Chapter 7: Seven

The First Step Into Fire

Karina’s POV

The next morning came too quickly, or maybe I did not sleep at all because my eyes felt heavy and my head still ached slightly as I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, my thoughts running in circles over the same words again and again as his voice echoed in my mind like it refused to leave me alone, telling me I could leave or I could stay, and for the first time in my life I had a choice and I did not know what to do with it.

I swallowed hard as I slowly pushed mysel up from the bed, wincing a little as a dull pain shot through my head but I ignored it because something inside me felt restless like lying there anylonger would only make everything worse, and I was tired of feeling weak even in moments where no one was watching me.

I had never had a choice before, not really, everything had always been decided for me from the moment I was born into the pack, from who I would be, to who I would stand beside, to how I would act, and even when I became Luna it neve truly felt like power because everything I did was still controlled, still judged, still never enough.

But this was different

This choice was mine

I slid my legs off the bed carefully, my bare feet touching the cold floor as a small shiver ran through my body, and for a momen I just stood there, frozen, unsure of what I was even doing or where I was supposed to go, but then his words came back again, clear and sharp

If you stay… you train, you fight, you earn your place

My heart thudded louder in my chest as I took a slow step forward, then anoter, moving toward the door like something unseen was pulling me, like my body had already decided even if my mind was still afraid to accept it.

The hallway outside was quiet, almost too quiet, and the air felt different from what I was used to and as I walked slowly my eyes moved around taking everything in, the rough walls, the faint scent of different wolves lingeing strongly in the air, sharper and more raw than anything I had known before

This place did not feel like a pack. It felt like something else. Something dangerous, something real

“You shouldn’t be walking around yet.”

The sudden voice made me flinch as I turned quickly, my heart jumping into my throat as I came face to face with Peter, the brown-haired man from yesterday, his expression a mix of and mild concern as his eyes scanned me like he wa expecting me to collap at any second

“I… I’m fine,” I said quickly even though I was not entirely sure that was true, because my body still felt weak and my head still throbbed faintly but I refused to let that stop me

He raised a brow, clearly not convinced, but he did not argue as he stepped closer, his gaze still carefully watching me

“You don’t look fine,” he said lightly though there was concern beneath his tone, “Kole said you’d need more rest”

At the mention of his name something shifted inside me, something I did not want to think about

“I’m not used to resting,” I replied quietly, my fingers fidgeting slightly at my sides as I avoided his gaze for a moment which earn me a small smile from him

“Yeah… I can tell,” he said before gesturing down the hallway, “So where are you heading?”

I hesitated because I did not know how to say it out loud without it real, without fully accepting what I was about to do.

“I want to train,” I finally said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.

Peter blinked in surprise before letting out a soft chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair

“Well… that’s new,” he muttered, “Most people try to run before they even think about staying”

“I’m not most people,” I said before I could stop myself, and the moment the words left my mouth I felt something shift inside me

He studied me for a second before nodding slow

“Alright,” he said “Come on then”

I followed him through the long corridors, my steps slow but determined as we finally stepped outside, and the moment we did everything hit me all at once, the sounds, the movement, the energy, wolves everywhere training, fighting, shifti between forms like it was the most natural thing in the world, their movements fast and powerful and controlled in a way that made it clear they were nothing like what I had known before

This was not a structured pack with ranks and titles and expectations. This was survival, raw and unfiltered

My chest tightened as I watched them, a mix of fear and something unfamilia like excitement

“Overwhelming, isn’t it?” Peter said beside me, his tone softer now

I nodded slowly, unable to take my eyes off the scene in front of me

“This is how we survive,” he added “No one here is weak, and if you are… you don’t last long”

His words sent a chill down my spine but I did not look away

“I won’t be weak,” I said quietly, more to myself than to him

“Good”

The deep voice cut through the air and my breath hitched instantly as I slowly, already knowing who it was before my eyes even landed on him

Kole

He stood a few steps away with his arms crossed over his chest, his piercing blue eyes locked onto mine like he had been watching me for a while

“You’re up,” he said simply

“I told you I woul be,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady under his intense gaze

“Then prove it,” he said without hesitation

Before I could react he gestured toward the open space in front of him

“Fight”

The word hit me hard and fast, making my stomach twist as my heart began to pound loudly in my chest

“Fight?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper

“You said you won’t be weak,” he said “This is where you start”

I became aware of the others around us, their movements slowing, their attention shifting toward us as they began to watch

Waiting

“I’ve never fought before,” I admitted, my voice trembling slightly

“Then you learn,” he said simply his gaze sharp

Before I could say anything else he moved, fast and sudden, his hand grabbing my wrist and twisting it just enough to make me gasp as he pulled me forward and threw me off balance, my body hitting the ground hard as the air was knocked out of my lungs

“Too slow,” he said coldly

I coughed, struggling to breathe as I pushed myself up slightly

“I told you—”

“And I told you to attack,” he cut in sharply

Something snapped inside me at that moment .Maybe it was the humiliation or it was the watching eyes, maybe it was the fact that I was tired of being weak

Before I could think I pushed myself up and lunged at him, my movements clumsy and unsteady but filled with determination, and like before he stopped me easily, spinning me and pinning me from behind as I struggled against his hold

“Better,” he murmured. “At least you moved”

He released me and I stumbled forward before turning back to face him, my chest rising and falling rapidly

“Again,” he said

And I did

Again and again I attacked him, each time ending the same way, on the ground, breathless and defeated, but I kept getting up

By the time I collapsed to my knees my body was shaking and my vision was beginning to blur

“I can’t…” I whispered breathless

“Yes you can,” he said firmly

“I can’t,” I repeated, tears stinging my eyes

Then suddenly his hand gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at him, “Look at me,” he ordered and I did

“You don’t get to quit,” he said slowly and carefully

My breath caught

“Because if you do…” he continued, his gaze dropping briefly to my neck before returning to my eyes

“they’ll tear you apart before you even realize it”

A cold chill ran down my spine as I followed his gaze and slowly turned my head

The wolves had stopped moving, they were all watching,their eyes glowing faintly and Hungry

My breath hitched as fear gripped me completely, my body going still as the realization hit me all at once. This was not just training, these was a test a dangerous one

Suddenly as one of them took a slow step forward, his lips pulling back to reveal sharp fangs, a low growl rumbling from his chest as the others began to move as well, circling slowly, closing in, I felt my heart slam violently against my ribs as panic surged through me

And as another growl echoed around me, louder this time, I realized none of them were stopping, not even Kole, who only stood there watching with those same unreadable eyes, something inside me dropped completely

Because if this was truly a test…

“Then why did it feel like I was about to be hunted?”