Chapter 122

The beast loomed before me, its massive frame radiating menace. Torn scraps of its former human clothing lay scattered across the floor, stark against the grimy backdrop. Even on all fours, it towered over me, a full head taller. Dark gray fur bristled with primal savagery, and its eyes burned with an unrelenting, violent rage. The sheer force of its aura screamed danger, and the crowd roared their approval, chanting for Steele’s beast to strike.

I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding in my ears as I glanced toward Kenzo and Ronan.

"Alpha?" Ronan stepped forward hesitantly, looking for direction. But Kenzo silenced him with a calm wave of his hand, his expression unreadable except for the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.

"You’ve got to be kidding me!" I hissed under my breath, feeling the bitter sting of betrayal. Was this some cruel test? Or did Kenzo genuinely intend for Steele to tear me apart?

Steele’s beast crouched, muscles coiled, ready to pounce. My mind raced, calculating odds that were stacked hopelessly against me. In an enclosed space like this, I didn’t stand a chance. I had to create distance—fast. But the crowd, a jeering wall of bodies, blocked every exit.

"Running already, little girl?" one of the warriors sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Daddy isn’t here to save you this time."

“Move!” I shouted, my voice sharp with desperation.

Their laughter rang out, vicious and mocking, as Steele lunged. I had no time to think. Adrenaline surged, and I sprang into motion, vaulting over their heads in a fluid front flip. I landed near the door, threw it open, and sprinted outside. Behind me, Steele charged, a dark blur of deadly muscle and fury.

Thank God I was faster—for now. I led him to the open training field, skidding to a stop in its center. My chest heaved as I turned to face him, maintaining a precarious thirty-foot gap.

The elite squad poured out to watch, their chants growing louder. “Steele! Steele!” Kenzo and Ronan followed, their presence adding weight to the suffocating tension. Ronan’s face twisted with concern, but Kenzo remained unnervingly calm, his indifference fueling my anger. What kind of twisted game was this?

Steele’s snarls cut through the noise as he bore down on me, jaws snapping, teeth gleaming like razors. His sheer size and ferocity screamed one thing: he wanted me dead. My fists clenched. This wasn’t a fight—it was survival.

I dodged, flipping out of reach just before his fangs could sink into my flesh. Landing on his back, I grabbed handfuls of his coarse fur to steady myself. He roared, the sound vibrating through my body as he thrashed beneath me.

I aimed a punch at the base of his skull, but my blows bounced off his thick hide. Panic bubbled up. “Shit, shit, shit!” I muttered, clinging to him as he twisted violently, trying to shake me loose.

With a deafening snarl, Steele dropped to the ground, rolling to crush me. At the last possible moment, I leaped free, landing hard on one knee. Pain shot up my leg, but I forced myself upright, locking eyes with the wolf. Pure hatred burned in his gaze, a visceral hunger to destroy.

I had no claws, no fangs—nothing to match his savage arsenal. Just my speed, my agility, and my will to survive.

As Steele lunged again, I acted on instinct. Launching myself onto his back, I wrapped my legs around his thick neck, squeezing with every ounce of strength. His furious thrashing nearly threw me, but I tightened my grip, driving pressure into his throat. His movements slowed, and his snarls turned into desperate gasps.

Victory was mine. I could end this. One final squeeze, and he would be finished.

But I wasn’t a killer.

Releasing my hold, I jumped clear of him. Steele collapsed, panting heavily. The crowd fell silent. My body trembled as exhaustion caught up with me, adrenaline fading to leave only weariness. I turned toward Kenzo, his approving nod a quiet acknowledgment of my victory.

But then, pain seared through my shoulder.

I cried out, spinning to find Steele’s fangs embedded in my flesh, his attack sudden and savage. Blood poured from the wound, staining the ground beneath me.

“No!” Kenzo’s voice thundered, reverberating through the field.

In an instant, he transformed, a massive black wolf leaping through the air. He collided with Steele, his powerful paws crushing ribs and forcing the beast away from me.

The pain in my shoulder grew unbearable. Darkness edged my vision, the world narrowing to a tunnel as my strength ebbed away. I barely registered Kenzo shifting back into his human form, his face hovering above mine.

Strong arms cradled me, lifting me from the ground. Despite the agony, a faint smile tugged at my lips. I was safe—finally safe. The warmth of his embrace wrapped around me like a shield as I surrendered to the encroaching darkness, letting it take me.