Alpha’s Command

The room slowly emptied after the meeting.

Most of the wolves left quietly, casting curious glances toward Amara as they walked past. Some looked impressed. Others looked annoyed.

A few looked like they wished she didn’t exist at all.

Amara noticed every single one.

Her new senses didn’t allow her to ignore anything anymore.

“Your people don’t like me,” she muttered.

Lucian leaned against the large table, arms crossed.

“They don’t trust you.”

“Same difference.”

“No,” he said calmly. “Trust matters more.”

She scoffed.

“Well, I don’t trust them either.”

Lucian studied her for a moment.

“That will change.”

Amara folded her arms.

“Don’t count on it.”

The room finally cleared until only a few people remained.

Dante.

Kael.

And Lucian.

Kael stepped forward first.

“She shouldn’t be walking around freely,” he said again.

Amara groaned loudly.

“Oh my God, do you have anything else to say?”

Kael ignored her completely.

“She hasn’t even learned control.”

Lucian’s voice remained calm.

“She will.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

Kael’s jaw tightened.

“And if she loses control?”

Amara rolled her eyes.

“I’m not a bomb.”

Dante chuckled.

“Debatable.”

She shot him a glare.

Lucian pushed away from the table.

“That’s enough.”

The room went quiet again.

His presence always did that.

He looked directly at Amara.

“You’re training tomorrow.”

Her eyebrows shot up.

“Excuse me?”

“You need control.”

“Over what?”

Lucian’s eyes flickered gold briefly.

“Everything.”

Her stomach tightened.

She didn’t like the sound of that.

“Training starts at sunrise,” he continued.

Amara stared at him like he had insulted her personally.

“Sunrise?”

“Yes.”

“That’s illegal.”

Dante laughed.

“You’re in a wolf pack now.”

“Wolves don’t wake up early.”

“We do.”

She sighed dramatically.

“I hate all of you.”

Lucian ignored that.

“You’ll report to the lower field.”

“Where I almost died earlier?”

“That was a test.”

“Your tests are terrible.”

Lucian stepped closer.

Amara immediately became aware of how tall he was.

How close he was.

How intense his presence felt.

“You survived,” he said quietly.

She frowned.

“Barely.”

“That’s the point.”

Kael spoke again.

“If she fails training, she’s a liability.”

Amara turned to him.

“You really don’t like me.”

Kael didn’t hesitate.

“No.”

“Well, good news,” she said sweetly.

“I don’t like you either.”

Dante covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.

Lucian looked mildly entertained.

Kael looked like he wanted to throw her out a window.

Lucian stepped away again.

“You’re dismissed.”

Dante nodded.

“Try not to kill each other tonight.”

“Too late,” Amara muttered.

“Mentally, I already did.”

Dante laughed as he walked out.

Kael left without another word.

Now it was just the two of them.

Again.

Amara leaned against the table.

“So… sunrise training.”

“Yes.”

“You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

She rubbed her face.

“This is the worst day of my life.”

Lucian watched her carefully.

“You survived turning.”

“Yes.”

“You survived the test wolf.”

“Yes.”

“You survived running from me.”

She frowned.

“Barely.”

“And tomorrow,” he said quietly, “you’ll start becoming what you were meant to be.”

Her expression hardened slightly.

“I didn’t ask for this.”

“No.”

He stepped closer again.

“But you’re stronger than you think.”

Her chest tightened.

She didn’t know why that bothered her.

Maybe because part of her believed him.

Lucian moved toward the door.

Then paused.

Without looking back, he said:

“Try to sleep.”

Amara frowned.

“Why?”

His voice remained calm.

“Tomorrow will hurt more.”

Her eyes widened.

“Wait—what?”

But he was already gone.

Amara stood alone in the massive room.

She stared at the door for a moment.

Then sighed.

“Fantastic.”

Across the compound…

Rhea stood by a large window.

Watching the moon.

Kael approached her quietly.

“She’s a problem,” he said.

Rhea smiled faintly.

“Yes.”

Kael frowned.

“You don’t seem worried.”

“Oh, I am.”

Her eyes glowed slightly in the moonlight.

“But not for the reason you think.”

Kael crossed his arms.

“What do you mean?”

Rhea’s smile deepened.

“Lucian doesn’t get attached.”

Kael stiffened slightly.

“But he turned her,” he said.

“Exactly.”

Her gaze drifted toward the distant training field.

“And that,” she murmured softly,

“changes everything.”