The sound of footsteps echoed through the dark hallway as Aria moved swiftly, her boots barely making a sound on the cold stone floor. Lucien had given her time to rest, but there was no rest in her mind. Her training had only just begun, but she felt different already — more powerful, more aware of the flames coursing through her.
She reached the courtyard, where the moonlight bathed the ancient trees in silver. The cool air nipped at her skin, but the heat inside her kept the chill at bay. The flame. Always there, just beneath the surface.
But tonight… something felt off.
The ground trembled under her feet.
She froze.
A deep growl echoed from the shadows, followed by the unmistakable sound of paws padding softly on the earth. Aria's heart skipped. She wasn't alone.
From the trees emerged a figure — tall, broad-shouldered, and unmistakably familiar. The wild, feral energy radiating from him made Aria's blood run cold.
Kael.
He stood at the edge of the clearing, his piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, a silent challenge in his gaze. His stance was confident, but there was a flicker of something — regret? Guilt? He masked it quickly, like he always did.
"What are you doing here?" Aria asked, her voice icy despite the sudden rush of emotion she felt. Anger. Confusion. Hurt.
Kael stepped forward, his movements slow and deliberate. "I came for you," he said simply, his voice deep and steady. "I know what you are now, Aria. I know what I've lost."
Her chest tightened. "You don't get to claim anything. You threw me away."
His expression hardened. "I was wrong. I see that now. But it's too late for regrets. The pack needs you. I need you."
Aria shook her head, fury rising in her chest. "You don't need me. You never did. You wanted power, Kael. You wanted control. And I'm not the submissive mate you thought I'd be."
The silence between them crackled with unspoken tension.
Then, just as Aria thought he might speak again, a new voice interrupted.
"Well, this is interesting."
From the shadows stepped a woman, her long dark hair flowing like a river of night, eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. She was striking — tall, with an aura of confidence and power that made Aria's stomach tighten.
"I was wondering when the Alpha would show up to beg for her forgiveness," the woman said, her smile sharp and calculating. "But I see I was wrong. You're both here for the same thing."
Aria's instincts flared, and she took a step back, eyes narrowing. "Who the hell are you?"
The woman's smile widened. "I'm someone who has no intention of letting you take what's mine." She turned her gaze to Kael. "And I suggest you remember who you belong to, Alpha."
Kael's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond.
Aria's eyes flashed with suspicion. "What do you want?"
The woman's smile faded into something colder. "I'm Selena Vane. The one who should have been your mate. The one who was promised to Kael. But now… now, we'll see if you're worthy of the power you think you have."
A dangerous silence hung in the air, thick with tension. Aria felt the heat in her veins flare up, as if the flames inside her were reacting to the challenge.
"I'm not here to fight for his title," Aria said, her voice low and fierce. "But I will fight for my place."
Selena stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "We'll see."
The two women stood facing each other, the challenge between them palpable.
And Kael, the Alpha who had rejected her, was now a spectator in the game that was just beginning.