Alpha King Drake stopped at our table, his shadow swallowing the light. Two enforcers flanked him, silent and menacing.
"Hello, ladies," he said, his deep baritone rolling through the air.
Amara's voice trembled slightly. "Your Majesty."
Rein gave a confident nod. "My King."
I said nothing.
His gaze slid to me—sharp, probing. For a moment, it felt like he saw everything—my fear, my fake signa, my secrets.
"What are your names, and which factions do you represent?" he asked.
Amara quickly listed them, saving me the effort. Silence followed. The weight of it pressed against my chest.
Then—Amara pinched my arm under the table.
I mouthed, "What?"
She flicked her eyes toward the Alpha King.
I turned—and froze.
Drake was staring at me. Not casually. Not curiously, but intensely.
My pulse spiked. The air between us crackled, thick, heavy. My wolf stirred, restless.
"What's wrong with you?" I hissed in my mind.
She didn't answer. Instead, she whined—a deep, primal sound I'd never heard from her before. My body heated, a strange energy coiling low in my stomach.
"Stop that," I muttered internally, squirming in my chair.
Drake's expression flickered—confusion? Curiosity? Then one of his enforcers leaned in to whisper something, and the moment broke.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, ladies," Drake said smoothly, though his gaze lingered on me a heartbeat too long. "Enjoy your evening."
He turned and walked away, his presence leaving a vacuum in the air.
The silence that followed was deafening.
"What just happened?" Rein asked, staring after him.
"I… have no idea," I said honestly, still reeling.
"He was looking at you," Amara said, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm as clueless as you."
Rein lifted her glass. "Forget him. Tonight, we drink. Tomorrow, we fight. Cheers?"
I smiled weakly. "Cheers."
Amara finally relaxed, and the three of us drowned the tension in laughter and too much wine.
By the time we stumbled back to our room near midnight, the world was spinning pleasantly. I collapsed on my bed, still in my gown, and drifted into a heavy, dream-soaked sleep.
The world around me was nothing but sand.
Endless dunes stretched into the horizon. The air shimmered with heat, silent, suffocating. My footsteps crunched softly as I called out—
"Hello? Is anyone here?"
My voice echoed back, hollow. Too hollow.
A flicker caught my eye—a mirage forming ahead. And then she appeared.
A woman in white, standing beside a still wolf that looked like mine. Her gown rippled as if caught in a breeze I couldn't feel.
I recognized her instantly. The same woman from my earlier dreams.
"What do you want from me?" I yelled.
Her lips moved, but I couldn't hear a single word.
I took a step closer—then the sand beneath me split open.
I screamed as invisible hands yanked me down. Sand filled my mouth, my lungs—then hardened to stone around me. I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Darkness clawed at the edge of my vision—
And I woke up gasping.
---
"Elena! Breathe!"
Hands pressed against my back. A voice—soft, urgent. "It's okay, it's okay. Just breathe."
I dragged in a ragged breath, air burning my throat. My gown clung to my skin, soaked in sweat.
"Are you okay?" Amara's eyes were wide with worry.
"I'm fine," I lied. My voice shook. "Just… a nightmare."
"You sure? You stopped breathing, Elena. I thought—"
"I'm fine," I insisted, forcing a smile. "Really."
She didn't look convinced but nodded. "We have three hours before the trials begin. Rein wants us to strategize."
"Right." I pushed myself up, ignoring the pounding in my skull.
In the bathroom, cold water hit my face, shocking me fully awake. My reflection looked pale, haunted.
"Why is she to kill me?" I muttered at the mirror, remembering the dream.
*She isn't trying to kill you,* my wolf said quietly.
I froze. "What do you mean? What do you know?"
*It will be revealed soon,* she whispered.
"Not only did you act like you were in heat when the Alpha King looked at us, now you're keeping secrets?" I snapped.
She went silent.
"Unbelievable," I muttered. "You're being unfair."
Nothing.
I sighed and dressed in the combat gear laid out for us. I wasn't going to die today.
---
We gathered an hour later. Rein outlined a basic plan—cover each other, form temporary alliances. I nodded, pretending confidence, hiding the truth: I had no powers. None.Only my wolf and a burning will to survive.
When we were called to the arena, the sound of roaring crowds greeted us. My heart pounded.
We were separated into smaller rooms. Mine had a green door—and the moment I stepped in, I froze.
Mark.
"Hi, mutt," he sneered.
My wolf growled instantly. "Let's kill him here."
"No killing," I warned her.
I sat opposite him, refusing to show fear. "If you're here to insult me, make it quick. I don't need your voice in my head before battle."
He leaned back, smirking. "Relax. Just thinking how predictable you are. You could've avoided all this."
"I told you, I'm not interested—and never will be."
"Your loss," he said, rising as a bell rang somewhere outside. "Try not to die too early. I want front-row seats when you do."
"Bastard," I muttered when he left.
The walls vibrated faintly with the crowd's roar. I took one deep breath and walked toward the open archway.
Sunlight exploded in my eyes as I stepped into the arena.
For a heartbeat, I saw nothing—only light. Then the scene sharpened.
No crowds. No Amara. No Rein.
Just me.
And a vast forest, thick and shadowed, stretching beyond a clearing.
At my feet—a gleaming sword and a folded note.
I picked it up, the paper trembling slightly in my fingers.
RULE:No powers. Use your weapon or your wolf. The clue to the exit lies among the trees.
"Lucky me," I muttered. "No powers it is."
The sword felt strange in my hands, but the weight was perfect—balanced, sharp.
"Elena,"my wolf said softly, "release me when it's time. I'll protect us."
"Let's hope you're right," I whispered.
Then I ran toward the trees.
The forest swallowed me whole.