chapter 4

Tamara

I didn't even realize I was growling until the sound left my throat. The entire room seemed to turn to me but my eyes were locked on the woman standing beside North.

How dare she touch him? How dare she stand so close to him and look at me like I was nothing?

"Take your hands off my mate," I snapped, taking a step forward. "And watch how you speak to me."

The woman simply threw her head back and laughed. It was a loud, mocking sound that echoed in the quiet hall. She did not step away from North. Instead, she leaned even closer, pressing her side comfortably against his broad chest. She looked at me like I was a stupid, helpless child.

"And who exactly are you to tell me what to do?" she asked, her eyes flashing with mock amusement.

"I'm his mate," I said, straightening my back.

Her smile widened. "And?"

I blinked. What kind of answer was that?

"Oh, this is going to be entertaining," she sneered, her voice loud and dripping with pure venom. Several people nearby chuckled, and heat rushed into my face. Seeing her body pressed against his triggered something wild inside of me. Every instinct screamed that this female was crossing a line.

I did not think. I just lunged forward, reaching out to grab her, desperate to pull her away from my mate. But she was much faster. Before my hands could even touch her, her hand shot out and wrapped tightly around my throat. My eyes widened in shock. She lifted me as if I weighed absolutely nothing, and then she flung me backward with incredible force.

I flew through the air and crashed hard into the rough stone wall. Pain exploded through my back and shoulders, and a loud groan escaped me as I hit the floor with a heavy thud. The room spun, and I felt like I couldn't breathe properly.

I forced myself onto my hands and knees. My body ached terribly, but I wasn't staying down. I started pushing myself up to stand.

"Enough," North's voice rang out. It was loud and full of absolute authority.

I looked at my mate expecting him to say something to her, or perhaps remind everyone that I was his mat, but he did none of those things. His face showed no emotion as he looked directly down at me with cold eyes.

"She is no exception," He announced to the room, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "If you choose to stay here, you will prove your worth just like everyone else."

He turned toward his Beta, and the two men exchanged a short look. The Beta gave a brief nod. Then, he looked at me one final time, his expression completely blank, before turning around and walking away. He just left me there.

The moment he was gone, the crowd began to disperse. People walked past me, going back to their own business as if nothing had happened. No one offered to help me up. I was left struggling alone on the hard floor alone.

I sat up slowly, staring at the ground. My throat and back hurt, and tears burned in my eyes. I blinked rapidly, closing my eyes tightly to force them back down. I refused to cry in front of these people.

"Better not let those tears fall."

I opened my eyes and looked up. A woman stood a few feet away. She was beautiful, with long dark hair and dark eyes. Unlike everyone else, she wasn't looking at me with harsh judgment. She just looked curious.

"Everyone in this room is just waiting for you to break," she said softly. "Do not give them the satisfaction."

I quickly wiped beneath my eyes and stood up. The woman smiled and held out her hand.

"Good choice. I'm Earth."

I stared at her. "Earth?"

She laughed, a bright sound that felt very out of place in this dark place. "Yeah, I know. Weird name. I guess my dead parents were sick in the head when they named us. I am North's sister."

Before I could say anything, she picked up my bright pink suitcase from the floor. "Come on. Follow me to your room. You don't want to stand here all night."

I followed her away from the main hall and down a long, quiet corridor. The stone walls made everything feel cold and dark.

Eventually, Earth stopped outside a large wooden door and pushed it open.

The room inside was surprisingly nice. A large bed sat against one wall, and there was a fireplace, a wardrobe, and several windows overlooking the training grounds outside.

Earth placed my suitcase near the bed, and the smile completely disappeared from her face.

"Listen carefully, Tamara," she said, crossing her arms. "You may be North's mate, and you may even become Luna one day. But nobody here is going to accept you just because of a title. Strength is everything in Night Sword. The strong survive here, and the weak don't."

She looked me up and down, and then her gaze landed on my bright pink suitcase. Her mouth twitched slightly.

"You look pampered," she sighed. "But if you really want to stay with your mate, you'll need to earn your place. You have to be ready to fight. Are you ready for that?"

I looked down at my hands. My whole body was sore from hitting the wall, and I felt a deep dread in my stomach. I felt like I was going to hate my life in this place.

"Yes," I answered weakly.

Earth studied me for a moment, then gave a short nod. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

She turned toward the door to leave, but I quickly called out to her. "Wait. Can I ask you something?"

She stopped and looked back at me. "Sure."

"Who was that woman?" I asked, my chest tightening. "The one who attacked me."

The amusement completely vanished from Earth's face, replaced by a look of quiet pity. She sat down on the edge of the bed and let out a long breath.

"That is Serena," Earth said, looking directly into my eyes. "She has been part of this pack for years, and she is our lead warrior. She's also the only woman everyone believes North should make his Luna.”