chapter 1: the escape
The night was alive with the sound of pursuit.
Rayana ran.
Barefoot, breathless, and bleeding, she tore through the forest like a hunted animal, the remnants of her ceremonial gown snagging on branches, dragging behind her like a ghost of the life she had just escaped.
The scent of wolves was thick in the air, mixed with the metallic tang of her own blood. The Alpha King’s warriors were close—too close.
They wanted to drag her back.
Back to the palace, the chains wrapped in gold, the future that was never hers to choose.
Back to the ruthless ruler who had claimed her from birth.
Back to a fate worse than death.
But she was never meant to be caged.
Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as she forced her aching legs to move faster. Every muscle screamed for relief, but she couldn’t afford to stop.
A low, guttural howl pierced the night.
They were closing in.
Her heart pounded against her ribs like a war drum. The darkness ahead was her only ally, but even that wouldn’t save her for long. They could track her by scent.
Unless—
Her fingers dug into her tangled hair as she ran, reaching for the ornate silver pins and pearl combs still clinging to the strands. With a sharp yank, she tore them free, letting them fall behind her like scattered jewels.
She needed to get rid of more than just the scent of her old life.
She needed to erase herself.
Without breaking stride, she grabbed the dagger strapped to her thigh. The handle was slick with sweat and blood—not all of it hers.
Her hands trembled as she raised the blade to her scalp.
One deep breath.
Then she cut.
The first slice was the hardest.
Long strands of moonlit silver fell around her like dying stars.
Her hair—once envied, once a symbol of her bloodline’s power—was now just a casualty of survival.
The wind carried away the loose strands, scattering them across the forest floor. Let them track that instead.
Her once regal locks were now uneven, jagged tufts barely brushing her jaw. A boy’s cut. A warrior’s cut.
But she wasn’t done yet.
The scent of her royal blood was still on her skin, clinging to her like a brand. If they caught her, they would know.
She veered toward a cluster of thorny shrubs, dropping to her knees. Without hesitation, she scooped up a handful of damp soil and crushed leaves, smearing them over her skin.
The rich scent of earth and decay masked her own.
It was a temporary fix, but temporary was all she needed.
A snarl erupted behind her.
Too close.
She bolted
The academy’s outer perimeter was guarded by warriors dressed in dark leather and iron—the mark of elite soldiers in training.
Rayana barely had time to think as she spotted one standing alone near the clearing, adjusting his belt, his back turned.
A mistake.
One she wouldn’t make if their places were reversed.
Her dagger was still warm in her grip as she closed the distance in two silent steps.
By the time he noticed her, it was too late.
A flash of silver. A choked gasp.
She caught him before he hit the ground, dragging his lifeless body behind a thick tree.
No time for guilt. No time for hesitation.
Her hands moved quickly, stripping him of his uniform—a fitted black tunic, thick boots, the heavy cloak that marked an academy recruit.
It reeked of sweat and blood, but that was better than the scent of a runaway princess.
The tunic hung too loose on her frame, and the boots were slightly too big, but it would have to do.
With one last glance at the body, she pulled the hood over her face and turned toward the gates
The Alpha Training Academy.
It loomed before her like a fortress of nightmares, its towering iron gates etched with snarling wolves and jagged runes.
No one entered without earning their place.
And no one left unless they were stronger than the rest.
Rayana steeled her nerves as she approached, her steps even despite the agony in her limbs.
The guards barely looked at her—filthy, hooded, just another recruit in the sea of hopeful warriors.
“Late,” one of them grunted as she passed through the gates.
She didn’t answer.
She didn’t need to.
Because as of this moment, Rayana—princess, last of her kind, future bride of the ruthless Alpha King—
was dead.
And in her place stood a nameless boy.
One who would fight to survive.
One who had everything to lose.
One who would never, ever be caught.
