CHAPTER FOUR

Mira stiffened behind me.

“What do you—” I started.

“Mira,” Zara said, all sugar and rot. “I won’t ask again.”

Mira trembled, then took a few reluctant steps forward. Zara leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Mira went still. Then Zara shoved her—hard.

Mira hit the stone floor with a cry, her knee catching the edge with a sickening thud.

I lunged.

Rowan caught me mid-step, one arm around my waist. “Don’t,” he whispered. “Not like this. Not here.”

“Let. Me. Go.”

“They want you to snap.”

Zara watched us with that wicked gleam in her eyes. “Aw. So protective. You two look cute together.”

I stared her down. “Do that again, and I swear—”

“What? You’ll snarl at me?” she laughed. “You’re barely even wolf.”

“Touch her again and I’ll show you how human rage feels,” I snapped.

She tilted her head, mock-pouting. “You’re lucky we’re in public.” Then she leaned towards me, her voice hard.

“Meet us behind the training arena before moonrise. Or your little friend gets more than a bruise.”

She walked off, her minions laughing as they trailed behind her like overfed shadows. Arnou gave me one last look, full of promise but not the good kind.

When they were gone, I dropped to Mira’s side and helped her sit up. Her face was pale.

“She’s fine,” Rowan said quietly. “Just bruised.” I stared after Zara, anger boiling low in my chest.

“I’ll go,” I said.

Rowan’s eyes widened. “Ren—”

“I said I’ll go.” And when I did, I wouldn’t be cleaning floors.

***********************************************************

The night was thick with silence as I stepped onto the dirt path behind the training arena, my boots pressing soft against the earth. My pulse pounded in my ears, but my face stayed calm. I was good at that, looking calm and nonchalant. Even when walking into something that could kill me.

This wasn’t brave. It was stupid. But stupid things feel less stupid when your best friend is crying into her pillow because someone hurt her for no reason. And she'll get nore hurt if I didn't show up.

Zara had said moonrise. So I came, alone. Rowan tried to stop me but the second he took his eyes off me, I slipped past him.

The clearing came into view slowly, framed by the rusted metal fence and crates stacked like forgotten relics. No pack lights reached this far. The only glow was the moon… round and pale and high above, watching everything.

And then Zara stepped out.

Dressed in that stupid tunic that glimmered even at night. Her hair was pulled back in a tight braid, the ends gleaming silver. She looked relaxed, like this was all a game. The others filed in behind her—Arnou, Derek, Leena, Sylah. Arnou stood too close to her right. Bigger than the others. Darker, broader, son of Beta Magnus himself. His eyes glinted the way predators did when they smelled weakness.

“Well, well. You do have a spine. No Rowan this time?” she asked mischievously. My jaw clenched, but I didn’t rise to it. Not yet.

Arnou’s arms were folded, but his presence radiated threat. “You came alone,” he rumbled. “Brave or just stupid?”

“Funny,” I said, voice steady. “I could ask the same.”

His eyes narrowed. “Keep talking.”

“I will. Once your mouth catches up to your brain.”

Zara’s laughter cut through the night like ice cracking. “Cute. But you don’t get points for sass when you’re the one who bleeds easiest.”

“I don’t bleed easy,” I said.

“Then let’s test that.”

She didn’t wait. Her hand struck first, claws flashing but I ducked. Just barely. Pain kissed my cheek. Her nails had grazed me, drawing blood. My skin stung, but I didn’t flinch.

I met her eyes and she didn’t like that. Then Leena came at me from the side. I sidestepped her, but Derek was already rushing forward, swinging. I threw my arms up to block—

A fist slammed into my ribs. Air whooshed out of me. I stumbled, nearly falling to my knees. They laughed.

Zara shook her head. “This is what you brought? No wolf. No backup. Just bones and bad attitude?”

Sylah stepped forward then, her eyes glowing bright. She snarled… then shifted. Bones cracked. Fur exploded across her body. Her form morphed into a full wolf.

I froze.

That wasn’t allowed. Not against someone unshifted. But rules meant nothing here, these guys were out for blood. The wolf lunged.