Chapter 4

Aila Coraline

The day my father brought me to the packhouse marked the start of my training. Fresh from the hospital and still recovering, I found myself here, pushing my limits again.

"I heard you're good at archery. So why can't you hit a big target?" a sarcastic voice reached my ear like a whisper.

I could feel the heat rising in my face, not just from the mockery but from the exhaustion of handling a weapon far heavier than I was used to. My body was still adjusting, and I wasn’t in any shape to be here.

"I'm sorry if I failed you," I snapped, my voice laced with irritation. "I didn’t mean to give you any expectations."

I didn’t even know who this girl was, yet she had the audacity to act like she knew me. She questioned my abilities as if archery and shooting were the same thing. Really?

"Oh, I'm not expecting anything from you," she sneered. "I know you're just a sore loser."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I reminded myself why I was here—this wasn’t the time or place to lose control. I wasn’t here to fight anyone; I am here to train.

"You're just cocky because you're the beta's daughter," she added, not contented with her previous taunting. "Without your father, you'd be nothing."

I had heard that line countless times, but it still stung. My father, who barely acted like one, was always praised while I was overlooked, as if my mother and I wouldn’t survive without him. But deep down, I knew I could stand on my own. I can survive without him.

"Are you deaf, or did I hit a nerve?" she pressed further.

I took another breath, trying to keep my cool. But if I let this go, it would only get worse. I wasn’t about to stand by and let her do whatever she wanted. This girl left me with no choice.

"Listen, I may be the beta's daughter, but that doesn’t define me. I’ve trained hard, and I won’t let you belittle me because of my lineage. I’m more than just my father’s name."

I stepped closer, meeting her gaze head-on. "If you think you can take me down with words, think again. I won’t be your punching bag."

Her friends snickered behind her, egging her on. The blonde girl clicked her tongue and tilted her head like she was preparing for a fight.

A grin tugged at my lips. Anastasia didn’t train me for nothing. Maybe it was time to show them what I was really capable of.

"Think you're tough enough to take me on?" she yelled, stepping forward. "Bring it on, princess!"

The tension in the air was thick, and the challenge lit a fire within me.

With a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and prepared to face her. My instincts kicked in, and I knew that I had to stay focused. Anastasia’s training had taught me how to channel my strength, and I was ready to unleash it.

"Alright, let’s see what you've got."

Just as she kicked at me, I remembered I was still holding the armalite rifle. Instead of blocking her kick, I slammed the gun’s heavy handle against her leg, sending her crashing to the ground. She let out a scream of pain as she hit the dirt. The gun was heavy enough, but with my strength behind it, it was heavier.

"Oops, not my fault. The gun did it," I shrugged, stepping back casually, though my heart was racing.

Her friends rushed to her side, their faces frozen in shock. Blood trickled from her leg, and I realized I might have done more damage than I intended.

"Are you okay?" one of her friends asked, kneeling down beside her.

"Get away from me!" she screamed, her voice trembling with both pain and humiliation. "You’ll pay for this, Coraline!"

I stood tall, feeling a rush of adrenaline. They had underestimated me, and now they knew what I could do.

But just as I thought I’d won this little battle, Zayn’s voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"You're here to train, Coraline. Not to cause trouble. Cynthia can’t train now because you broke her leg!" his voice was stern.

I crossed my arms defiantly. "Look, she started it. I was just defending myself. I was minding my own business when she came over to mock me."

Zayn looked at me like I was making up a story, as if the truth wasn’t clear enough. If Cynthia hadn’t come over and mocked me, there wouldn’t have been any chaos. I was minding my own business when she decided to try and bully me.

How am I supposed to take the blame for something she started? What happened to her was her own fault. But Zayn was acting like it was all on me, like I was the only one responsible for what went down.

"It’s not like I went looking for a fight," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

“Doesn’t matter who started it. What matters is how you handle it.”

I shook my head, frustrated. “So, what, I’m just supposed to let her talk to me like that? Let her make a fool of me in front of everyone?”

He shook his head. "No, Coraline. You could have just shrugged it off and be the bigger person. You’re here to learn discipline, not to injure your teammates."

"I didn’t ask to be disrespected!" I shot back, frustrated. "I’m not just going to stand here and let people walk all over me. I deserve the same respect as anyone else."

His expression softened for just a second, like he understood. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the hard edge I’d grown used to.

"Respect is earned, Coraline. Injuring pack members won’t earn you any. Cynthia’s out now, and we can’t afford to lose any more warriors because of personal grudges."

"Fine," I muttered, turning away. I was tired of being lectured about teamwork and respect. I didn’t need anyone’s approval.

"We’re not done, Coraline," Zayn said, blocking my path as I tried to walk away.

Of course, we weren’t.

"I’m done, Zayn. You said what you had to say. I heard you. I’ll try not to ‘cause chaos’ again. Are we good now?"

He didn’t look convinced. If anything, his frustration deepened, his jaw tight, his eyes intense.

"You can rest when you’ve learned to control your temper," he said coldly. "This isn’t just about you. You’re part of a team, and you need to start acting like it."

I stared at him, my anger simmering just below the surface. "I didn’t ask to be part of this team! I didn’t ask for any of this!"

It wasn’t my choice to be here. My father had put me in this position. All I wanted was to be back home, training with Anastasia, far away from this unnecessary pressure.

Now that I obeyed.

They wanted me to act meek, as if I was some delicate flower. But I couldn't do that—not when someone stepped on me and belittled me with that 'beta's daughter' nonsense.

Every taunt, every sneer, will be reciprocated. I am not going to back down or play the role they expected. I had every right to stand up for myself. If they thought I would cower in the shadows of my father's reputation, they had another thing coming.

Zayn took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "I’m doing this for your own good, Coraline. Being short-tempered won’t help you in battle. You need to be wise and know when to conserve your strength."

I glared at him. "Maybe you should practice what you preach," I muttered under my breath, though I knew he heard me.

“Excuse me?” he asked sharply.

"Yeah, you're excused," I replied absently, turning my back to him.