Chapter five: Blood rain

Aria Blackwood

The training yard was alive with the thud of fists on mats and the sharp crack of wooden staffs colliding. Sweat clung to my skin as I moved, my staff whirling through the air, each strike and block forcing me to keep my focus.

of course I had to train cause I was the beta's daughter along with Serena who was the Gamma's daughter, it was essential for us.

I didn't even have a fucking break in this pack.

Pain lingered in my chest from the rejection, but I forced it aside. If I gave in, if I let the whispers and the ache consume me, I’d lose myself completely.

“Keep your guard up,” Darren grunted as his staff struck mine, the impact jolting my arms.

I nodded, my teeth gritted, and shoved him back with a burst of effort. He stumbled a step, then smirked. “Better.”

Darren was one of the few men I could tolerate in the pack, I almost smiled when the sound of laughter rang out, high , sharp, and cruel, it was Serena.

She leaned lazily against the railing, her arms crossed and her glossy hair shining in the sunlight. A gaggle of her friends surrounded her, their eyes glittering with the same mocking amusement.

“Well, well,” she drawled. “Looks like the rejected mate is trying to prove she’s still useful.”

My muscles tensed and i lowered my staff, heat crawling up my neck.

“Don’t,” Darren muttered “She’s baiting you.”

But Serena wasn’t finished. “Careful, Aria we wouldn’t want you to embarrass yourself in front of the Alpha. Oh wait—” she smirked, tilting her head toward Damien, who stood near the edge of the grounds with Elias, observing the session. “Too late for that.”

Her friends laughed, the sound like knives digging under my skin, I clenched my jaw and turned away. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

But Serena pushed off the railing, stepping into the ring with a predatory smile. “How about a spar, Aria? Unless you’re too broken for it.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd, Serena was one of the top female warriors, ruthless and skilled, even I knew that

Darren stepped forward, protectively. “She’s not ready for that.”

“I wasn’t asking you,” Serena sneered, her eyes locked on mine, daring me.

And something in me snapped.

“Fine,” I said, voice steady despite the storm inside me. “Let’s spar.”

The crowd parted, eager for the spectacle, Serena smirked as we squared off, staff in hand.

“You’ll regret this,” she whispered.

The first strike came fast, Serena’s staff cutting through the air toward my head. I barely ducked, the wood whistling past. My own staff swung up in defense, the impact rattling my bones.

She was fast and strong, filled with rage, Serena always hated me since we were kids each hit carried the confidence of someone who thought they couldn’t lose.

But I refused to back down.

We clashed again and again, the sound echoing across the yard. My muscles shook with sweat dripping into my eyes, but I held my ground.

Then, with a vicious twist, Serena hooked my staff and yanked, it clattered to the dirt, before I could react, her foot slammed into my stomach, sending me sprawling, I hit the ground with a thud and felt something break

I howled in pain and laughter erupted from the crowd.

“Pathetic,” Serena sneered, pressing her staff against my throat. “Just like Damien said you’ll never be strong enough.”

Rage burned through my veins and with a burst of strength, i grabbed the staff, twisted, and shoved her off balance. She stumbled, her eyes widening in shock.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as I scrambled to my feet, my chest heaving but before I could move again, a voice cut through the air like a whip.

“Enough.” It was Damien.

He strode into the ring, his eyes blazing, not at Serena, but at me.

“You will not raise a hand against Serena again,” he said coldly, stepping between us. “Do you understand, Aria?”

My stomach dropped. “She—she started it—”

His gaze was as cold as ice. “I don’t care stand down.”

The humiliation burned hotter than any wound, he didn’t defend me, he never did, Serena smirked behind him, smug and victorious.

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out past the lump in my throat. “Yes, Alpha.”

I felt the throbbing of my lips where the bitch punched me, I felt so tired and broken , I really needed a hot bathe to forget this moment and everything, my mum's soup will really be needed now.

The moment shattered as a chilling howl pierced the air, it was a rogue’s howl.

Chaos erupted instantly. Warriors shifted, growls filling the grounds. The scent of blood and wild, untamed wolves hit my senses as three rogues burst from the tree line, eyes wild with madness.

“Defensive formation!”

Damien barked, his voice commanding as he shifted mid-stride, his massive black wolf form slamming into the first rogue with brutal force.

The yard exploded into violence. Serena shifted to her huge grey wolf and her wolf sneered at me.

I grabbed my discarded staff, adrenaline surging through my veins. My wolf was weak, too fragile for me to shift, but I wouldn’t stand back.

One rogue broke through the line, charging straight at a young trainee frozen in fear.

“No!” I lunged, shoving the boy out of the way. The rogue’s claws raked across my side, white-hot pain tearing through me. Blood soaked my shirt instantly, but I swung my staff with all my strength, striking its jaw.

The beast snarled, snapping its teeth inches from my face. My vision blurred, but I held my ground, every ounce of me focused on keeping it away from the pup.

“Aria!” Darren’s voice shouted, but it was drowned by the chaos.

The rogue lunged again, its claws slashing and I blocked with my staff, but the force sent me sprawling, pain exploding in my ribs.

I coughed, blood filling my mouth, my body screamed for me to stay down but I pushed up, my vision spinning and my staff trembling in my hands. “Come on,” I growled hoarsely. “I’m not done.”

The rogue snarled, preparing to strike again and hen Damien’s massive wolf form crashed into it, tearing it apart with brutal efficiency. Blood sprayed, the rogue falling lifeless at his feet.

For a moment, his glowing eyes locked on mine and something flickered there like anger or worry. But then he turned away, leaping back into the fray as if I were nothing.

The world tilted around me and my legs gave out, the staff slipping from my grip, the last thing I felt was Selene’s faint, broken whimper as darkness swallowed me whole

*****