CHAPTER FOURTEEN
STEEL AND SPIRIT
ZAREK’S POV
The training arena buzzed with the thud of fists on padded mats. I stood at the edge of the sparring area, arms crossed, my eyes scanning the betas weaving through drills under the arena’s steel-and-glass dome.
My focus wasn’t on the beta’s training. It was on Lykaina, due for her first training session, her wildflower scent teasing me.
My wolf paced inside, restless, the mate bond tugging like a leash. I clenched my jaw, shoving it down. She didn’t know she was mine, not yet, and I wasn’t about to scare her off. Yesterday, she’d gripped my hand like I was her lifeline, her eyes blazing with fear and defiance as the pack stared.
Training her was my duty, but keeping my distance? That was a battle I knew I would definitely lose with tim
