That night, the Blood Moon Pack was unusually quiet. From her chamber, Livia could hear only the distant howls of wolves echoing through the forest—haunting reminders of the world she was trapped in.
The moonlight spilled through the window, soft but cold, bathing the room in silver shadows.
Sleep refused to come.
Livia lay on the bed, her body stiff beneath the covers. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the possible scenario in the first trial hall rose in her mind—rows of piercing stares, harsh whispers, and the weight of judgment pressing down on her until she couldn't breathe.
The trial will start tomorrow, but she already can feel how heavy it would be. She turned to her side, clutching the edge of the blanket as though it could shield her from the storm of tomorrow. But the more she tried to steady herself, the more her heart raced. It was as if her own body already knew that tomorrow would change everything.
