Arden/Aria's POV
The scent of the underground was a familiar beast. It smelled of blood, of sweat, of cheap ale and raw aggression. It was the smell of truth. The truth these Alpha heirs hid beneath their polished academy manners. Tonight, the air felt different. It felt charged, waiting. The crowd was a living, breathing monster, its roar a physical pressure against my skin. I stood at the edge of the pit, the packed dirt floor stained dark with old victories and failures. This was not the training yard. This was not the forest. This was the heart of the beast, and Kai was throwing me into its mouth.
He stood beside me, a solid wall of calm amidst the chaos. His presence was my anchor, but it was also my chain. Every eye in this place was on him, and by extension, on me. The story of hi
