Chapter7
1018 Words
A chilling silence settled over the clearing.
Selene's eyes darted between the wolves emerging from the shadows. Ten. No-twelve.
Their golden and silver eyes gleamed in the moonlight, their bodies tense, muscles coiled, ready to strike.
This wasn't a welcome.
This was a test.
Selene's jaw tightened as she recognized some of them. The strongest of the pack-the warriors, the enforcers, the ones who had sworn their loyalty to Damian.
And yet, they were looking at her like an intruder.
She didn't miss the way Cassandra stood at the front, arms crossed over her chest, a smirk playing on her lips.
"This is the woman you expect to lead us?" one of the warriors sneered, stepping forward. "A rogue? An outsider?"
"She's not worthy," another voice growled. "The Luna position should go to someone who's actually fought for the pack."
Selene felt the weight of their rejection.
She shot a sharp look at Damian, who stood beside her, watching the situation unfold with infuriating calm.
This was planned. He knew this would happen.
Selene narrowed her eyes. Bastard.
Cassandra took a slow step forward, her icy blue gaze flickering to Damian.
"The pack has a point, Alpha," she said smoothly. "If she wants to be Luna, she should prove she's strong enough."
Selene's stomach twisted.
She knew what was coming.
A trial. A test. A fight.
Werewolf packs didn't follow weak leaders. If she wanted any chance of survival, she had to earn it.
She turned back to the warriors, forcing herself to stand tall despite the odds stacked against her.
"Fine," she said, voice steady. "Who's first?"
A dark chuckle rippled through the group.
Then-one of the warriors stepped forward.
Jax,Tall,Broad-shouldered. A seasoned fighter. His muscles tensed with barely restrained energy, his dark eyes locked on hers with amusement.
Selene studied him quickly. Fast.
Strong. Predictable.
Jax cracked his knuckles, smirking. "Try not to cry, Luna."
The Fight Begins
The moment Damian gave the signal, Jax lunged.
Selene barely dodged in time.
Fast. Strong. Aggressive.
His claws slashed through the air, narrowly missing her. She pivoted, using his momentum against him, and slammed her elbow into his ribs.
Jax grunted but barely flinched.
He recovered too quickly.
Before she could react, he came at her again.
A flurry of attacks. A brutal rhythm.
Selene dodged left, then right. She ducked under a powerful swing and retaliated with a sharp kick to his knee.
Jax snarled, stumbling back for the first time.
A murmur ran through the crowd.
Selene didn't get a chance to breathe before Jax recovered.
He changed tactics.
Instead of attacking outright, he feinted left-then caught her off guard by grabbing her wrist.
Selene's heart lurched. Damn it.
Before she could twist free, Jax yanked her forward, slamming his knee into her stomach.
Pain exploded through her ribs.
Selene gasped, her vision blurring for a second.
Jax didn't stop.
He threw her to the ground, pinning her beneath him.
The impact knocked the wind out of her.
A vicious growl rumbled from his chest.
"Stay down, rogue," he snarled.
Selene's wolf howled in fury.
No.
Not like this.
She refused to lose.
She refused to be weak.
With a sudden burst of strength, Selene twisted beneath him-bringing her knee up, hard.
Jax cursed.
His grip loosened for half a second.
It was all Selene needed.
She flipped their positions, slamming him onto his back. Then-without hesitation
-she sank her claws into his throat.
Jax froze.
His breath hitched.
Selene's claws pressed into his skin, a fraction away from tearing his throat out.
The entire clearing went silent.
All eyes were on her now.
Selene's breathing was ragged, her heart hammering in her chest.
Jax's lips curled in a grimace. He knew.
If this had been a real fight, he'd be dead.
And Selene would have won.
Slowly, she leaned down, voice low and cold.
"You were saying?"
A flicker of respect flashed in Jax's eyes before he grunted. "Tch. Lucky shot."
Selene smirked. Not luck. Skill.
She pulled back, stepping away from him.
Jax sat up, rubbing his neck. Then, after a long pause, he nodded.
"She earned it."
The Aftermath
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
One by one, warriors exchanged glances.
And then-one knelt.
Then another.
And another.
Selene's breath caught.
Before she knew it, half the warriors had lowered their heads in submission.
They had acknowledged her.
Not all of them-but enough.
She turned to Damian, who watched her with an unreadable expression.
nodded.
"She earned it."
The Aftermath
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
One by one, warriors exchanged glances.
And then-one knelt.
Then another.
And another.
Selene's breath caught.
Before she knew it, half the warriors had lowered their heads in submission.
They had acknowledged her.
Not all of them-but enough.
She turned to Damian, who watched her with an unreadable expression.
Then, slowly, he smirked.
"You surprise me, Selene," he murmured.
Selene hated the way her chest tightened at his words.
She didn't want his approval. She didn't need it.
But damn it-it still felt good.
Cassandra's voice cut through the moment like ice.
"This doesn't change anything."
Selene turned to face her, meeting her furious blue gaze.
Cassandra's fingers curled into fists.
"You may have won this fight," she whispered. "But you don't belong here.
You never will."
Selene held her stare.
Then, slowly-she smiled.
"We'll see about that."
Cassandra's eyes flashed with fury, but before she could respond, a new voice echoed through the trees.
A voice that sent a chill down Selene's spine.
"Well, well. Look who's making a name for herself."
Selene froze.
Her blood ran cold.
Because she knew that voice.
She knew exactly who it belonged to.
A figure stepped from the shadows-tall, powerful, cruel.
Gregor Hale.
The Alpha who had been hunting her for years.
Selene's heart pounded.
No.
He couldn't be here. Not now.
Her mark throbbed, Damian's presence burning at her side.
But even his power wasn't enough to drown out the fear curling in her gut.
Because Gregor had found her.
And this time….
He wasn't going to let her go.
- Writer
