Chapter 10 — Joining the Pack

Lila’s POV

By the final horn sounded, the separate trial grounds had emptied into the central arena. Wolves came out from all four sectors, their steps slower now. They were not weighed down by defeat. By survival. The arena did not seem big anymore as bodies filled it. The energy changed from chaos to something structured.

Wolves from the four sectors lined up in four lines. Warriors stood to the left. They were easy to spot, with blood and dirt on them. Beside them stood the healers with quieter presence but just as strong. The weapon masters were next standing with confidence holding weapons i couldn’t name at a far glance. The strategists, the quiet ones stood at the end calm and watching with calculating gazes.

I stepped into the warrior line without thinking. I stood there observing the arrangement. It was all very deliberate. This was not a gathering of people who survived. This was an organization.

Before I could settle into the moment, something in me snapped barreling through my inner shields.

The mate bond.

It surged without warning sharp and intrusive. My breath caught as the feeling spread through my chest familiar and unwanted. It wasn't the dull ache I was used to. This was different. Deliberate, searching.

Kael. He was close.

I could feel it without seeing him. The bond strained, reaching for him as if time and distance had done nothing to weaken it.

For a brief, dangerous moment it almost connected.

Then I pushed it down. The power inside me responded quickly rising to meet the flare of the bond with absolute control. Silver light coiled inward wrapping tightly around the fragile connection suffocating it before it could take shape.

The pull disappeared fast as it came leaving behind nothing but silence.

Whatever remained between us could not reach me now.

And I had no intention of reaching back.

Footsteps echoed across the arena drawing everyones attention.

Kael stepped into view commanding attention without trying. He was different from the boy I once knew. Time had changed him making him sharper and more controlled.

His gaze swept across the lines measuring each of us. When his eyes passed over me they did not linger. There was no sign of recognition. No reaction. I felt relieved.

“Look at you " Kael began, his voice steady. "You think you are worthy of Nightbane because you got through the trials by showcasing your strengths." His words hit hard because they were true.

"Strength is easy to prove," he continued. "But It is just as easy to lose."

"You are here because you adapted and endured not because you are strongest of the competitors.

"Nightbane does not rely on individual strengths, but combined effort.We fight as units. Precision, coordination, control.”

The structure of it all became clear.

"You will be assigned into squads of five:

Two warriors, one healer, one weapon master and one strategist. Each role necessary. Each position is deliberate."

"You will learn to rely on each other, or you will fail. And here, rhe failure of one was the failure of all."

Heavy silence followed.

Then the assignments began. Names were called one by one, each person stepping forward to join a group. The arena shifted from lines to clusters of newly formed squads. I remained where i was counting and observing.

There was a pattern in the way the groups were built. Nothing was random.

Then slowly I realized that there were only a handful of wolves left. The lines had thinned.

I stood still my attention sharpening. So did everyone else’s.

Kaels gaze landed on us. He spoke. "Final squad.”

The words carried weight.

And thrn my name was called.

"Selene." I stepped forward first my movements steady.

"Fisayo."

A tall dark skinned man with curly hair joined me. His presence calm and intentional.

"Titilayo."

A shorter female version of the man beside me stepped forward from the healer sect. Her posture was relaxed and grounded.

"Kierian."

A lean man with tawny brown hair and eyes to match moved forward his expression a mix between annoyance and amusement.

"Took you long enough" he muttered under his breath

"Vidya."

The last of us stepped forward in silence. A girl with black hair tanned brown skin and hazel eyes.

Kael’s voice cut through the moment one time. "Your squad." Then he walked away. The five of us stood together the only ones left in the arena.

For a moment no one spoke. We just looked at each other assessing each others strengths and weaknesses.

Kierian predictably broke the silence. "So this is it?" he said, glancing between us. "This is the group they trust not to get each other killed?"

His gaze landed on me briefly then shifted. "I was expecting least one terrifying monster...Someone with glowing eyes. Something dramatic, you know?”

I held his gaze. "Disappointed?"

A slow grin spread across his face.

"Give it time. I'm still hopeful."

Fisayo huffed a laugh beside me. "You talk a lot for someone who hasn't proven anything yet."

Kierian placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "I survived didn't I? That already puts me above most people.”

"That's... a low standard," a calm voice cut in.

Vidya

She hadn't moved but her expressionless eyes were already fixed on Kierian sharp and unimpressed.

"Survival, without efficiency is prolonged failure."

Kierian blinked once.

Then twice before slowly turning to her. "Alright I take it back. You're the scary one." Titilayo let out a soft laugh. "You're not entirely wrong. She does look like she'd correct you while you're dying."

Vidya didn't react.

Kierian pointed at Titi immediately. "I like her. She understands the situation. Titilayo, right?"

"Yes but you all can call me Titi since we're going to be stuck together now " she replied, her face friendly and welcoming.

"She's my sister." Fisayo added almost nonchalantly, but there was a soft protective firmness behind his words.

Kierians brows lifted. "Ah, that explains it." "Explains what?" Titilayo asked, folding her arms.

He gestured between the two. "Well first and most obvious you look very much alike. Same features and all.”

"No we do not," Titilayo said, cutting in. "His nose is ugly mine is pretty and delicate." She said tracing the bridge of her nose with her finger while flashing her brother a teasing smile.

"We have the parents so if you think my face is ugly then you think mama and papa are too" Fisayo said with a smile of his own.

"See what I mean?. The coordinated energyy, picking on each other. It’s very sibling-coded." Kierian added

Fisayo didn’t deny it.

Titilayo just smiled a little, but there was something knowing in her smile. "And what is your energy?" she asked.

Kierian did'nt hesitate

"Survival, vibes, occasional brilliance."

"Mostly chaos you mean," Vidya added.

He looked at her then nodded once. "That too."

I watched them silently observing.

A rhythm was already forming, unspoken but there.

There was balance.

Fisayo grounded the space.

Titilayo softened it.

Vidya sharpened it.

Kierian disrupted it.

And me? I stood outside of it watching.

Until Fisayo's gaze turned to me his eyes steady. "And you?" He asked "Selene, right."

I nodded.

"Do you talk," Kierian added, "or are we just going to get mysterious silence the whole time?"

I tilted my head slightly considering him.

"I talk when I need to" I said.

He grinned immediately. "Oh she is dangerous. I knew it."

Titilayo looked at me, her expression softer this time. "You don't have to prove anything" she said quietly. "We all made it that is enough for now."

For now she said.

Interesting choice of words

Vidya spoke again breaking the moment. "Introductions are not useful without context. What matters is function."

Her gazed moved across each of us.

"Two warriors" she said pointing to Fisayo and I.

"Titilayo is a healer."

"Kierian is a specialist with weapons."

"And I, strategist" she said pointing to herself.

"Balanced" she finished.

Kierian crossed his arms. "You make us sound like ingredients in a coobook recipe."

Vidya didn't blink. "In a way we are."

"That's... mildly unsettling" Kierian said scrunching his nose.

Titilayo smiled again. "You’ll get used to it."

Fisayo sighed slowly looking at all of us. "Whether we like it or not this is our squad."

No one said anything to disagree.

Because he was right.

I looked at them one time.

We were not strangers anymore but not exactly friends yet.

But something had changed.

And for the first time since I got here I did not feel alone.

Something, about that feeling did not feel right.

Because in my experience... the moment things start to feel steady is usually when everything falls apart.