04

Elara’s pov

How could I sleep when everyone was going to watch me fail?

Last minute training left my limbs aching and by the time people started arriving at the sparring field, I was wired enough to either shine or shatter.

Lupinemore issued combat clothes clung to my skin, tight and unforgiving. My hands were behind me and my back was straight as the principal walked into the field. 

He didn’t smile or have an expression. He motioned for Nyx to stay at the other side and he obeyed. 

A bitter lump lodged in my throat as I started to mentally prepare. Even if they got wind of what and who I truly was, I wasn’t going to give up.

The principal stood in front of us, his hand raised to signal my doom when suddenly, the Ardent brothers came out of nowhere.

“Sir! Permission to speak?” Kael asked and the whole school turned their full focus on him. 

The principal gave a low growl as he gave a slight nod and slowly, Kael’s face shifted, a knowing smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

“Nyx is not the best for this battle,” Kael said and I frowned. 

“Kael, this is not what we talked about,” Damon declared and Cassidan grunted in agreement but Kael ignored them.

The principal’s eyes turned to slits as he stiffened “Do you have a better idea?” He asked and Kael straightened himself.

He couldn’t be serious.

“Me,” he concluded and the crowd gasped. My gaze shifted to Cassidan whose features were dark with annoyance.

I scoffed. There was no way the principal wanted to teach me a lesson so bad that he would swap Nyx for Kael right before the fight.

“What better way to school the newbie than the Ardent way?”

“Kael…” Cassidan warned and Kael stepped away from him.

“ Show him what Lupinemore actually stands for,” Kael encouraged. 

“Fine,” the principal agreed and I sputtered.

“W—what!” I let the words slip but the principal didn’t pay attention to me as Nyx angrily left the pitch and Kael walked into the center.

I met cassidan’s dark stare. Damon just shrugged. Useless.

Kael shrugged off his sweater, his tank clinging to a body built by war. My eyes lingered and I cursed under my breath.

Kael appeared smug as whispers echoed.

“Kael is the best at sparring!”

“A fight to remember,”

“Undefeated,” 

As Kael got closer, my blood boiled.

“Why are you doing this?” I questioned in annoyance. 

Why save me last night from Nyx, only to gut me today?

“Because Riven…” he trailed and got into position.

“I smell every secret,” he finished and my body stiffened.

“Fight!” The principal ordered and I crouched just in time for Kael to rush at me.

His hands an inch from grabbing me. The rule was simple, Hit the ground and lose, Draw blood or worse and win.

I wasn’t planning on doing any of them.

Kael grunted in an amused surprise at my fast reflexes. I had no wolf but I was not sluggish. 

Kael widened his stance, eyes turning feral. The crowd cheered while I stood there, unfazed and annoyed. This wasn’t even a fight, it was personal.

Kael moved first, fast and low like a panther. I dodged, barely. His leg swung around in a high arc, and I bent backward, the tip of his boot slicing air above my face. I used the momentum to spin low and kick at his knee, but he twisted, catching my foot mid-air.

“Sloppy,” he growled and flung me across the ring like I weighed nothing.

I didn’t let my back hit the ground and the crowd cheered. 

Kael stalked closer, his shadow swallowing mine. Sweat stung my eyes.

“Still standing?” he mocked.

I stood on my feet and smirked.

“You talk a lot for someone with a bruised ego incoming.”

He lunged again but this time I was ready. I ducked under his punch, slammed my elbow into his ribs, then turned and struck the same spot with a low kick. He grunted but he didn’t fall.

A flicker of dark amusement crossed his face,

“Not bad.”

Then he tried to grab me by the collar but I let instinct take over. I sidestepped his next jab, caught his wrist mid-air and twisted hard. He tried to reverse it, but I turned into his space, used my shoulder to slam into his chest, and sent us both crashing to the ground. He was smart and tried to turn me but I pushed him away from me and we landed on our hands.

He was sweating now but that flicker in his eyes? I recognized it. It was realization that I wasn’t prey. 

“Tired yet? Or should we call mummy dearest?” I mocked and somehow that set a tick to his jaw. He snapped, rage overriding his reasoning as he lunged.

There was a trick I had learnt in the war camps of Bloodrage pack. I waited till he was close, glided under his legs and buckled his legs with mine.

He tried to save his fall but I pinned his arm with my knee. His other hand reached for my throat, but I slapped it away and delivered three clean punches fast, sharp, and continuous.

His lip split and before he could regain himself, I forced all the strength I had to my legs and flipped us. Hands wrapped around his neck as I drove him down forcibly. The crowd fell silent the moment his back touched the sand.

Kael blinked up at me, dazed. His pupils dilated.

“Yield,” I whispered, my voice low but shaking with barely leashed adrenaline. “Or I’ll break your jaw.”

Kael didn’t blink even with the blood and it terrified me. I pushed off him and stood. A whistle blew and it was match over.My chest rose and fell with every breath, blood in different areas of my face. 

He stood up and his brothers came to his rescue. They took him away and as their backs turned, Kael suddenly looked back but didn’t smile. Just stared like I’d done something I didn’t see yet. 

The crowd melted into a round of applause. Suddenly I went from the scrawny Alpha to the one who beat Kael the undefeated. 

The principal didn’t say a word, just gave me a look before disbanding the crowd. My body shook with an exhaustion I’ve never felt before. Only I knew how close I’d come to losing. My desperation and strategy were my saving points.

By the end of the day, the praises had died down and all I needed was rest. I walked back to my room, happy that everyone must be at the mess hall and I could have the time to myself. Only to walk into the room and have my body pushed fiercely into the wall.

I tried to scream but blue green eyes came out of nowhere. The door gave a soft click as three sets of eyes surrounded me.

Kael stood at the center, healed and furious. The others wore the same face.

“You don’t fight like a backwater Alpha” Cassidan’s voice was low and venomous.

“You fight like you were trained to kill” Damon hissed.

“And only one pack teaches moves like that…” Kael leaned closer, his breath ice on my fiery skin.

“You’re Bloodrage scum!” Kael spat, his eyes burning with rage.

This was no longer about hiding. This was survival of the fittest.