Chapter Forty-Two: Trial by Flame
The ancient clearing known as the Circle of Thorns had not been used in generations.
Tonight, it was alive again — crackling with fire and tension.
The pack stood in a wide ring, silent and alert, as Rina stepped forward, her flame flickering at her fingertips.
Elara raised her hands. "The Trial of Flame is not a test of power. It is a test of heart."
Kael met Rina's gaze across the circle. He gave a single nod — proud, unwavering.
Elara ignited the circle with a single word.
Fire surged around Rina, not to harm, but to challenge.
The spirits of past Alphas flickered into view — wolves of flame and memory. They circled her, watching, waiting.
A voice echoed in her mind:
"Do you fight for glory… or for your pack?"
"For them," Rina answered without hesitation. "Always for them."
The flames pulsed — then parted.
The spirits bowed their heads and vanished into ash.
When Rina stepped out of the circle, the fire in her eyes was not just power — it was legacy, and love, and something more.
Kael met her with a fierce, quiet smile.
"You are ready," he said.
She took his hand. "No. We are."