Seraphina’s POV
I shrugged off my jacket, leaving only my tank top as I stepped into the arena. My heart raced, but my body was steady—years of relentless training and discipline prepared me for this moment. Every drop of sweat and every aching muscle was paying off.
“Come on,” I said, gesturing for Holly. “Let’s get this over with.”
Holly stood trembling by Sid’s throne, her fear thinly veiled by anger. “No, I refuse! I don’t care about your stupid rules—I won’t fight a filthy Northern wolf!”
“If you refuse, you lose all your privileges as Luna,” Beta Frank announced sternly, his voice echoing with authority. “That’s how it works here in this filthy Northern pack.”
The room’s senior members glared at Holly, their judgmental gazes heavier than any words. Even her previous supporters turned cold.
Holly swallowed hard, realizing her predicament. Slowly, she descended from the throne, her steps hesitant.
“Still in your heels and all that jewelry? Seriously?” I scoffed, cracking my knuckles and beginning to warm up.
In a fluster, Holly kicked off her heels and yanked off her earrings and bracelets. Her nervous eyes darted around the room as if searching for an escape.
“I’ll give you one last chance to back out,” she stammered. “I’m the daughter of Silverclaw Pack’s Alpha. My father will make you regret this!”
“Fuck you,” I growled, charging at her without hesitation.
She let out a panicked scream, stumbling to dodge me. She managed a feeble attempt to counter, but I grabbed her arm, flipping her effortlessly over my shoulder. She hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of her.
It took less than ten seconds. Holly lay flat on her back, stunned. The room erupted with laughter and applause.
“Stop! Stop! I surrender! I give up!” Holly screamed, her voice shrill with terror.
“There’s no surrender,” I said coldly, stomping my boot onto her chest. Her cries of pain filled the hall, but I wasn’t done.
In desperation, Holly shifted into her wolf form, snarling and snapping at me. I handed over control to Elin, and we leapt into action.
In wolf form, the gap between us was undeniable. Elin, trained by Eason’s warriors since puphood, was a force to be reckoned with. Holly, on the other hand, was all show—untrained and inexperienced.
It didn’t take long. Elin left her bloodied and crawling, barely able to stand. Holly whimpered weakly as Elin circled her, growling low and threatening.
“Finish it,” I commanded Elin. “Tear her throat apart.”
But before Elin could act, Holly shifted back into her human form, clutching her wounds. “Sid! HELP ME! Kill her for me!” she shrieked.
Sid, who had been silent throughout, suddenly groaned, clutching his head like he was battling demons within. His body trembled, and his breath grew ragged.
“NO! You can’t!” Beta Frank shouted, stepping forward. “This fight is one-on-one! Those are the rules!”
“Fuck the rules!” Holly screeched again. “Sid, KILL HER!”
Sid’s head snapped up, his blank, soulless eyes locking onto me. Before anyone could react, he lunged at me, shifting mid-air into his massive golden-brown wolf. Gasps and screams filled the hall as he pinned Elin to the ground, his sharp fangs sinking into my neck.
“AHHHH!!!” I let out a howl of pain as the searing agony spread through me.
Caden was the first to reach me. He ripped Sid off and pulled me into his arms, his voice panicked, “Damn it, Seraphina. Stay with me!”
The wound wasn’t fatal, but I could feel the warmth of blood soaking through my clothes. My vision blurred, and a chill crept through my body. The physical pain was excruciating, but it didn’t compare to the heartbreak.
Sid—my Alpha, my friend, someone I’d always thought of as a brother—had tried to kill me.
“That’s it, Sid! Now kill them all!” Holly screeched with a maniacal glee.
But Sid froze. Slowly, he shifted back into his human form, falling to his knees. Blood dripped from his mouth as he looked at me, his expression dazed and tormented.
“…Seraphina?” he whispered, his voice trembling. “Oh God… what have I done?”
