The night had long passed, replaced by the uncertain grey of dawn. I stood at the crest of a rocky outcrop overlooking a valley that had once been our stronghold—a place where every stone, every scar of earth, carried the memory of past glories and bitter betrayals. Today, however, was not a day for memory. Today was the day our legacy would be revived, or be tossed into oblivion. And I, Aria, as the Crescent Alpha, would have to rise to that challenge.
I felt the weight of the Crescent Mark pulsing steadily against my skin, a silent metronome keeping time with the beating of my heart. Every beat echoed with the voices of my ancestors—fierce, proud wolves who had given everything for our bloodline. Their echoes urged me forward, reminding me that power, true power, came only from sacrifice and the will to endure. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, drawing strength from the past even as I steeled myself for the battles yet to come.
