CHAPTER 14 : THE SECOND ATTACK
1116 Words
Storm clouds swallowed the morning sky above Silver Crest. Cold wind pushed across the training grounds, making the tall grass bow, and thunder rumbled somewhere past the mountains. Wolves slipped through the territory, cautious, picking up on the strange tension hovering in the air.
Liana felt it too.
Ever since she'd snapped awake in the middle of the night, her wrist burning, unease followed her everywhere like a shadow. The mark under her skin still pulsed—a constant warning.
She readjusted the leather wraps on her hands, trying to distract herself in the center of the training grounds. Around her, warriors sparred in pairs, their movements sharp, angry. Sweat mixed with dirt, the air thick with it.
But Liana couldn’t focus on any of it. Her wolf wouldn't settle. Something felt off.
She muttered under her breath, "I noticed."
From across the arena, Jared caught her talking to herself. “You talking to yourself now?”
She tried on a small smile. “Maybe.”
He didn't buy it. Jared wandered closer, quieting his voice. “You didn’t sleep.”
Liana shrugged, “That obvious?”
“You’ve been distracted all morning.”
She looked away, thinking about telling him how she’d woken up panicked, with the burning mark and this horrible twisting in her chest. But the words got stuck.
A new scent drifted across the grounds. Icy, sharp, controlled—Damien.
The Beta stood at the edge, arms folded, his gray eyes locked on Liana. Always watching, always analyzing.
Her stomach knotted tighter.
Jared noticed her glance. “He’s been here since sunrise.”
“Why?”
He shrugged, but something in his face said he knew more than he let on.
Liana turned away from Damien fast. She hated the way the Beta eyed her, like she was some problem, or maybe something hidden—something dangerous.
Jared snapped her attention back, tossing her a wooden blade. “Focus.”
She caught it on instinct. “Again?”
“You need control.”
She sighed, dramatic. “You enjoy torturing me.”
He grinned. “Yes.”
She laughed, just a little. For a moment, things felt almost normal.
Jared got into position. “Come at me.”
Liana attacked first. As their weapons struck, everything inside her sharpened. Suddenly, every move slowed—the world stretched out, and she could hear wolves’ heartbeats, smell the rain just before it happened, sense Jared’s shift before he moved. It was weird. Too much. It terrified her.
Jared ramped up the attack; Liana blocked without effort—again and again.
Eventually, the other warriors paused to watch. Whispers started to ripple around the arena.
“She’s fast.”
“How’s she doing that?”
“That’s impossible.”
She caught everything.
Jared lunged. Her wolf surged beneath her skin, power exploding through her body.
CRACK.
Her wooden blade snapped in her hand.
Silence fell dead over the arena. Liana stood frozen, bits of the weapon scattered around her feet. Jared stared like he’d seen a ghost. Some warriors backed off. Even Damien’s face strained with something like fear.
The silence pressed in.
Liana’s pulse hammered. “I didn’t mean to—”
Then a scream split the air from the western edge.
Everyone shifted—three wolves burst through the trees. Rogues.
Not like the ones before: these were bigger, faster, scarred, clad in dark armor. Their eyes burned with savage hunger.
Chaotic shouting erupted.
“ROGUES!”
Warriors charged and the rogues moved fast—one tore through a guard in a blink, another slammed two aside, blood splattering everywhere.
Liana’s wolf growled inside her: Danger.
The third rogue raised his head and locked eyes right on her.
“There she is,” he growled.
Cold sliced through her.
The rogue smiled, dark. “The Alpha killer.”
Her breath stopped. What?
Before she could touch that thought, he lunged for her. Jared dove in, intercepting—the shock rattled the ground.
But this rogue matched him. They clashed, claws and growls filling the air. Warriors tried to help, but two more rogues cut them off. The whole arena slipped into chaos.
Another rogue barreled toward Liana; she ducked under his swipe, moving too fast. He paused, startled. “Definitely her,” he snarled.
Fear twisted in her. How did they know her?
The rogue attacked again. This time, she hit back, her fist smashing his chest, sending him flying backwards.
Gasps whipped through the grounds.
Liana stared at her hands, shocked.
The rogue stood, grinning. Not scared—excited. “Oh, this is going to start a war.”
The words didn’t make sense. But before she could ask—
A terrifying Alpha aura crashed across the arena, freezing every wolf—even the rogues.
Liana’s heartbeat fumbled.
Kael.
The Alpha appeared at the entrance like walking death, silver eyes blazing. And when he saw the rogues near Liana, something monstrous snapped awake inside him.
His rage hammered the arena, so fierce some wolves fell to their knees.
The rogues stepped back. Too late.
Kael moved. No warning. No mercy.
He reached the nearest rogue—snapped his neck.
The second rogue attacked; Kael ripped through him, blood splashed, screams echoed.
Liana didn't move—just watched as Kael tore through the attackers with ruthless precision. It wasn’t a fight. It was slaughter.
The last rogue—the one who called her Alpha killer—stumbled back. Kael grabbed him by the throat.
The Alpha’s eyes glowed, dangerous. “Who sent you?”
The rogue managed a sick grin, blood streaming from his mouth. “You’re too late, Alpha.”
Kael tightened his grip. “Answer me.”
The rogue looked at Liana, grinning. “The continent already knows about her.”
Liana’s stomach dropped. No. That couldn’t be true.
The rogue’s eyes shimmered with twisted amusement.
“The Alpha Blood Heir lives.”
A cold silence swallowed the arena. Wolves froze, horrified.
Kael looked deadlier than ever.
The rogue coughed blood. “They call her the Alpha killer because every Alpha alive will either kneel…”
His smile stretched wider. “Or die because of her.”
Kael snapped his neck.
The rogue collapsed.
Silence pressed in.
Liana tried to breathe.
Every wolf stared at her—no curiosity, no pity. Fear. Real fear.
Even Jared looked shaken.
Slowly, Liana turned toward Kael. The Alpha’s chest heaved, rage barely contained.
Their eyes met. For the first time since the mating ceremony, she saw fear on his face. Not fear for himself.
For her.
Because now, the truth was out. And somewhere beyond Silver Crest, someone already knew exactly who she was.
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