Chapter#08

Selene’s POV

My hands trembled, and my stomach dropped like a stone in the Frostfang Peaks as Varian’s piercing eyes locked onto me. He was going to unveil me in front of everyone. My plan of vengeance, my promise to honor my father’s fierce love, would be destroyed, their blood spilled for nothing.

How would I honor their sacrifices if I couldn’t even survive this camp?

“Don’t trouble him,” Caden’s voice blazed through my spiraling thoughts, pulling me back to the gym. He stepped forward, “He has nothing to do with your mate.”

What was Caden thinking? Varian was ten times bigger and stronger. His black-furred wolf formed a beast that could tear through men like Caden without breaking a sweat. He looked like he ate wolves like my cousin for breakfast.

“It’s alright,” I managed to say, stepping forward on shaky legs, “Varian, I…”

Before I could finish, Varian’s voice echoed through the gym, “Did the instructor ask everyone to stop training?” he barked.

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

“Continue your training!” the instructor ordered.

I grabbed Caden’s hand and pulled him to the other side of the gym, where Varian’s gaze couldn’t find me.

“Selene, this is too dangerous,” Caden exclaimed, as he glanced back at Varian’s towering figure. “Rowan needs to know.”

Before I could respond, Rowan’s voice cut in, “What’s going on between you two? Are you hiding something?”

“Rowan,” I said as my breath caught in my chest, “We were just talking about…”

“That man, Varian,” Caden interjected, “He’s troubling Selene.”

“What?” Rowan exclaimed, “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“It’s nothing serious,” I said quickly, forcing a weak smile, “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“He was talking about his mate…” Rowan lowered his voice,  “Does he know…?”

“Of course he doesn’t,” Caden said as he placed a reassuring hand on Rowan’s shoulder. “We should continue training.”

“Kaelen,” Varian called my name as he stepped close to us.

“Stop troubling him, Varian!” Rowan exclaimed, pulling me behind him.

Ignoring Rowen’s words, his eyes met mine, “Captain Torin wants to see you. Now. In the Fangspire Chamber.”

My stomach twisted. What did Torin want with me? Did Varian say anything to him?

I faced Rowan and Caden, “I’ll be fine,” I said, forcing a nod. Rowan’s jaw tightened. He wanted to follow, but Caden placed a steady hand on his shoulder.

Varian led the way through the winding corridors of the Ironfang Academy. His broad shoulders loomed ahead of me. We reached a massive stone door. Its surface was carved with the snarling visage of a wolf, its eyes inlaid with moonstones that seemed to watch me as Varian pushed it open, revealing the Fangspire Chamber.

A massive obsidian desk dominated the center. Its surface was etched with maps of Lunareth, the territories of the packs marked in glowing runes. Behind the desk stood Captain Torin with his steel-gray eyes fixed on me as I entered.

Varian stepped aside, his eyes lingering on me for a moment longer before he turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

“Kaelen, son of Alpha Theron,” Torin began, “I received news of what happened in Silverthorn.”

My breath caught. Of course, he knew. The massacre. I clenched my fists. My nails dug into my palms as I fought to keep my composure.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Torin said, his tone softening for a moment, “Leandro’s wolves… they’ve enslaved what remains of your people, scattered them across the south to labor in his mines, to fuel his war against the Central-North. The Silverthorn Pack is no more.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, my knees trembling as I struggled to stay upright. The image of my people, those who’d survived the massacre, chained and broken under Leandro’s rule, seared into my mind. The one’s who died, they’d all died for nothing if I couldn’t free our pack, if I couldn’t avenge them. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them back, forcing myself to remain steady.

“And your sister,” Torin continued as his hands rested on the obsidian desk, “Selene, was it? Where is she?”

My heart stopped. “She… she didn’t make it,” my voice trembled despite my efforts to steady it, “She died… in the massacre.”

Torin’s gaze lingered on me, “A shame,” he gruffed, “I saw you when you were a boy, Kaelen, eight, maybe nine, during a gathering of the packs in the Central-North. You were strong, even then, a cub with fire in your eyes. I thought you’d grow into a brave warrior, one who’d take your father’s place as Alpha of Silverthorn, a leader worthy of the Moon Goddess’s favor.”

He paused. His eyes narrowed as he studied me, “But I’m disappointed to see your progress and your fatigue.” His words cut deeper than any blade. “You’re at the bottom of the rankings, Kaelen. You’re weak, slower than you should be. Your body is failing under the strain of this camp. Even your younger brother, Rowan, looks more like a man than you do.”

The comparison stung. The way Rowan had stepped into a role was far beyond his years to keep me safe. Torin’s words were a mirror to my fears, the fear that I wasn’t strong enough, that I was failing not just myself but my brothers, my pack, my mission.

“You need to work harder on yourself,” Torin continued, “The Ironfang Academy doesn’t tolerate weakness, Kaelen. If you’re to honor your father’s legacy, to become the warrior I thought you’d be, you need to push beyond your limits. The Moon Goddess doesn’t favor the weak, and neither do I.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. My hands clenched at my sides as I fought to keep my composure. “I understand, Captain,” I managed to say.

Torin’s gaze softened for a moment as he nodded. “Good,” he gruffed, “Now go. Prove me wrong, Kaelen. Show me the warrior I thought you’d become. We have a long way to fight for our pack’s freedom.”

I turned to leave, my heart pounding as I pushed open the stone door. I had to be stronger and climb the ranks. I spotted Rowan and Caden near the edge of the gym. Their heads were bent together as they spoke in low tones, and their worry was palpable even from a distance.

As I approached, Rowan’s head snapped up. His eyes locked onto mine. A mix of relief and frustration crossed his face as he strode toward me, his boots kicking up dust from the packed earth floor. “Selene,” he said, his hands clenching into fists as he stopped in front of me. “What happened? What did Torin want with you?”

Caden followed close behind, “You were gone too long,” he urged, “Are you alright? Did he… did he figure anything out?”

I forced a smile, “I’m fine,” I said, meeting their gazes, trying to reassure them despite the storm inside me. “Torin just… he wanted to talk about my progress. I’m at the bottom of the rankings, and he’s not happy about it.”

Rowan’s jaw tightened as his voice dropped to a fierce whisper. “What did he say, exactly? Did he threaten you? Because if he did, I’ll…”

“No, Rowan,” I interrupted, placing a hand on his arm, “He didn’t threaten me. He just… he said I need to work harder, that I’m not living up to what he expected of Kaelen. He saw me…Kaelen…when he was a kid, thought he’d grow into a brave warrior, someone who’d take Father’s place. But he’s disappointed to see me.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I

“You’re doing everything you can, Selene.” Caden grabbed my hand, “You’re not Kaelen. You’re not supposed to be here. You shouldn’t have to prove anything to Torin.”

Rowen’s eyes narrowed, “There’s more, isn’t there?” he said, “What else did he say? You look like you’ve seen a wraith.”

“He… he told me about Silverthorn,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, “Leandro’s wolves…they’ve enslaved our people, the ones who survived the massacre. They’re in his mines in the south, forced to labor for his war against the Central-North. Silverthorn…it’s gone.”

Rowan’s face paled. His hands trembled as he clenched them into fists. “Enslaved?” he whispered. “We have to do something. We can’t let them suffer like that.”

“We will,” Caden replied, “But we can’t act rashly, Rowan. We need to be smart about this. Selene, did Torin say anything else? About you, about… your disguise?”

I shook my head, “No,” my voice trembled, “He just… he wants me to prove myself, to show him I can be the warrior he thought Kaelen would become. I have to climb the rankings.”

Rowan’s gray eyes softened. “You will,” His hand squeezed my shoulder with a warmth that reminded me of Father. “You’re stronger than Torin knows, Selene. We’ll help you. Whatever it takes.”

Training was brutal. Each movement was a test of endurance I wasn’t sure I could pass. The chill of last night had settled deep into my bones. My wounds, still healing slower than a Silverthorn wolf’s should, throbbed beneath the salve. But I pushed through, forcing myself to keep going. I couldn’t afford to falter, not with my name at the bottom of the rankings.

Rowan’s hand lingered on my shoulder as he knelt to inspect the fading bruises across my arms. “You good?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, my voice barely convincing as I met his gaze, trying to hide the pain that radiated through my body.

Then I felt it; those green eyes cutting through the crowd like a blade. Varian. His gaze locked onto mine from across the gym. I was sure he knew who I was. The mate bond pulled at him as fiercely as it pulled at my wolf, which fought within me, desperate to surface, to answer his call. I clamped down on it. My nails dug into my palms as I kept it steady, but the softness in his gaze, just for a moment, caught me off guard.

Before I could process it, a firm hand grabbed my shoulder, pulling me out of my trance. Liam. His russet hair caught the torchlight, and his hazel eyes were warm with concern as he stood beside me, “I saw your name at the bottom of the ranking list,” he said, “Your brothers have good rankings. Aren’t they helping you?”

“They’re trying to…” I said, forcing a smile, though my heart raced at his closeness, “Congratulations on topping the list, by the way.”

“I need to beat Varian before you can congratulate me,” he said with a smirk as he glanced at Varian. Then his voice softened, “If he troubles you, you can let me know.”

Liam had always had my back in this brutal place. But Varian’s cold stare never left me. And yet, he was a threat I’d welcome with open arms.

We headed to the training grounds after a quick warm-up. The sandpit stretched out before us like a battlefield: towering walls of jagged stone, dangling ropes woven with iron threads, pits of frozen mud. By the time we reached the midway point, the group had split into clusters, the stronger trainees pulling ahead, Liam and Varian among them, while the rest of us trailed behind.

My breath came in sharp, shallow gasps as I hauled myself over a wall. It was then that I heard his voice.

“You lied to me.”