CHAPTER 2

IRIA’S POV

What!

I thought mentally, but before I could silence my thoughts I blurted out. “What?!”

The hall went quiet, as if everyone's was on their toes as to what would happen next.

“Iria,” Elder Rhex repeated. “Step forward.”

My feet did not move. Heck I didn't want to move.

Nyxara’s fingers tightened around mine. “Don’t,” she whispered. “Don’t react.”

I could hear my heartbeat ring in my ears. I felt exposed and pinned in place by dozens of stares, ranging from shock, curiousity and annoyance. Annoyance dominated most expressions.

“Why her,” someone asked. “She can barely stand.”

“There must be a mistake.”

“She is not fit for ritual work.”

Elder Rhex lifted his staff and hit it once against the floor. The sound echoed loudly through the hall.

“Silence,” he commanded.

I forced myself to breathe and stepped forward. My legs protested immediately, but I ignored them. Stopping now would only make this worse.

“You,” Elder Rhex said. “And you. And you.”

He pointed at three others standing near the edges. Two betas and one healer’s apprentice. None of them looked prepared either.

“What are we being chosen for,” I asked.

Silence.

“I asked—”

“You were selected as conduits,” Elder Rhex said. “That is all you need to know.”

“That explains nothing,” I replied.

“It explains everything,” another elder said. “You will assist the convergence.”

“How,” I asked. “And why me.”

“You respond to pressure,” Elder Rhex replied. “Your body does.”

Nyxara stepped forward. “That does not mean she can endure ritual strain.”

“She does not have to endure it alone,” he said. “The chain will distribute the load.”

“What chain,” I asked.

“Enough,” he snapped. “You will be given garments. You will prepare. You will present yourselves at dawn.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Nyxara shook her head at me. Giving me the hint not to press further.

“Please,” she whispered. “Not here.”

They handed us folded cloth and small carved bands made of pale stone. The band felt cold when I picked it up, and much heavier than it looked.

“What is this for?” I asked.

No one answered.

They separated us after that. Nyxara was not allowed to follow me. I was taken to a narrow chamber near the eastern wing. The space was clean but bare.

The door closed behind me.

I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the cloth in my hands.

Chosen.

The word felt strange and empty. It's not like they were proud of me for anything.

I had spent my entire life being told I was too little, slow or fragile. Now they wanted my body for their most important ritual and refused to explain why.

It did not add up. I cleaned myself up and went to rest.

At dawn, the horns sounded.

I got dressed in the pale garment that was given to me the previous day. And put on the band, it slid easily around my wrist. The moment it settled, I took on a deep breath and tried to settle myself down. Breath Iria. You'll be fine.

I wasn't fine.

Guards escorted us through the outer halls. The air outside felt packed. Wolves crowded every path. Different scents. Different energies. And alphas everywhere.

“I can’t do this,” one of the others whispered.

“Yes you can,” a guard replied. “Now keep moving.”

The convergence ground was really wide. It had stone circles carved into the ground and rune symbols etched into the stones. The elders stood at the center, they were already chanting under their breath.

The pressure hit me the moment I stepped inside the circle.

And I stumbled a bit.

Nyxara was not there. I searched the crowd in but I could not find her.

“I don’t belong here,” I muttered.

“None of us do,” the healer’s apprentice replied. “That’s the point.”

Alphas lined the perimeter. Their presence weighed could be felt heavily in the space. It pressed against my skin, my lungs, my thoughts.

And then I felt him.

Alpha Kael stood near the eastern marker. With unwavering focus. His attention moved across the circle, noting everything down.

He turned and his eyes landed on me. For a minute I could've sworn his expression was a frown but it was quickly replaced with a plain expression.

The pressure worsened as we stepped into the circle.

My heartbeat became faster and I felt heat moving all over my body. breath stuttered. The band on my wrist suddenly became very hot.

“No,” I whispered. “No no no.”

“Hold position,” Elder Rhex commanded.

“I can’t,” I said. “It hurts.”

“Remain still,” he snapped. “You will destabilize the chain.”

The chanting grew louder and I felt the ground vibrated faintly beneath my feet.

The others held hands. I hesitated, then reached out. The moment our fingers touched pain went through my arms.

I cried out.

“Endure,” Elder Rhex shouted.

“I can’t endure this,” I said. “Make it stop.”

Kael stepped forward. “This is not normal.”

“It is necessary,” Elder Rhex replied.

The pressure became inward and my vision became blurry. Heat moved through my chest and down my limbs quickly.

“Let her go,” Kael said sharply.

“She is the anchor,” Elder Rhex said. “Removing her will collapse the structure.”

“I don’t consent,” I gasped.

“Consent is irrelevant,” he replied.

I tried to pull away, but strong hands grabbed my arms and forced me back into place. The band became even hotter against my skin.

I screamed again and Kael moved from his place this time.

“Step away from her,” he ordered.

But it was too late.

The ground shook hard enough to knock several wolves off balance. The chanting became chaotic. The runes beneath my feet became brighter.

Pain tore through me from the inside out. My head snapped back and my sight became white.

And then. I felt him. Not his presence—his pain

It came crashing into me all at once. It was a force and all too uncontrollable.

Kael froze mid step and our eyes locked.

My body shook as the force between us moved into place. The bond formed between us ripping through every barrier.

I screamed again, but the sound barely reached my own ears.

Kael staggered forward. His face drained of color as the pain hit him fully.

“What did you do,” he roared.

The elders shouted over one another. Wolves cried out as dominance rippled outward.

My legs gave out and the last thing I saw before the ground rushed up was Kael reaching for me.

Then everything went dark.