Wall

The forest thicket greeted Adelina with a damp chill and the scent of pine needles. The moment her bare feet touched the moss, the princess's silhouette blurred, giving way to a snow-white she-wolf. Her emerald eyes sparked with anger: her father, the king, had given her as a gift to the pack leader, Vhal, whose name was whispered with horror.

Two trembling guards trailed behind, but Adelina merely snorted at the sticky mud and thorny branches. Suddenly, the forest came alive—the low howl of wolves shattered the silence. The guards froze, and the princess, lashing her tail, continued on alone.

She reached a clearing where a huge cave yawned in the heart of the mountain—the pack's lair. Hundreds of wolves basked on the rocks, wolf cubs frolicked, and girls in human form groomed their pelts. As Adelina approached, a snarling ring of predators closed in around them. Then Vall emerged from the cave. In wolf form, he was colossal—his black fur blended with the shadows, his eyes blazing with determination. He was twice her size.

"She's here?" he said, walking around and sniffing. "This is my she-wolf... she might even become my favorite."

With a grin, he inhaled her scent between her ears, then pressed his powerful side against her, rubbing roughly and leaving a dominant mark so no one would dare touch her. With a satisfied growl, Vall turned and retreated into the cave—as if Adelina were just a small detail in his domain, unworthy of special attention.