LOGINChapter Eighty – The TestNina’s POVThe following morning began more peacefully than I expected, yet the peace never reached my heart because I had spent the entire night worrying about Tristan. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined him standing inside the sacred arena seven days from now while the entire pack watched to see whether he still possessed the strength to remain their Alpha.His promise continued echoing inside my mind, and although I wanted to believe every word he had spoken, fear refused to leave me because promises could not stop danger, and they certainly could not prevent those who wished him harm.After breakfast, one of the palace servants informed us that several elders wanted to inspect the training courtyard before preparations for the Alpha’s Trial officially began. Tristan accepted the invitation without hesitation, and although I wanted him to remain inside his chambers and continue resting, I knew there was no point arguing because he had already made his
Chapter Seventy Nine – Shadows in the NightNikolai’s POVThe palace had become unusually quiet after sunset, yet I found no comfort in the silence because my thoughts refused to settle. Every passing day brought the Alpha’s Trial closer, and although everything appeared to be moving in my favor, something deep inside me remained restless.Tristan was supposedly growing weaker with each passing day. That was the story spreading throughout the palace, and it was the same story repeated by servants, guards, warriors, and even the healer himself. Everything suggested that my brother would walk into the trial carrying a body that had not fully recovered from the injuries that had nearly claimed his life.Even so, I could not completely silence the voice inside my mind that kept reminding me who Tristan had always been.He had never been a man who surrendered easily.He had never accepted defeat simply because circumstances demanded it.If there was even the smallest chance of standing aga
Chapter Seventy Eight – The Hardest BattleTristan’s POVNight had always been my favorite time to train because darkness had a way of silencing distractions, allowing a warrior to hear nothing except his own breathing and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Tonight, however, the darkness served a different purpose because it was hiding me from the very people I had sworn to protect.The palace had finally fallen asleep. The last patrol had passed through the northern courtyard almost an hour earlier, the servants had retired to their quarters, and only the guards stationed along the walls remained awake beneath the pale moonlight.I pulled the hood of my cloak farther over my head before following the healer through a narrow passage hidden behind the old storage hall. Few people still remembered that the passage existed because it had been built generations ago as an emergency route for the Alpha’s family. Time had buried its entrance beneath climbing vines and cracked stone, making
Chapter Seventy Seven – Exactly What He WantedNikolai’s POVA slow smile remained on my face as I stood beside the window inside my study, watching the warriors complete their morning training across the courtyard. Their movements were as disciplined as always, yet none of them seemed to notice that the future of this pack had already begun changing.They still believed everything depended on the Alpha’s Trial.They still believed Tristan would stand before them in seven days and fight to keep the position he had held for years.I knew better. The battle had already started.The only difference was that Tristan did not even realize he had stepped into it.A gentle knock sounded against my door before one of the palace guards entered the room.He lowered his head respectfully.“My Lord.”I turned toward him without speaking.“The Alpha was expected at the training grounds this morning.”I folded my arms across my chest.“And?”The guard hesitated before answering.“He did not come.”T
Chapter Seventy Six – Trust MeTristan’s POVMorning arrived quietly, yet something about the palace felt different. The corridors outside my room were unusually calm, the servants spoke in lower voices than usual, and even the warriors training in the courtyard sounded farther away than they normally did. Perhaps it was because the entire pack had begun counting the days until the Alpha’s Trial, or perhaps it was because everyone was waiting to see whether I would recover enough to face it.I had no intention of disappointing them.The healer had examined my injuries earlier that morning and confirmed that my body was recovering faster than anyone had expected. My strength had not completely returned, but every day I could feel a little more life returning to my muscles. I knew I still had work to do before the trial, yet for the first time since waking from the coma, I truly believed I would be ready.Nina stood near the window, arranging the herbs the healer had brought earlier. Ev
Chapter Seventy Five – A Difficult ChoiceThe Healer’s POVThe infirmary became painfully quiet the moment the door closed behind Nikolai, yet I remained standing exactly where I was because my legs suddenly refused to move. My eyes stayed fixed on the small glass vial resting on the wooden table, and although it looked harmless beneath the candlelight, I knew that a single decision could change the future of the entire pack.The pouch of gold still lay beside it.Neither of them belonged in this room.This was a place where broken bones were mended, where wounds were stitched together, where frightened children stopped crying because they believed they were safe. Never in all my years had anyone walked into my infirmary asking me to betray the very oath that had guided my entire life.A long breath escaped my lips as I slowly lowered myself onto the chair behind the table.My hands trembled slightly.I looked at the vial again before reaching toward it with hesitant fingers. The cool
Chapter Fifty – What Did I Just HearNina’s POVBy the time everything was over, I felt like my entire body no longer belonged to me.Even standing had become difficult.Every part of me felt drained.The healer had warned me that giving away that much power would affect me, but hearing it and actu
Chapter Forty Six – Still Not EnoughNina’s POVI had completely lost count of how many warriors Tristan had already fought.At the beginning, people were watching with confidence.They thought it would end quickly, they thought he would fall after a few rounds, they thought he would eventually gi
Chapter Forty Five – Please StopNina’s POVI could not believe what I had just heard.For a moment, I thought Tristan was only saying it because he was angry. I thought he was going to change his mind, I thought he would look at the number of warriors standing around us and realize how impossible
Chapter Thirty Seven – What I Was Not Ready ForNina’s POVI was sitting there without doing anything, my hands resting on my lap, my mind drifting between nothing and everything at the same time, because there was no clear place for my thoughts to settle anymore.The door opened and Tristan walked







