Chapter 5

MAEVE POV

We are herded toward the Obsidian Arena the next morning, before the sun has even risen.

The arena looks like a massive crater, its walls made of polished black stone. It is designed so that no wolf can climb out once the gates are locked.

In the stands circling the arena, academy officials and hundreds of senior students are already waiting. They are ready to watch bloody entertainment.

On the main podium, Horgus stands tall. His single eye sweeps over us coldly.

“The rules are simple: survive until sunset or incapacitate your opponent,” his voice booms without any amplification. “Release the beasts!”

The iron gate on the north side opens with a painful screech. From the darkness within, several level one and level two Feral Beasts emerge. They are nearly the size of elephants, with black and brown fur. Their fangs drip with venom. Their eyes glow red. And they have wings.

The damn creatures hover slightly above the ground.

“Oh, great. They can fly,” I mutter in disbelief.

Instantly, the instincts of the Alphas around me explode. Many of them begin shifting—bones cracking, muscles expanding. Fur sprouts as they transform into brutal predators.

A massive Alpha not far from me lunges forward first. He wants to show dominance and lets out a roar. But the beast is far faster.

With one massive swipe of its claw, the Alpha is flung into the obsidian wall with the horrifying sound of breaking bones. He collapses unconscious instantly.

The crowd falls silent for a brief second before bloodthirsty cheers erupt again.

I stand in the middle of the arena, watching several Alphas surround one beast. Many fall, and some are eliminated. I remain still… letting the others attack first.

Until only one predator remains, and four Alphas who are already exhausted. Now the beast’s red eyes lock onto me.

“Reeve! Do something, or you’re next!” someone shouts from the stands.

I draw a deep breath and close my eyes briefly, shutting out the chaos around me.

“Shift, you idiot!” another voice yells.

My teeth grind together. All I have is the Forbidden Art—a technique that relies on energy flow and impossible precision.

“Grrraaww!” the Feral Beast roars in fury.

It charges at me with terrifying speed. I dodge, but not fast enough. Its claw tears into my shoulder.

My vision blurs instantly from the searing pain. But I have to focus… I have to survive and defeat the creature hunting me.

I inhale and feel everything slow down. I do not look at the monster’s body; I follow its breathing. I notice the pivot point in its hind leg muscles shifting as it prepares to leap again.

Do not fight strength with strength. Borrow their power.

When its fangs are inches from my face, I do not draw Moonglow to slash. Instead, I step one inch to the side with a fluid motion that almost resembles a dance. Just minimal but deadly.

With my open palm, I touch the nerve point beneath the beast’s jaw. I release a small but sharp vibration at the peak of its momentum.

The beast crashes violently. Its own massive weight sends it tumbling across the sand, rolling several times and kicking up clouds of dust.

The arena, once roaring, falls silent as a graveyard.

I stand upright in the settling dust, my breathing steady. I did not shift. I did not rely on brute strength.

My eyes lift toward the stands. In the exclusive seating row, Alaric stands rigid. His strong hands grip the railing. His dark gray eyes narrow sharply, staring at me as if he has seen a ghost.

Not far from him, Dorian has stopped writing. The alchemist sets his book on his lap and props his chin on his slender fingers.

“Congratulations! Reeve Nightshade has incapacitated the Feral Beast.” Horgus smiles faintly. “You have proven yourself a competent Alpha.”

I nod briefly in acknowledgment.

But only part of the crowd cheers. New whispers begin spreading through the stands.

“What kind of fighting style was that? He did not shift at all.”

“He took it down like… a coward using tricks.”

“The lucky weakling. The Weak Outsider.”

The nickname spreads like a plague. No one calls me “Golden Prince” anymore. For Alphas who worship physical power, my victory is an anomaly—an insult to wolf nature.

I walk unsteadily toward the gate, my release from the arena. But the wound on my shoulder throbs, and each breath feels like a blade slicing into my lungs.

Cold sweat pours down my back. I can feel the burnt-corpse scent fading, my natural scent beginning to surface faintly.

“Alpha!”

I look up. The tall, massive figure stands before me, dark gray eyes gleaming with suspicion. As Alaric approaches, the world tilts.

“No…” I groan weakly.

Before my body hits the ground, I feel a pair of strong arms catch me.

…

I lose consciousness, but the sharp pain in my shoulder keeps me hovering between fainting and awareness. I feel my body jolt as Alaric carries me quickly and lays me down on a medical bed.

“Why hasn’t your wound closed?” Alaric growls, his voice dangerously close to my ear.

Half-conscious, I feel Alaric’s rough hands gripping the academy robe I am wearing. He is not trying to be as gentle as the Sword Bearer.

Sreeek.

The brutal sound of fabric tearing splits the silence. Alaric rips open the upper part of my robe and linen shirt with one powerful motion. But the tear exposes far more, down to the center of my chest.

“No,” I try to stop him.

I am too weak to push him away. Alaric’s hand presses against my chest, where it is bound tightly with white cloth. His breathing, once heavy, suddenly stills.

“What is this…” He squeezes my breast, feeling the softness beneath. “Alpha, why are you—”

Alaric frowns and closes his eyes briefly. At the same time, I freeze because he has just touched one of my most sensitive parts.

“Let me go,” I whisper, trying to resist.

Alaric’s eyes open again, and now there is a golden flash within them. He begins to inhale my faint scent. His gaze is filled with the hunger of a predator who has just found the prey he desires most.

Alaric’s hand grips the edge of my binding cloth, ready to tear away my last secret. One more movement, and I will be completely exposed in front of the Sword Bearer.