*Xamara*

I shift at the edge of the Blackwater Pack castle’s tree line, snow white fur springing from skin, muscles rippling beneath, my paws sliding into the earth with a perfect grip. The wind cuts across my muzzle, carrying the scent of winter-pine, river water, and decaying leaves. My ears twitch when I lift my head and break into a sprint. Sunlight blazes all around me, and my heart is pounding against my ribcage.

The map inside the book in Julian’s library is sealed in my memory, with its rough markings giving me a vague sense of where my friends live.

I try again through the mind-link, nudging into the...