A TASTE OF FIRE

Chapter Four:

A Taste of Fire

POV: SOPHIA

The brightness streaming through the window hit my eyes hard, dragging me out of sleep. I blinked, pushing against the soft bedding beneath me—a bed I hadn’t chosen, in a place I never wanted to be. The scent of his pack house clung to the air, an irritating reminder of who claimed control here. I took a long breath, letting the resentment simmer inside me.

Amra stirred, reminding me she was there, and I felt her quiet acceptance of the bond pulling us toward Kane. It didn’t matter that she could sense him as her mate. I wasn’t falling for any bond—especially not one that belonged to Kane.

The door creaked open, and there he was. Kane leaned against the door frame, the same arrogant confidence in his stance, like he owned everything in this room, including me. My glare only seemed to amuse him, and I hated the smirk that curled on his lips.

“Comfortable?” he asked, sounding almost too pleased.

“Wouldn’t call it that,” I shot back, letting the sharpness in my voice say more than my words.

“Good,” he replied, his smirk growing as he crossed his arms. “Because I don’t intend for you to get too comfortable here. You may be my mate, but you’re not a guest. Remember that.”

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood, facing him head-on. “Don’t worry,” I told him, my voice cold. “I’ve no plans of making myself at home.”

“Oh, I believe that.” His eyes sparkled with a dark humor, as if he found my defiance a novelty. “But you’ll find it’s not as easy to leave as you’d like. I have my own methods for keeping my pack secure.”

I clenched my fists, swallowing the urge to lunge at him. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

One brow lifted, amused. “Then maybe it’s time I found out. We’ll start with a tour of the pack grounds. You’ll need to learn who you’re dealing with—and what it means to be part of my pack.”

I kept my mouth shut, biting down any further protest. Let him play the part of the powerful Alpha. I’d go along for now, just until I figured out my way out of this place.

Outside, the pack grounds buzzed with movement. Wolves and humans went about their day with purpose, lowering their heads whenever Kane passed. Respect, or maybe fear, flitted across their faces, and each look only deepened my irritation. It was easy to see the power he held over them.

Kane led me to a large, open area surrounded by tall trees—the training grounds. Wolves and warriors sparred, their grunts and growls mixing with the steady thud of fists hitting bodies, claws scraping against the dirt. Kane glanced back at me, a challenge in his gaze.

“Care to test your strength?” His voice was smug, almost daring me to say yes.

I shrugged, meeting his challenge with a cold smile. “Gladly.”

At his signal, a tall, broad-shouldered warrior stepped forward, clearly sizing me up with a mixture of amusement and pity. “Think you can handle her, Rafe?” Kane asked, throwing a smirk my way.

Rafe chuckled, rolling his shoulders as if warming up. “Looks like I could break her with one hand.”

Heat flared in my chest. “You’re welcome to try.”

The crowd gathered around as we stepped into the center of the ring. We circled each other, sizing one another up, and then Rafe lunged. He moved faster than I’d expected, but I sidestepped, feeling his momentum throw him off. I jabbed a quick strike to his side, hearing the grunt as he absorbed the hit.

Rafe recovered fast, and he wasn’t holding back. I dodged his powerful strikes, letting his strength work against him, then struck back with every ounce of frustration and rage I’d been holding in. Every punch, every dodge, fueled by the anger simmering in my chest. Finally, I saw an opening, and in one swift move, I flipped him over my shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground.

Rafe groaned, struggling to catch his breath, and I stood over him, victorious.

Slow clapping filled the silence, and I turned to find Kane watching from the edge of the ring, that infuriating smirk still in place.

“Not bad,” he admitted, giving a slight nod. “But let’s see how you fare against a real opponent.”

Before I could fully process his words, he was in the ring, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made my skin prickle. I could feel Amra, my wolf, stirring with anticipation, but I shoved her instincts down, refusing to let her sway me.

Kane moved first, a blur of motion as he closed the distance between us. I barely had time to block his strike, the force of it sending a shock through my arm. He was stronger than Rafe, faster too, and his gaze never wavered, tracking my every move. I could feel his energy pressing in on me, daring me to give in.

I fought back with everything I had, meeting each blow with one of my own, pushing myself to the edge. But Kane seemed to anticipate every move, countering each strike as if he knew exactly where I’d be. I clenched my teeth, refusing to show any weakness, but frustration gnawed at me as he blocked each attempt to land a solid hit.

And then, suddenly, he caught my wrist, spinning me around and pinning me against his chest, his breath warm against my ear. “Is that all you’ve got?” His voice was a low murmur, mocking.

A surge of anger flared in my veins, and I twisted out of his hold, managing to land a solid punch to his jaw. He staggered back, eyes flashing in surprise before a darker look settled on his face, something unreadable but intense.

“Impressive,” he murmured, wiping a hint of blood from his mouth. “But you’ll need more than that if you want to keep up with me.”

I met his gaze, barely holding back a snarl. “I don’t want to keep up with you.”

For a moment, something flickered in his expression, almost as if he were caught off guard, but the look disappeared quickly. He straightened, shifting back into his Alpha demeanor.

“Come with me. There’s more you need to see.”

As we walked through the grounds, he showed me the different parts of the territory—the housing quarters, the gathering places, the training areas. It was clear he wanted to make an impression, to remind me of his authority, but I refused to let him see how unsettled I felt.

A crackling voice over the radio broke the silence, one of his warriors speaking with urgency. “Alpha Kane, we have an intruder near the southern border. Possible threat.”

Kane’s expression hardened, and before I could react, he grabbed my arm and pulled me along as he shifted into his wolf form. My instincts took over, and I followed, Amra quickening my pace as we raced through the forest.

The scent of blood hit us before we saw the scene—a lone rogue wolf, battered and barely conscious, surrounded by Kane’s warriors. Kane shifted back, his expression icy as he took in the scene.

“Why is this one still alive?” His tone was sharp, almost dangerous.

One of the warriors, the leader, lowered his head respectfully. “Apologies, Alpha. He… he has information. Says he knows of a plot against the pack.”

Kane glanced at me, as if daring me to say something, then crouched down next to the rogue, his voice low and threatening. “If you have information, speak now, and maybe you’ll live long enough to see another day.”

The rogue whimpered, casting nervous glances around the warriors before spilling out bits of information—a rumored alliance between rogue packs, whispers of an invasion, threats against Kane’s rule. I watched as Kane extracted every word, his ruthless precision leaving no room for defiance or mercy.

Finally, he straightened, giving a single nod to his warriors. “Take care of it.”

As they dragged the rogue away, he turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “You see now what it takes to protect a pack?”

I met his gaze, letting my disdain show. “I see what it takes to rule by fear. But I’ll never respect it.”

He took a step closer, eyes narrowing. “Respect isn’t something you’re given, Sophia. It’s something you earn—or take. Bet it Sophia, you'd learn to respect me, live while abiding by my rules and as my mate”

I held his gaze, the tension thick between us, but I refused to back down. Finally, I looked away, hating how much he got under my skin. He might control this pack, but he would never control me.