LOGINZANA’S POVThe afternoon event was called the Strategy Duel, but everyone in the academy knew it was far more dangerous than the name sounded. It wasn’t just about fighting. It was about surviving pressure while thinking clearly.Two representatives entered the arena alone, then faced each other inside a controlled combat simulation where the rules kept changing in real time.Strength mattered. Speed mattered. But the judges cared most about instinct, control, and the ability to make fast decisions while under attack.That was why many wolves failed in this event. A strong wolf could fight but only a true Alpha… or a true Luna… could stay calm in chaos and lead through it.The arena was packed again, louder than before. Pack students filled the stands. There were so many scents in the air - adrenaline, pride, fear, hunger.I could hear low growls, excited whispers, and the restless shifting of wolves beneath human skin. The energy was wild. People were excited. I could feel it.My wol
DARREN’S POVIt was break time.The lunchtime break between the morning and afternoon events was never really about food.People called it lunch because tables were set out, trays were carried around, and students crowded the long refreshment stations. But nobody important was focused on eating, not really.This was when tournaments became honest.The arena floor showed strength but the break between events showed truth. You could see the alliances shifting in corners.I had known that since I was twelve.I moved through crowds easily. I was bored anyway. What better way to spend my time than to know the latest gossip?I knew where there was tension before I heard it. I knew which conversations mattered and which ones were noise. I knew how to stand close enough to hear without appearing interested, how to ask questions that sounded casual, and how to leave before anyone realized they had told me something useful.My brothers said I enjoyed it too much. They weren’t entirely wrong.Th
ZANA’S POVThe moment I stepped off the arena floor, the noise hit me all over again. The cheers were louder and closer this time. It wasn’t distant anymore. It surrounded me completely. I could hear the sounds of voices rising, hands clapping, people shouting my name in a way that felt unreal.My chest was still rising and falling from the run. My body still buzzed with adrenaline, and for a second I just stood there, taking it all in.Then my team reached me. They didn’t hold back.Arms wrapped around me from different directions, pulling me into the center of them before I could even react. Someone laughed loudly in my ear, another person clapped my back hard enough to make me stumble a little, and for the first time since I had entered the arena, I felt something warm spread through my chest.Jessie was jumping up and down, screaming with excitement. "Did you see her final move? She completely killed that obstacle"“You were insane out there!” one of the girls said, gripping my sh
ZANA’S POVThe arena was already full when we arrived, and the sheer size of the crowd hit me before I even fully stepped inside. By eight in the morning, every seat in the spectator tiers had been taken, and the sound of voices filled the space.It wasn’t just noise. The whole place was alive. The moment I crossed into the arena, I felt the energy. My wolf lifted her head inside me.It wasn’t just the volume that made it overwhelming. It was the emotion behind it. I could feel it moving through the crowd like a current. Everyone was anticipating. Everyone was excited.Today was the first day of the tournament games.The energy in this place was enough to make my chest tighten, not out of panic, but because it was so much at once. My wolf didn’t shrink from it. She leaned into it. she was curious to see what would happen.At the center of it all, raised above the rest of the arena, sat the viewing box where the court officials had already taken their places. Two older men sat slightly
DARREN’S POVI couldn't get her out of my head. No matter what I did, no matter where I went, I kept seeing it - Zana's hand in Caden's. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way they'd walked together. My wolf couldn’t stop thinking about the way she'd smiled at him.I'd actually thought something was changing between us. After the rain, after the janitor's closet, after she'd kissed me like she couldn't breathe without me - I'd thought maybe we had a chance.I was an idiot.My wolf was pissed, more than pissed. He was furious. Ever since then, he’d been pacing inside me like a caged animal, snarling at the memory of seeing Zana with another male. I felt the same way. I was angry and hurt. Still, I was confused about why I cared so damn much.I'd decided the problem was proximity. If I wasn't in the same rooms as Zana, my wolf couldn't drag my attention to wherever she was. It should have been a simple solution.Except I kept failing to execute it.This morning alone, I'd taken a differ
ZANA’S POVCaden and I walked across the academy grounds. He'd asked me to walk with him after classes, and I'd agreed without really thinking about it. Now I was regretting that decision. We hadn’t really talked since the date we had, where he confessed his feelings.Now, things were a bit awkward."The tournament starts the day after tomorrow," Caden said. His voice was a bit excited. "Are you nervous?""A little," I admitted with a chuckle."You shouldn't be. I've seen you fight. You're incredible." He smiled at me. His whole expression was warm and genuine. "Honestly, I think you might win the whole thing."I forced a smile back, but guilt twisted in my stomach. Caden was sweet. He'd been nothing but kind to me since we'd started spending time together. He didn't deserve what I was doing - leading him on while sleeping with Darren, while having feelings for all three brothers."I don't know about that," I said. "There are a lot of strong fighters competing.""But none of them have







