Proving Herself

Selene had escaped the Bloodmoon Pack, but survival wasn’t enough.

She had learned to fight, to track, to kill—but if she wanted true power, if she wanted to return and make them kneel, she needed more than just strength.

She needed a pack of her own.

But nothing came without a price.

The Ashen Pack did not trust outsiders.

They were wolves who had been exiled, abandoned, hunted, finding refuge in the forgotten edges of the land. They thrived in secrecy, surviving on the fringes of society, led by wolves who had never bowed to any Alpha.

And when Selene stumbled into their territory, they didn’t welcome her—they threatened her.

She smelled them first—not Bloodmoon, not rogue, but something between the two, something more primal, something entirely its own.

Then came the warning.

A low, rumbling growl that sent a cold whisper of danger through her bones.

She turned sharply, locking eyes with Kael, a warrior with dark silver fur, scars lining his arms, his expression unreadable.

"You’re trespassing," he muttered, his stance poised for attack.

Selene didn’t move.

She understood the game.

If she flinched, if she ran, if she showed even an ounce of uncertainty, they would tear her apart before she could explain why she was here.

A second figure appeared—Zaria, lean, sharp-eyed, her gaze flickering with amusement as she studied Selene.

"You’re not rogue," she mused, tilting her head. "But you’re not pack either."

Selene exhaled, keeping her voice steady. "I’m looking for strength."

Kael scoffed. "Strength is earned. Why would we waste time training an outsider?"

Selene met his gaze without hesitation. "Then tell me what I need to do to prove I’m worth it."

Silence stretched between them.

Then Zaria smirked. "She’s got fire."

Kael sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. Let’s see if it burns or if it’s just embers pretending to be a flame."

No one truly trusted Selene. Not yet.

She was an Omega turned fighter—but in their world, status meant nothing unless you proved you deserved it.

They pushed her beyond her limits.

Tracking trials through dangerous terrain, forced to navigate without sight, without scent, relying only on raw instinct.

Hunting tests where failure meant days without food, sharpening her endurance, making her movements more precise.

Combat trials against their strongest wolves, where she was taught not just to fight—but to win without mercy.

She took the hits. She learned from them. She became a fighter they didn’t expect.

And slowly—she gained their respect.

The Ashen Pack thrived on trust, but trust was earned through actions, not words.

She spent weeks proving herself—

Patrolling the borders, keeping watch for rogues and mercenaries.

Sharing meals by the fire, listening to their war stories, learning their alliances.

Forging bonds with warriors who had once seen her as nothing more than a stranger.

Kael still challenged her, testing her patience, waiting for her to crack.

Zaria watched with amusement, often throwing small, calculated insults just to see how Selene reacted.

But as days passed, the wolves began to recognize her as one of their own.

And when the Silver Fang mercenaries attacked the outer camp, Selene did not hesitate.

She fought beside them.

She bled beside them.

And when the dust settled?

She wasn’t just an outsider anymore.

She was a warrior of the Ashen Pack.

Power had been gained.

But she needed more.

She wanted control—not just over herself, but over the war she was destined to fight.

And that meant she had to face the Alpha.