POV: Ayla

The protocol hits us on a Tuesday morning. I am in the middle of breakfast with the three of them when Caius’s phone lights up. He reads the message once, then again, his jaw tightening in that quiet way he has when something is about to go wrong. Zane stops mid-sentence about the latest security report. Ryker sets his coffee down without drinking it.

“It's time for the mandatory intersession,” Caius says. His voice stays even, but I hear the edge underneath. “We are returning back to our packs for the next three weeks. Every student at the academy has to return to their home pack and our...