MasukArthur lay on the hotel bed, bandages wrapped around his torso where Lars had poisoned him.“Okay,” he said, his voice strained. “Brute force didn’t work. We need to try another way.”I sat in the chair beside the bed. “I’m friends with Sabrina. Njord and I can talk to her, convince her to help us kidnap Isabella back.”Arthur’s eyes met mine. “That could work. If anyone can get access to Isabella, it’s Lars’s own daughter.”“She already doesn’t approve of what her father does. I think we can persuade her.”“Then do it. But be careful.”“I know.” I stood. “I’ll call Njord. We’ll meet with Sabrina today.”Njord and I met Sabrina at a café.“What’s this about?” she asked once we were seated.“We need your help,” I said. “To free Isabella.”Sabrina’s face went pale. “Aurora, no. You saw what my father did to Arthur. If he finds out I helped you—”“He won’t find out,” Njord cut in. “Not if we’re smart about it.”“And what if you’re wrong? What if he does find out?” Sabrina’s hands shook.
I pulled out my phone and called Arthur. He answered on the second ring.“Aurora? What’s wrong?”“I found out who owns the arena,” I said. “It’s Alpha Lars.”Silence on the other end. Then, “Lars? That fishy bastard.”“You know him?”“We’ve had dealings before. He’s dangerous, Aurora. Cunning. Don’t trust anything he says.”“He wants to meet with us. About Isabella.”Arthur was quiet for a moment. “Alright. Where are you?”“Still at the compound. But I can meet you at the hotel.”“I’ll be there in an hour.”When Arthur arrived at the hotel, he looked exhausted. The council meeting had clearly taken its toll.“How did it go?” I asked.“Fine. We discussed threats to the north. Nothing that concerns you right now.” He loosened his tie. “Tell me about Lars.”I explained everything, how Sabrina was his daughter, how she had arranged the meeting, how Lars had agreed to discuss Isabella’s situation.“He won’t just give her up,” Arthur said. “He’ll want something.”“I know. That’s why we need
“Shhh!” Sabrina grabbed my arm, her eyes darting around the room. “Don’t say that so loud!”“Why not?”“Anyone who tries to rescue one of my father’s fighters gets killed, Aurora. He made an example of someone recently. Shot them in front of their family.”I smirked. “I’ve got Arthur. Nobody could kill me when I’m under his protection.”Sabrina stared at me, disbelief flickering in her eyes. “You’re serious about this? How do you even know about Isabella?”I drew in a steadying breath and gave her the short version - that Isabella is Arthur’s wife, that she’d been kidnapped, and that Arthur and I had been searching for her ever since. I told her how Njord had finally led us to this place.Sabrina let out a low whistle. “Wow… that’s intense.”“I’m not joking,” I said quietly. “Isabella needs to be freed. She doesn’t deserve to be here.”Sabrina was quiet for a moment, thinking. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. I’ll call a meeting. Let me talk to my father about the situation first, see if t
The guards moved fast, grabbing my parents before they could react and yanking them out of the crowd. My mother screamed as they seized her. My father struggled against the force of the attack, but more guards appeared, overwhelming him.They dragged my parents down to Alpha Lars’s quarters and threw them to their knees beside me. My mother’s face was bruised where a guard had struck her.“Mom, Dad,” I whispered. “Why did you come? Why?”“We’re your parents,” my father said, his voice breaking. “Why wouldn’t we try to rescue you?”Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor. Alpha Lars emerged from the door.“What do we have here?” he asked calmly.One of the guards stepped forward. “Sir, these two attempted to rescue the fighter Isabella. They were shouting her name, trying to reach her.”Lars nodded slowly. He walked closer, studying my parents like experiments under glass. Then his eyes shifted to me.“I thought I warned you about this, Isabella. I made the rules very clear. No con
The next morning, training began in earnest. A trainer named Viktor took charge of my sessions.“You’re weak,” he said bluntly, watching me work the punching bag. “Your form is terrible, your footwork is sloppy, and you telegraph every move.”I wiped sweat from my face. “Then teach me.”Viktor circled me like a predator. “Hit the bag again. Proper stance this time.”I adjusted my feet, brought my fists up, and threw a combination—left jab, right cross, left hook.“Pathetic.” Viktor shook his head. “You’re pushing the bag, not hitting it. Power comes from your hips, your core. Again.”I tried again. My arms burned, my shoulders screamed, but Viktor was relentless.“Faster! Your opponent won’t wait for you to wind up!”He made me do drills—endless combinations, footwork patterns, defensive movements. When I thought I couldn’t continue, he pushed harder.“You think you’re tired?” Viktor shouted. “Wait until you’re in the arena with someone trying to cave your skull in! Again!"By noon, I
Alpha Lars didn’t waste time. That same evening, he prepared a feast for us. Guards led us to a large dining hall where tables overflowed with food.Before the feast, they gave us new clothes, tunics and pants made of soft fabric, clean and comfortable. I changed quickly, grateful to be out of my bloodstained clothes.The feast itself was held inside the stadium. We sat at long tables while Alpha Lars stood on a raised platform, addressing a crowd of spectators in the stands.“Welcome our new fighters,” he announced, his voice booming through the speakers. “These warriors will bring you glory, entertainment, and blood.”The crowd erupted in cheers. I looked up at the faces surrounding us, all of them hungry and fascinated, their eyes fixed on us like we were livestock brought out for display.After the celebration, Alpha Lars led us to a massive training hall. The space was enormous, with high ceilings, padded floors, and equipment lining the walls. Punching bags, weights, and sparrin







