I had come prepared to shift through my clothes if needed—Kylie had a backup outfit in her bag—but I was more than happy to avoid that particular spectacle.

As we headed toward the tents, I noticed Lillian shooting me curious glances. She followed close behind, staying within arm’s reach as if she had a question she didn’t know how to ask.

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” I asked, slipping off my shoes once we reached a corner of the tent.

She hesitated, then blurted, “How are you even going to do this? You’re what—fifteen, sixteen? You can’t go human against wolves, especially the elites!”

I fought the urge to laugh. “I shifted a year ago,” I admitted with a shrug, trying to sound casual. “That’s why Delta Kyle let me join the trials.”

Her jaw dropped. “A year ago? Holy shit.”

“Yeah, I thought that was normal,” I said, brushing off the awe in her expression. “My brother and his friends shifted around the same time, so I figured it was just a beta thing.”

She gave me a wide-eyed stare but didn’t press further. With one last skeptical glance, she turned to get ready.

There were only about fifty of us left in the trials, and around twenty were women. It was refreshing to see that female warriors weren’t as rare as I’d assumed. The instructors moved through our group, noting each wolf’s scent, coloring, and other markings as they shifted. I stayed toward the back, not needing to act nervous—I was nervous.

When the rest of the women had shifted and stepped out of the tent, I approached the two instructors.

“Can’t shift yet, sweetheart?” the taller one asked kindly, a hint of concern in her voice.

“No, it’s not that.” I took a breath. “Could you do me a favor? When I shift, could you only note my wolf’s markings?”

She tilted her head, confused but obliging. “Sure, honey.”

With a nod, I started to undress, keeping my back to them as much as I could. But there was only so much I could hide once the shift took over. My bones cracked and reformed, muscles stretching and fur sprouting along my skin.

The shift was over in seconds. I heard both warriors suck in sharp breaths—not from my transformation, but from the scars etched across my back. I ignored their reactions and gave my wolf control, standing tall before them.

“You’re beautiful,” the shorter warrior breathed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pure black wolf before.”

I felt my wolf preen under the compliment. Told you we’re special, she said smugly.

Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head, I shot back, trotting out of the tent.

We were directed to our starting positions, and I squared off against a sleek brown wolf with reddish tips to her fur. The whistle blew, and we launched into combat.

The sparring was fast and brutal, with no time to think—only react. Every opponent pushed me to the edge, forcing me to dig deep. As soon as one fight ended, another began.

I lost count of how many wolves I faced, too lost in the thrill of it all. Fighting in wolf form was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. My senses were sharper, my reflexes faster, and every movement felt like an extension of pure instinct.

By the time the individual rounds ended, I was panting but exhilarated. The instructors called us to the edge of the field for our next challenge.

“Your task is simple,” Delta Kyle called out. “Get past the line of warriors.”

It seemed straightforward—until the Elite Warriors stepped onto the field. In their wolf forms, they looked like predators carved from stone, sleek and deadly. They fanned out in a semicircle around the obstacle course, each movement precise and synchronized.

The whistle blew, and chaos erupted.

Wolves charged the line head-on, only to be taken down within seconds. Others tried to sneak between obstacles but were intercepted just as quickly.

I crouched low, belly-crawling from one hiding spot to another. My size made it easy to stay hidden, but every time I moved closer, the line of elites shifted seamlessly, blocking my path.

I paused behind a low woodpile, studying them. Their coordination was mesmerizing—like a dance of muscle and instinct. They moved as one, effortlessly switching between offense and defense.

A sudden snarl tore through the air, snapping me out of my trance. A massive gray wolf with dark markings charged toward me, flanked by three others.

Shit. I scrambled backward, but they had me boxed in. They must have noticed me analyzing them and decided to put an end to it.

I had two choices: fight or surrender.

Just as I braced myself to attack, the whistle blew.

“That’s enough for today!” Delta Kyle’s voice boomed across the field. “The warriors will meet to discuss your performance. Head to the pack house to celebrate a successful trial session—you’ve earned it!”

I exhaled, my heart still racing. The gray wolf gave me a sharp look, then trotted away with the rest of the elite team.