Chapter 160
Lynette's POV
Kael led us up a metal staircase to an observation platform overlooking the training grounds. My boots clanged against each step. The sound echoed in the open air.
Below, two teams of five wolves faced off across a dirt field. They were already mid-drill. I could see the tension in their stances even from up here.
"Test is simple," Kael said. He stopped at the railing and crossed his arms. "Tell me which team wins. And why."
I blinked. That was it? No sparring? No demonstration of strength?
This wasn't a fight test. It was tactical analysis.
I stepped up to the railing beside him. Elara moved to my other side. Her shoulder brushed mine.
"Shouldn't she be—" I started.
"She can watch from here," Kael cut me off. His eyes stayed on the field below. "Unless you need privacy to think?"
"No." I gripped the cold metal railing. "I'm fine."
Below, the left team moved first. Five massive wolves, all male from what I could tell. They hit hard and fast. Their attacks were brutal. Efficient. One of them slammed into an opponent and sent him flying into the dirt.
"Left side looks stronger," Elara said quietly.
I didn't answer. I kept watching.
The right team scrambled backward. They looked weaker. Smaller. One of them stumbled and barely recovered. Another took a hit to the shoulder and went down on one knee.
But something felt off.
I narrowed my eyes. Watched the way they moved. The left team was all aggression. Raw power. They threw themselves forward without hesitation.
The right team kept retreating. But their formation never broke. They stayed tight. Moved as a unit.
My gaze shifted to the one in the back. A lean wolf with dark fur. He wasn't fighting. He was watching. His head turned slightly—once, twice. Signaling.
The others responded instantly. Shifted positions. Adjusted their defense.
"Well?" Kael's voice pulled me back. "You see anything yet?"
I took another few seconds. Watched the left team push harder. They were getting sloppy now. Too eager. Their formation spread out. Gaps appeared between them.
The right team pulled back further. Let them come.
"Right team wins," I said.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "They're losing."
"No. They're waiting."
"Explain."
I pointed at the left team. "They're strong individually. But look—no coordination. Everyone fights their own battle. They're burning through stamina."
"And the right team?"
"They're baiting." I gestured at the lean wolf in the back. "That one's calling the shots. See how the others move when he does? They're not retreating because they're weak. They're setting up."
Kael said nothing. Just kept watching.
Below, the left team pressed forward again. Harder this time. One of them broke through the right team's line and went straight for their leader.
Then everything changed.
The right team exploded into action. The leader dodged left. Two wolves flanked the attacker from both sides. Took him down in seconds.
The rest of the right team surged forward. They hit the left team's scattered formation like a hammer. One by one, the left team fell. They were too tired. Too disorganized.
Two minutes. That's all it took.
The left team's leader raised a paw. Surrender.
I felt Kael's eyes on me before I turned to look at him.
"You saw that coming," he said.
"Yes."
His mouth curved slightly. Not quite a smile. "Good."
He pushed off the railing and turned to face me fully. "Now tell me this. If you were commanding the left team, what would you do differently?"
I thought for a moment. Ran through the scenario in my head.
"Change the attack rhythm," I said. "Don't go for a quick win. Rotate attackers. Keep constant pressure but preserve stamina."
"And?"
"Send someone to disrupt their leader. He's the brain. Cut off the head, the body falls apart."
Kael nodded slowly. "What else?"
I glanced back at the field. "Use the terrain. There's a sand pit on the east side. Right team has speed advantage. Sand would slow them down."
Kael was quiet for a long moment. His eyes stayed locked on mine. I couldn't read his expression.
Finally, he spoke. "You understand tactics. You know how to exploit weaknesses." He paused. "But building a pack isn't just about strategy. It's about loyalty. Trust. People need a reason to follow you."
He stepped closer. "So tell me, Lynette. How do you plan to make rogue wolves follow you? Wolves who've been cast out, who trust no one?"
I met his gaze. Didn't look away.
"I give them what they need," I said. "Belonging. Safety. Hope."
"Those are just words."
"No." I shook my head. "Belonging means they're not alone anymore. They have a pack. A place. Safety means I protect them—with my life if I have to. And hope..." I paused. "Hope means they believe tomorrow will be better than today."
Kael's expression shifted. Something flickered in his eyes. "And you can provide all that?"
"I can try."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
He stared at me for another few seconds. Then his gaze sharpened. "Do you have those things? Belonging, safety, hope?"
The question caught me off guard. I felt Elara tense beside me.
I looked down at my hands. At the scars. The calluses. Evidence of twenty years surviving alone.
"Belonging..." I said slowly. "I found that. At the Grey house. With them."
I gestured at Elara without looking at her. "That's the first time I've ever had a family that wanted me."
Kael nodded once. "And safety?"
"I'll earn it." My voice came out harder than I meant. "With my strength. My skill. I won't hide. I won't run. I'll fight until there's nothing left to fight."
"And hope?"
I finally looked up. Met his eyes again.
"My hope is simple." I turned slightly toward Elara. Let myself glance at her for just a second. "I want to protect the people I care about. I don't want to lose anyone else. Ever."
Silence stretched between us. Kael didn't move. Didn't blink. He just watched me like he was trying to see through my skin into whatever was underneath.
I forced myself to hold still. To not fidget. To not show weakness.
Finally, he exhaled. "Alright."
That was all he said.
Just "alright."
I waited for more. For conditions. For demands. For rejection.
But he just turned and walked toward the stairs.
"Come on," he called over his shoulder. "If we're doing this, you need to meet the others."
I stood frozen for a heartbeat. Then Elara grabbed my arm.
"Did he just say yes?" she whispered.
I didn't know. Maybe. Maybe not.
But I followed him anyway.