I stood at the edge of the clearing, watching as the pack gathered before me. Taking a breath, I spoke. “You’ve all come through a dark time,” I began, meeting their eyes one by one. “You’ve all lost, endured, and fought to survive. But now you have a chance to rebuild, to become something stronger—something united.”

I could feel the crowds hesitation, the remnants of pain that Derek’s reign had left in each of them. They’d learned to look out for themselves, to trust no one. I needed to show them that a different way was possible.

“To do this,” I continued in a steady tone, “we’ll need to work...