Chapter 8: The Trial of Fire
511 Words
The True Alpha’s silver eyes burned into mine, a challenge, a promise, a threat.
“You will have to earn them.”
His voice echoed through me like a command, like the growl of a beast lurking beneath my skin. My breath was shallow, my fingers clenched into fists at my sides. My entire life had been spent proving my worth to those who never cared. And now, here I was, forced to prove myself once again.
But this time, it wasn’t for their acceptance.
This was for me.
The wind howled through the trees as the strange, eerie silence stretched between us. Ronan stood at my side, tense, waiting, his hand hovering near the dagger at his thigh. But we both knew—if this man truly was the True Alpha, that blade wouldn’t save him.
“How do I earn them?” I forced out, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.
His lips twitched, amused. “Good girl.”
A growl built in my throat at the condescension, but before I could snap back, he turned, moving deeper into the shadows of the forest. Without hesitation, I followed.
Ronan shot me a sharp look, but I ignored him.
If this was my only chance, I would take it.
The deeper we went, the heavier the air became, thick with something ancient, something raw. My skin prickled, my instincts screaming at me to run. The forest felt alive—not just with the presence of wolves, but something else.
Something older.
And then—
We stepped into a clearing.
The moonlight cast silver-blue shadows across the grass, but in the center stood something that made my breath catch.
A ring of fire.
Not normal fire.
Black flames licked the sky, moving in unnatural, hypnotic patterns, pulsing with a dark energy that made my wolf whimper.
The True Alpha turned to me, his silver eyes glowing in the light of the cursed fire. “If you want answers,” he said, “step inside.”
I inhaled sharply.
Ronan stiffened beside me. “Selene—”
But I was already moving.
The moment my foot crossed the barrier of flames, a shockwave of power slammed into me, ripping the breath from my lungs. My body convulsed, fire licking at my skin but not burning. It wasn’t heat—it was power, raw and untamed, tearing through every inch of me.
I fell to my knees, gasping.
Memories flooded my mind, not just mine—but something deeper, something buried.
A voice—feminine, ancient—whispered in my ear.
“You are the last.”
I screamed.
The force inside me exploded, and suddenly, the fire was gone.
I was on my hands and knees, the scent of burnt earth thick in the air. My heartbeat pounded in my skull, my limbs trembling from whatever had just happened.
Slowly, I lifted my head.
The True Alpha was watching me, a knowing smile curling his lips. “Now,” he murmured, “you’re ready to learn the truth.”
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