The streets of Stormwind bustled with midday life—merchants calling out prices, children darting between stalls, the scent of baked bread and horse sweat mingling in the air.

Laura kept her hood low, hands tucked deep into her cloak’s pockets, trying to take up less space than she could. The cobblestones felt strange beneath her boots; Gilneas had been all winding, wet streets and the constant scent of the sea.

Here, everything was bright. Open. Too exposed.

Her chest tightened as she caught sight of her reflection in a shop window. Human, for now—chestnut hair framing a face that could almost pass for the woman she’d once been. But she knew what lay beneath. The beast was never far. The twitch in her muscles. The way her senses sharpened without warning. The hunger.

It wasn’t just the fear of losing control. It was the certainty that no one would ever truly see her without flinching.

Who in their right mind would want to build a life with her? A husband, children, the little home she’d once dreamed of—now just fantasies that hurt to touch.

The thought left her feeling heavier, like each step dragged through mud.

She stopped at a corner, trying to make sense of the twisting streets. Stormwind was vast, far more than she could hold in her mind at once.

A passing guard gave her a brief nod before moving on. She took a breath, forcing herself to lift her head. There was no point wandering aimlessly.

Nearby, a man leaned against the stone wall of an apothecary, reading a small scrap of parchment. His clothes were simple but clean, his stance relaxed in a way she envied.

Laura swallowed the knot in her throat, stepped closer, and spoke quietly.

“Excuse me… could you tell me the way to the mage quarter is?”