The full moon rose over Shadowpine like something deliberate.It was brighter than usual, casting silver light over the pack grounds until even the darkest corners seemed exposed. Full moon gatherings were sacred among wolves. Not celebrations alignments. Power settled differently on nights like this. Instincts sharpened. Hierarchies clarified. Bonds either strengthened… or cracked.The entire pack assembled in the central clearing, forming a wide circle around the stone altar that had stood there longer than memory could measure. Elders stood closest. Warriors behind them. Then the younger wolves. No one spoke above a murmur. The air carried anticipation.Ayla stood beside Kael,