Chapter160: The Challenge

|| Lilac's POV || The garden was alive with murmurs as the elders gathered around Ezra, their ancient hands hovering over his newly shifted form. His wolf—magnificent, silver-furred, with eyes like molten gold—stood tall under their scrutiny. The moonlight bathed him in an ethereal glow, casting long shadows across the grass. He looks like Father, I thought, my chest swelling with pride. The head healer, a wizened woman with eyes sharp as daggers, pressed her palm to Ezra’s flank. A pulse of magic rippled through the air, and the crowd held its breath. "His wolf is strong," she declared at last, voice carrying over the silent gathering. "Unusually so for a first shift. The bond between man and beast is seamless—no hesitation, no fracture. A rare thing." Another elder nodded, running his fingers through Ezra’s fur. "No signs of instability. His instincts are sharp, his control remarkable. This is no ordinary wolf." A murmur of approval spread through the guests. My shoulders relaxed sli