The morning after my breakthrough with Sebastian, I woke up with muscles so sore I could barely move. Every inch of my body ached from the relentless training, but I didn’t care.
For the first time since I had arrived at the Moonstone Pack, I felt powerful.
I wasn’t the same fragile omega they had expected. I wasn’t just some political pawn or a weak offering for peace.
I was becoming something else.
Something dangerous.
The Alphas knew it, too.
Sebastian hadn’t given me another lesson since I bested him the night before, but he watched me now—measured, calculated, assessing.
Dante had started asking more questions, pushing me to think, to analyze.
And Kai?
Kai had stopped going easy on me.
I loved it.
But even with all the training, with all the blood and sweat I had spilled on the training field, I still wasn’t ready.
Not for what came next.
Two nights later, the Moonstone Pack received its next attack.
It came faster, sharper, deadlier.
A full squadron of warriors breached the western border, moving with precision and discipline. These weren’t rogues. These weren’t common mercenaries.
They were trained killers.
And they came straight for me.
The alarms sounded first—sharp, piercing howls that sent wolves rushing from the barracks, weapons drawn. I had been in my room, still sore from the day’s training, when the sound ripped through the night.
I didn’t wait.
I grabbed my daggers, strapped them to my thighs, and ran.
By the time I reached the main courtyard, chaos had erupted.
The scent of blood filled the air, thick and metallic. Warriors clashed in brutal combat, claws slicing through flesh, blades glinting beneath the moonlight.
And in the center of it all—
Three figures moved through the battlefield like gods of war.
Sebastian fought with deadly precision, his movements efficient, controlled. He cut through enemies without wasted effort, his sword slicing through bodies as easily as if they were made of paper.
Kai was a storm. Fast, unpredictable, his fists and claws leaving behind a trail of bodies. He was laughing—laughing—as he fought, his golden eyes gleaming with the thrill of battle.
And Dante—
Dante disappeared into the shadows, striking from places no one saw coming. Silent. Calculated. Every movement perfectly placed.
They weren’t just Alphas.
They were monsters.
And they were winning.
But even as they fought, even as the Moonstone Pack’s warriors pushed back the enemy forces, I knew something was wrong.
This wasn’t just another attack.
They weren’t just here to test our defenses.
They were here for me.
And then—
I felt him.
A presence. A force of pure dominance crashing into me like a tidal wave.
An Alpha.
But not Sebastian. Not Kai. Not Dante.
Someone else.
I turned—
And he was there.
A towering man, clad in black armor, his long silver hair catching in the wind. His eyes—ice blue, cold and merciless—locked onto mine, and the world seemed to tilt.
I had never seen him before.
But I knew, deep in my bones—
This was the man hunting me.
He moved fast. Too fast.
One second, he was across the battlefield. The next, he was in front of me.
I barely had time to dodge. His blade sliced through the air, grazing my side, the pain burning sharp and deep.
I hissed, staggering back, but he didn’t give me time to recover.
He struck again—hard, relentless. I barely managed to block his next attack, my dagger clashing against his sword, the force of it sending shockwaves through my arms.
He was strong.
Too strong.
And he wasn’t playing.
He was here to kill me.
But I had trained for this.
I refused to die.
I shifted my weight, using Kai’s lessons—speed over power. I ducked under his next strike, rolling to the side, my dagger slicing toward his ribs.
He caught my wrist mid-air.
I barely had time to process the movement before he twisted—snapping my arm back, sending me crashing to the ground.
Pain exploded through me.
I gasped, struggling to push myself up—
But he was already there.
His boot pressed against my chest, pinning me down. His sword hovered just above my throat.
The battlefield blurred around us.
The fighting. The screaming. The blood.
None of it mattered.
Because in that moment, I knew.
I was going to die.
I had fought. I had trained.
And it hadn’t been enough.
The man’s lips curled into a slow, cruel smile. “Pathetic,” he murmured. “I expected more from you.”
I snarled, struggling against his weight. “Screw you.”
He chuckled. “I think not.”
Then, he lifted his sword—ready to strike.
And suddenly—
Kai was there.
A blur of movement. A roar of fury.
And then—
Blood.
But not mine.
The blade never came down.
Because Kai had driven his claws straight through the man’s chest.
The silver-haired Alpha stiffened. His mouth parted slightly—shocked.
Then, slowly, his body collapsed.
Dead.
Kai stood over me, his chest heaving, his golden eyes blazing. Blood dripped from his hands, staining the dirt beneath us.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then, slowly, he turned his gaze on me.
“You okay?”
I swallowed hard, my pulse thundering.
I had been seconds from death.
And Kai had saved me.
I forced myself to sit up, wincing at the pain in my ribs. “I had it under control,” I muttered.
Kai snorted. “Sure you did.”
I opened my mouth to snap back at him—
But then Sebastian and Dante were there.
Sebastian’s green eyes scanned me, checking for wounds. When he saw the gash on my side, his jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
Dante, however, was staring at the dead Alpha.
His expression was unreadable.
Finally, he exhaled. “That was their commander.”
Sebastian nodded, his fists clenched. “Then we just sent a message.”
Kai wiped the blood from his hands. “A damn loud one.”
I swallowed hard.
We had won the battle.
But this war?
It was far from over.
That night, I stood on the highest balcony of the Moonstone Pack’s estate, staring out into the darkened forest.
Somewhere out there, more enemies were waiting.
Somewhere out there, the people who created me were watching.
Sebastian stepped beside me, silent.
After a long moment, he spoke.
“They’ll come again,” he said.
I nodded. “I know.”
He turned his gaze on me. “Next time, they won’t underestimate you.”
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening on the balcony railing. “Good,” I murmured.
Because next time?
I wouldn’t underestimate myself either.