No surviving this time

The room fell deathly silent, save for the sound of my labored breathing and Henry's strangled gasps. The kitchen staff scattered like leaves in a storm, leaving me alone in the Alpha's suffocating presence.

I didn't need to look at Kade to feel the weight of his fury; it radiated off him like heat from a wildfire. Slowly, I let go of Henry, who slumped to the ground, clutching his bleeding neck and coughing violently. My claws retracted as I turned to face the Alpha, my mind racing for an explanation that wouldn't land me in the grave.

"Well?" Kade's voice was calm—too calm. That dangerous edge made my stomach churn. "Didn't I tell you Henry to monitor this lady with my strongest warriors?." Kade had his eyes on his Beta.

"Your warriors monitored me but he attacked me first," It was my turn to reply but I said immediately, my voice steady despite the fear curling in my gut. "I defended myself."

Kade's dark eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a smirk that sent shivers down my spine. "Did l tell you to speak and what the fuck do you mean by defended yourself?" He echoed, stepping closer until he loomed over me.

"From my Beta? In my pack? You think you have the right to fight back?"

My jaw clenched, but I stayed silent. Any answer would be the wrong one.

"You're a rogue," He continued, his tone dripping with disdain. "You're alive because I allow it. You breathe because I tolerate your existence. And yet you repay me with this?" He gestured to the bloodied Beta struggling to his feet.

Henry coughed and staggered, his face twisted in rage. "Alpha," he croaked, "this—this rogue is dangerous. She—"

"Quiet." Kade's command cut through the air like a blade, and Henry immediately shut his mouth. The Alpha's gaze returned to me, piercing and unrelenting. "You should be on your knees, begging for forgiveness."

"I won't kneel," I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. Gasps echoed around the room from the few remaining onlookers. My heart thundered in my chest, but I refused to look away.

Kade's expression darkened, his smirk replaced by a cold, calculating stare. "Brave," he murmured. "Or foolish. Tell me, rogue, what makes you think you're above submission?"

"I'm not above it," I replied, my voice firm. "But I won't submit to someone who lets their pack abuse others just because they can. If that's what you call strength, then you can keep it."

Silence hung in the air, heavy and oppressive. Kade studied me, his head tilting slightly as if I were a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. Then, to everyone's shock, he laughed—a low, chilling sound that sent a ripple of unease through the room.

"Interesting," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "You think you're different. That you're better than the rest. We'll see how long that spirit of yours lasts."

He turned to the guard who had escorted me earlier. "Take her to the pit," he ordered, his voice devoid of emotion. "If she wants to fight, let her prove herself."

The pit. My stomach dropped at the mention of it. I'd heard whispers of what happened there—brutal fights meant to test strength, loyalty, and endurance. Few emerged unscathed, and even fewer survived.

The guard grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. I didn't struggle, though my pulse hammered in my ears. As he dragged me away, Kade's voice followed, cold and final.

"If she lives, maybe she'll learn her place. If not... well, that's one less problem for me to deal with."

The guard's grip tightened as he hauled me through the winding corridors of the pack house. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, but one thing was clear: I couldn't show fear, not now. If I was going to survive the pit, I had to channel every ounce of strength and cunning I had left.

The whispers I'd overheard about the pit painted a grim picture-an underground arena where challengers fought to prove their worth. Sometimes it was against other wolves, sometimes against something worse. Kade's twisted sense of justice turned it into a spectacle of dominance.

We descended a narrow staircase, the air growing colder and more oppressive with each step. Torches flickered on the stone walls, casting eerie shadows. At the bottom, we reached a heavy metal door. The guard pounded on it twice, and it creaked open, revealing the infamous pit.

The arena was a circular space, surrounded by high stone walls. Chains and weapons were scattered across the dirt floor. Above, a ring of onlookers jeered and cheered, their faces blurred in the dim light. It reeked of sweat, blood, and despair.

I was shoved inside, stumbling forward as the door slammed shut behind me. The crowd's roars echoed, the sound deafening. My heart pounded as I scanned the arena, searching for my opponent.

Then he entered.

The same warrior who captured and brought me here. After running for three years, he finally captured me.

My mouth fall open in disbelief. Alpha kade wanted me to fight this giant warrior.

Of course he knew it that he will me at the end.

The warrior walked more closer to me, his presence commanding, his eyes locked onto mine. He was a mountain of muscle, towering over me with a confidence that came from years of experience and countless victories. The crowd erupted in cheers at his arrival, chanting his name "Torren", in a rhythmic roar that made my stomach churn.

Torren cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, his movements deliberate and slow, as if to savor the moment. "Been waiting for this moment for so long," he said, his deep voice carrying over the noise of the crowd. "I even wanted to kill you that night I captured you."

"Well you might even fail to kill me this time", I said confidently. I knew it that he was smart and strong but he couldn't match with my wolf if I turned.

I was too vicious.

Untamed.