Chapter 7

Pain.

That was all I felt.

Every muscle in my body screamed in protest as I pushed myself up from the cold dirt. My arms trembled under my own weight, and my breath came in ragged gasps. Kael had barely broken a sweat.

I hated him.

I hated the way he watched me, amused but focused, like he knew exactly how far he could push me before I snapped. I hated that I could still feel the heat of his body against mine from the last time he threw me down.

I hated that I was losing.

And the worst part? He wasn’t even trying.

"Get up," Kael ordered, his voice even, controlled. He stood just a few feet away, arms crossed over his broad chest, golden eyes gleaming with challenge.

I clenched my teeth, rage bubbling under my skin.

"You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?" I snarled, spitting out dust as I slowly got to my feet.

Kael’s lips quirked up slightly, but he didn’t confirm or deny it. "I told you. If you want to leave, prove you can fight."

I lunged at him, rage fueling my movements. I swung the knife toward his ribs, but he dodged effortlessly, twisting around me before grabbing my wrist and pinning it behind my back.

His breath was warm against my ear. "Too slow."

I cursed and threw my head back, aiming for his face, but he pulled away at the last second, his grip unrelenting.

"Your anger is predictable," he murmured.

I growled, wrenching free from his hold and spinning around. The warriors watching us chuckled, amused by my failed attempt. My chest heaved, fury swirling inside me.

I wasn’t just angry.

I was humiliated.

"You fight like someone who has never needed to fight before," Kael said, rolling his shoulders as if this was just another casual training session. "You react, but you don’t think. And that’s why you keep losing."

My fingers tightened around the knife. I was going to kill him.

"Again," he ordered.

I exhaled sharply, pushing my exhaustion aside. This time, I didn’t charge at him blindly. I watched him.

Kael was always calculating. Always three steps ahead.

So I waited.

I shifted my stance, gripping the knife lower, and pretended to stumble. A fake weakness.

Kael moved—just as I expected.

The second he reached for me, I twisted, slamming my elbow into his ribs before slicing the blade upward.

For the first time, I felt it—the sharp tip of my knife pressing against his throat.

Kael froze.

The entire training ground went silent.

His golden eyes locked onto mine, unreadable. A bead of sweat trailed down my neck, but I didn’t move, didn’t blink.

I had him.

For one perfect moment, I had him.

Then, Kael smirked.

In the blink of an eye, he moved faster than I could react, twisting my wrist sharply until the knife dropped from my grip. Before I could process what happened, he grabbed me by the waist and spun us around, slamming me into the dirt again.

Hard.

This time, he didn’t back away.

He caged me beneath him, his weight pressing me down, his body flush against mine. His golden eyes burned, his breath slightly heavier than before.

A crackling tension settled between us.

I wasn’t sure if I was panting from exertion—or from something else.

"Better," he murmured, his voice lower now. "But not good enough."

I shoved at his chest, trying to push him off, but he didn’t budge. His strength was absolute, a reminder of exactly who I was dealing with.

A reminder that, no matter how much I fought, Kael would always be stronger than me.

And that infuriated me.

His gaze dropped to my lips for half a second—half a second too long—before he finally pushed himself off me.

"You’re done for today," he announced, turning away.

I clenched my fists, my entire body vibrating with frustration.

But I had seen it.

For the briefest moment, Kael had hesitated.

And that?

That was something I could use.

Night had fallen by the time I returned to my room. My body ached, my muscles screaming in protest with every step. The cool water in the washbasin did little to soothe the bruises spreading across my skin.

I stared at my reflection in the small mirror.

Disheveled. Exhausted. But something else burned in my eyes—determination.

I wasn’t going to break.

I wouldn’t let Kael or anyone else decide my fate.

A knock at the door snapped me from my thoughts.

I frowned. "What?"

Silence.

I stepped closer, my wolf stirring with unease. "I said—"

Then, a note was slid under the door.

My breath caught.

Slowly, I picked it up, unfolding the paper. The message was hastily written, but the meaning was clear:

"You are not safe here. Leave before it’s too late."

A chill ran down my spine.

I rushed to the door and yanked it open, but the hallway was empty. Only the soft flicker of torches remained.

I scanned the shadows, my heart hammering.

Someone had sent me a warning.

But who?

A pack member? A spy from the Northern Clans?

I glanced down at the note again, my fingers trembling slightly.

Someone inside this pack wanted me gone.

Or worse…

They wanted me dead.

And Kael?

I wasn’t sure if he was my captor—or my only chance at survival.