The Hunt Begins
The wind carried the scent of death.
Selene stood motionless, her blade trembling slightly in her grip. The beast in front of her wasn't just a rogue wolf—it was something far worse.
A mutation. A monster. A creation of darkness.
Its fur was matted with blood, patches of flesh missing from its decaying body, and yet, it moved with terrifying speed—a predator designed to kill.
The crowd watched in silence from the edge of the forest, their eyes gleaming with interest. Kieran was among them.
Selene could feel his gaze—piercing, unreadable.
Is he waiting for me to fail?
No.
She wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
Her body tensed. The creature lowered its head, saliva dripping from its jaws as it prepared to lunge again.
Selene inhaled sharply.
Then it attacked.
Faster than before.
She barely dodged. The creature's claws sliced through the air, missing her throat by inches. She hit the ground hard, rolling to the side just in time to avoid another devastating swipe.
Dirt clung to her skin. Pain exploded in her ribs from the impact, but she forced herself up.
This wasn't just a trial.
It was an execution.
They had set her up to die.
No. Not today.
Selene adjusted her stance, gripping the blade tighter. She had no brute strength. No raw power like the wolves watching from the shadows.
But she was faster.
And she had nothing to lose.
The creature lunged again—this time, she didn't dodge.
Instead, she moved forward.
At the last second, she twisted her body, slipping just beneath its snapping jaws, and slammed her dagger into its exposed side.
The beast let out a piercing screech.
A normal wolf would have collapsed.
This one didn't.
It stumbled, but it kept moving.
Selene ripped the blade free, blood spraying across her skin, and took a step back.
Its wounds were healing—too fast.
Her heart pounded.
How do you kill something that refuses to die?
Then she saw it.
The way the wound closed everywhere except its heart.
Selene's eyes widened.
That was its weakness.
The heart.
She only had one chance.
She ran.
Not away—toward it.
The beast lunged again, jaws wide, but Selene was faster. She ducked, sliding under its massive frame, and with every ounce of strength she had left—
She drove the dagger straight into its heart.
The impact rattled through her bones.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then—
The beast let out a final, agonized scream.
And collapsed.
---
The Aftermath
Silence.
Then—
A slow clap.
Selene turned, her chest heaving, to find Kieran standing at the edge of the clearing.
He was smiling.
Not a pleasant smile.
A dangerous one.
His golden eyes glowed as he studied her, like a hunter observing prey that had unexpectedly survived the first trap.
The rest of the pack remained still, their expressions a mixture of shock, approval, and something else—fear.
Selene straightened.
Blood dripped from her dagger.
Her muscles screamed in exhaustion, but she forced herself to meet Kieran's gaze without faltering.
She had won.
They had wanted her to fail, to die.
Instead—
She had just proven that she wasn't weak.
That she wasn't prey.
Kieran took a step forward, his voice smooth and unreadable.
"Not bad," he murmured. "For a human."
Selene didn't react.
She knew better than to think that was a compliment.
This wasn't over.
This was just the beginning.
---
A Dangerous Proposal
The trial had ended, but the tension in the castle had not.
Selene had barely washed the blood from her skin before she was summoned again.
This time—to Kieran's chambers.
She hesitated outside the massive doors.
What did he want now?
Her fingers curled into fists before she took a breath and pushed the door open.
Inside, Kieran stood near the fireplace, the flames casting shadows across his sharp features.
He didn't turn when she entered.
"Do you know what you just did?" he asked quietly.
Selene stiffened.
"What?"
Kieran finally turned.
His expression was unreadable.
"You didn't just survive that trial," he said. "You changed the game."
Selene frowned.
He took a slow step forward.
"There were many in that crowd tonight who expected to watch you die," he continued. "Some of them wanted it. Some of them feared it."
He stopped right in front of her, his golden eyes burning.
"But now," he murmured, "they see something else."
Selene swallowed.
"And what's that?"
Kieran's lips curled.
"Potential."
Her heart skipped.
"You think they'll follow me?" she asked.
Kieran laughed softly.
"No," he said. "Not yet. But they'll watch you now."
His gaze darkened.
"And that's far more dangerous."
Selene's stomach twisted.
She had survived tonight.
But the real danger?
It had only just begun.
---
To Be Continued…