Chapter 73

Aria's POV

The second year of the alliance brought growing pains.

One of the partner schools, located in the Eastern territory, was struggling. Their coordinator sent increasingly desperate messages about low enrollment and community resistance.

"The local pack doesn't trust education that comes from outside their territory," he reported during a remote meeting. "They see it as Shadow Peak trying to control their children's minds."

"Did you explain our curriculum is about critical thinking, not indoctrination?" I asked.

"Multiple times. But there's deep suspicion about anything that challenges traditional pack values."

This wasn't unexpected. Change always met resistance. But I'd hoped the benefits would speak for themselves.

"What...