Maya POV
They wake me before dawn. No warning. No explanation. Just three guards yanking me out of bed and dragging me through the corridors.
"What's happening?" I struggle against their grip but the stabilizer hasn't fully restored my strength yet. I'm weak. Vulnerable.
"The heir has issued a challenge," one guard says. His face shows no emotion. "Eastern tradition. Before any alliance, combat must prove worth."
My stomach drops. "Now? I just got here."
"The heir chooses the time. You accepted the bargain. Now you face the consequences."
They pull me through the compound. Dawn light filters through the ancient stone archways. Wolves are already gathering. Hundreds of them. Lining a massive circular arena carved into the ground. Stone seats rise in tiers around the fighting pit.
Thi
