THE ALPHA'S REJECTED DAUGHTER

Chapter 5: Into the Wild

Dawn broke with a cold, unforgiving wind that swept through the Ironclaw territory. The sky was a mix of grays and pale oranges, signaling the start of what promised to be a grueling day. Liana stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching as the hunting party gathered. Her heart pounded, the weight of what was to come pressing heavily on her shoulders.

She had hardly slept, her mind restless with thoughts of the rogue pack and the role she was about to play. The idea of joining the Ironclaws in destroying another pack twisted something deep inside her. It went against everything she had been raised to believe, but she had no choice. Refusal meant death or worse.

She adjusted the strap of the small pack slung over her shoulder. Inside, she carried basic supplies for the hunt: water, a change of clothes, and a small dagger for protection. But Liana knew that none of it would matter if things went wrong. This wasn’t just a hunt. It was a test, one that would determine her place in this pack or whether she had a place at all.

“Ready to run with the wolves?”

Liana turned at the sound of the familiar voice. Derrick, a seasoned warrior she had fought before and who held a grudge because he couldn’t break her stood behind her, a smug grin on his face. He was dressed in leather armor, a sword strapped to his back. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as if he were already picturing the bloodshed that awaited them.

“Don’t slow us down,” he added, his voice dripping with condescension.

Liana clenched her jaw but said nothing. Derrick thrived on provoking her, and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. She had survived his beatings; she could survive his words.

“Leave her alone, Derrick,” came another voice. This time it was Garrett, one of the other warriors. He was older than Derrick, with a calm, steady demeanor that contrasted sharply with Derrick’s cruelty. Liana had seen Garrett training other wolves before. He was fair but tough.

Derrick rolled his eyes but stepped back, his grin never faltering. “We’ll see how long she lasts.”

Ignoring him, Liana turned her attention to the leader of the hunting party Rogan. He was a tall, powerfully built wolf with grizzled hair and a scar running down the side of his face. Rogan was known for his ruthlessness in battle and his loyalty to Alpha Cain. His presence alone was enough to command respect from the other wolves.

“We leave now,” Rogan barked, his deep voice cutting through the chatter. “The rogue pack has been spotted moving north toward the mountains. We track them, corner them, and finish them off. No survivors.”

The wolves around him nodded in agreement, their expressions hardened. To them, this was just another mission another opportunity to prove their strength and loyalty to the pack. But for Liana, it was something far more complicated.

With a signal from Rogan, the group shifted into their wolf forms. Fur rippled over skin, bones elongated, and soon, a pack of massive wolves stood ready to charge into the wilderness. Liana hesitated for a brief moment before following suit, letting the transformation take over her body. It was painful, but the feeling of power that came with her wolf form was undeniable. Her fur was a dark, silvery gray, her eyes sharp and alert.

She stood at the back of the group, still an outsider in their eyes, but at least she was here among them. For now.

Rogan took the lead, his massive black wolf charging forward into the forest. The others followed, and soon, the pack was racing through the dense woods, their paws thudding against the earth, their breaths coming in steady, controlled rhythms. The wind whipped past them as they wove between trees and leaped over rocks, moving as one cohesive unit.

As they ran, Liana focused on the rhythm of her breathing, trying to stay calm. She was fast in her wolf form, faster than she had been as a human, but her speed wasn’t the issue. The real challenge lay ahead, in the fight that was to come.

Hours passed as they tracked the rogue pack through the forest. The scent of wolves unfamiliar wolves grew stronger, and Liana could feel the tension building among the Ironclaws. They were getting closer. The hunt was nearly over.

Eventually, the trees began to thin, and the terrain grew rocky and uneven as they approached the foothills of the mountains. Rogan slowed, signaling for the group to halt. He shifted back into his human form, and the rest of the wolves followed suit. Liana remained at the edge of the group, her heart pounding as she waited for instructions.

“We’re close,” Rogan said, his voice low but authoritative. “Their camp is just beyond that ridge. We’ll surround them, strike fast, and wipe them out before they have a chance to escape.”

The wolves around him nodded, their faces grim and determined.

“Liana.” Rogan’s voice snapped her to attention, and she stepped forward. “You’ll come with me and Derrick. We’ll hit them from the south side. Garrett will take the others from the north.”

Liana swallowed hard but nodded. She didn’t trust Derrick, but she had no choice. Rogan was the one in charge, and she had to follow his orders.

Without another word, the group split up, each team moving into position. Liana followed Rogan and Derrick up a narrow path that led toward the ridge. Her senses were on high alert, and every sound and movement around her was amplified. The scent of the rogue pack grew stronger with each step, filling her nostrils with the unmistakable musk of unfamiliar wolves.

As they reached the top of the ridge, Liana peered over the edge. Below them, in a small clearing, she saw the rogue wolves. There were fewer of them than she had expected maybe a dozen in total. They were gathered around a fire, their voices low as they spoke in hushed tones.

They didn’t look like monsters. They didn’t look like the vicious, bloodthirsty rogues the Ironclaws had made them out to be. They looked like survivors like people trying to protect what little they had left. And something about that stirred a familiar ache in Liana’s chest.

“Are you ready?” Derrick whispered, his voice mocking as he leaned closer to her. “Don’t get cold feet now, little wolf.”

Liana didn’t respond. Her mind was racing, torn between what she had to do and what she knew was wrong. She had to prove herself. But how could she? These wolves weren’t her enemies. They were like her victims of packs like the Ironclaws.

“Attack!” Rogan’s voice cut through her thoughts, and suddenly, the Ironclaw wolves charged down the ridge, shifting back into their wolf forms mid-leap. Liana was swept up in the chaos, her instincts kicking in as she followed them into battle.

The clearing erupted into violence. Wolves collided, snarling and biting, as the rogue pack scrambled to defend themselves. Blood filled the air, the sound of snarls and growls mingling with the cries of pain. Liana fought her way through the fray, her body moving on autopilot. She dodged, blocked, and struck out, but every blow she landed felt like a betrayal.

A rogue wolf lunged at her, its jaws snapping inches from her face. Liana twisted, using her speed to dodge the attack, but the wolf was relentless. It came at her again, this time slamming into her side and knocking her to the ground.

Pain shot through her ribs as she hit the dirt, but Liana didn’t stay down. She rolled to her feet, her eyes locking on the rogue wolf. It was a young male, his fur a mottled brown and black. He bared his teeth at her, but there was fear in his eyes—a fear that mirrored her own.

For a moment, they stood frozen, staring at each other. Liana’s breath came in ragged gasps, her heart pounding in her chest. She could end this wolf’s life right now and prove her loyalty to the Ironclaws.

But she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t kill him.

“Get out of here,” Liana snarled, her voice low and urgent. “Run!”

The rogue wolf hesitated, his eyes flicking to the chaos around them. Then, without a word, he turned and bolted into the forest, disappearing into the shadows.

Liana watched him go, her heart racing. She had just defied Rogan’s orders. If anyone had seen her, it would be her head on the chopping block. But she didn’t care. She couldn’t be the monster they wanted her to be.

As the battle raged on around her, Liana knew one thing for certain: she couldn’t stay here. Not with the Ironclaws. Not with Jaxon.

She had to find a way out.

---