Sera's Pov
Weeks passed in a blur of sweat, bruises, and aching muscles.
I had gotten used to waking up at an ungodly hour, dressing in record time, and sprinting to the training grounds before Lucian or any of the instructors could find an excuse to punish me. The first few days had been brutal—I barely had time to breathe, let alone think—but I adapted. I always did.
And now?
Now, I could proudly say that I was one of the strongest here.
Most of the trainees had come to respect me. Not all, of course. Some still cast side-eyes in my direction, especially the females—though I had no idea if it was because I was an Alpha's daughter, because Lucian had publicly humiliated me, or because of Kael.
Because Kael was a mystery.
A dangerously charming mystery.
And he had become my friend.
He was kind to me—sweet, even. We had a lot in common, from our fighting styles to our sharp tongues. He was intelligent, quick-witted, and strangely patient when I grew frustrated with training. He never belittled me, never looked down on me.
But to everyone else?
He was a devil.
Watching Kael fight was like watching an artist paint—only instead of colors, he used pain. He was brutal, merciless, and terrifyingly skilled. He toyed with his opponents, breaking them down piece by piece, until they were nothing but gasping, humiliated wrecks at his feet.
It was mesmerizing.
And it was a warning.
Never get on his bad side.
I learned that lesson when I saw him take down a warrior twice his size in under thirty seconds—without breaking a sweat.
So yes, I was strong.
But Kael?
Kael was something else entirely.
Right now, we were sitting on the edge of the training grounds, taking a rare break from drills. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, breathing hard, and nudged Kael with my elbow.
"I swear, you don't even get tired," I muttered. "Are you human?"
He smirked. "I could ask you the same thing. You don't seem particularly exhausted yourself."
I scoffed. "I'm an Alpha's daughter. I was raised to be strong."
"And yet, you're the one complaining."
I shot him a glare. "I'm not complaining. I'm observing. There's a difference."
"Ah, of course." He gave a slow, lazy nod, pretending to be deeply impressed. "Your keen observational skills must be what makes you such a terrifying opponent."
"Mock me again, and I'll throw you into the dirt," I threatened, narrowing my eyes.
He grinned. "I'd like to see you try."
I wasn't stupid enough to take that challenge.
Still, I pretended to lunge at him, just to see if I could wipe that smug look off his face.
He didn't even flinch.
Annoying.
"One day," I muttered, flopping onto the ground.
Kael chuckled, lying beside me, his hands behind his head. The sun was warm against my skin, and for a moment, it was almost easy to forget where we were—forget that we were in a place where only the strongest survived.
"Do you miss home?" he asked suddenly.
The question caught me off guard.
I stared up at the sky, silent for a moment.
Did I?
I thought about my father, his parting words still ringing in my ears. I didn't raise a weakling.
I thought about my pack, my people, the weight of expectation that had always sat on my shoulders.
Did I miss it?
"Not really," I admitted.
Kael hummed thoughtfully. "Interesting."
"What about you?" I asked, glancing at him. "Do you miss wherever you came from?"
Something flickered in his eyes.
For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer.
Then he said, "Not even a little."
I didn't ask why.
Some things were better left unsaid.
Before we could continue our conversation, a sharp whistle rang through the air.
I sighed. "Break's over."
Kael pushed himself up easily, offering me a hand. I rolled my eyes but took it, letting him pull me to my feet.
"Come on," he said. "Let's see what fresh hell they have planned for us."
We joined the other trainees as one of the instructors—one we had gotten used to—stood at the front of the group, his expression serious.
"Fall in line!" he barked.
We immediately obeyed.
The tension in the air was different this time.
A strange anticipation settled over the trainees, like we could all sense that something was coming.
The instructor let the silence stretch before finally speaking.
"In a fortnight's time," he announced, his voice ringing across the grounds, "there will be a competition between you all."
A ripple of surprise went through the crowd.
I exchanged a glance with Kael. His lips curled into an intrigued smirk.
A competition?