Sunlight crept in before she was ready.
Before light touched the sky, Sage opened her eyes, tension humming through the links between them. Not far off, one Alpha shifted, then another, roused by quiet movement rather than sound. Sleep had taken hold up here, high on the slope where wind cut deep. They'd stayed close through nightfall, bodies pressed not just for warmth but something else - loyalty maybe, or fear. Shelter waited below. They ignored it, choosing instead this raw stretch of stone and frost. Together meant something sharper out in the open. Wolves know that. Stubbornness kept them rooted till dawn pulled at their senses.
Beneath, motion began at first light. Wolves - five hundred strong - shifting into formation. Tents folded quickly, collapsing pole by pole. Blades passed hand to hand without delay. Med kits sealed tight, ready for the road ahead. Every move Torres made felt sharp, precise, like clockwork ticking through its steps.
