They shared a quiet meal, and though no one spoke much, the air was charged with a sense of expectation. When the last plates were cleared and their breakfast concluded, Elder Caelum rose from his chair, his gaze turning to Livia.
"Today," he said, his voice steady and deliberate, "you will begin the next stage — not as the girl you once were, but as the wolf you truly are."
The words sent a thrill through her chest. She took a slow, steadying breath and stepped into the open training ground with them. The earth felt different beneath her feet today — alive, thrumming with the power that slept beneath her skin.
Closing her eyes, Livia centered herself, drawing every ounce of focus inward. "Lilly", she called within the depths of her mind. "It's time".
