Laura followed Lucian in silence. Her heartbeat was so loud in her ears she was sure he could hear it.
The deeper they went into Bloodfang territory, the more eyes she felt on her. Cold and unwelcoming.
The wolves here didn't just stare at her. They watched her. Like predators studying prey.
Their gazes dragged over her skin, sharp and heavy, pressing into her like claws. There was no curiosity in their eyes. No pity. Only judgment and disgust.
She was an outsider. Unwanted.
The warriors lounged in the shadows, their hulking forms barely lit by the dying light filtering through the trees. Some leaned against rocks, arms crossed, faces blank. Others stood with claws digging into dirt, muscles tight, like they were waiting for just one excuse to rip her apart.
Whispers passed between them, just low enough that she couldn't make out the words. But she knew what they were saying.
"She doesn't belong here."
"She's weak."
"She's nothing."
A low growl came from her right.
Laura turned to see a massive wolf with dark fur and golden eyes. He stood a few feet away, shoulders squared, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. His lip curled, flashing the sharp edge of a fang.
"She doesn't belong here," he muttered, voice thick with hate. "Why did Alpha bring this... human?"
His growl vibrated through the air like a warning.
Another wolf, leaner but just as scary, let out a dark laugh. His head tilted slightly, looking at her like she was dirt.
"She smells weak," he sneered. "Like a wounded deer that wandered into a den of wolves. Maybe we should put her out of her misery."
Laura kept her face blank and her body still. She didn't react. Didn't flinch.
I will not give them the satisfaction, she thought, clenching her jaw as that familiar anger that feared no one started coming up again.
Lucian didn't stop walking. Didn't even look at them. His steps were steady, his presence commanding without effort. He didn't need to raise his voice or show his teeth to remind them who he was.
But when one of the wolves took a step forward, just a small movement that suggested he might try something. Lucian moved.
He didn't fully turn. Didn't lift his chin or bare his teeth.
Just a slight turn of his head. A glance.
A flicker of cold, sharp amusement in his silver eyes.
The effect was immediate.
The wolf froze mid-step, his mouth snapping shut. His ears flattened, tail lowering slightly, not tucked, not cowering, but enough to show submission.
His hands clenched at his sides, nostrils flaring like he wanted to say something. To challenge Lucian.
But he didn't dare. None of them did.
Lucian didn't say a word, but the message was clear.
Keep your mouth shut.
Laura swallowed, forcing her shoulders to relax. She wasn't stupid enough to think Lucian did it for her. He didn't care about her.
But she was his problem. And no one else was allowed to touch his problems.
"Move faster," Lucian said quietly, his voice reaching only her ears. "Show weakness and they'll tear you apart."
Laura lifted her chin a fraction higher. "I'm not afraid of them."
A lie. Despite the anger, her treacherous racing heart said otherwise.
The corner of Lucian's mouth twitched. "You should be."
The air grew heavier as they walked deeper into Bloodfang land. The scent of damp stone and burning wood filled her nose, thick and overwhelming.
Then—
The ground beneath them opened up into a massive pit.
Laura stopped at the edge, her breath catching.
It wasn't just a pit. It was an underground arena.
The cavern stretched wide and deep, its walls jagged and uneven, torches mounted along the rock, their flickering light casting eerie shadows over the wolves below.
Dozens of them. Fighting. Snarling. Clashing in brutal combat.
The scent of blood hung thick in the air, mixed with sweat and smoke.
There were no referees. No breaks. Just raw, ruthless survival.
A massive wolf slammed his opponent into the dirt with a sickening crunch. The watching wolves howled their approval, their voices echoing through the cavern like a battle cry.
"What is this place?" Laura whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the violence below.
"Training grounds," Lucian replied, his tone casual, as if they were discussing the weather. "Where Bloodfang warriors earn their place."
Laura's stomach twisted. This wasn't just any training. It felt like war.
She could see it in the way they fought. wild, desperate and merciless. No hesitation. No holding back.
Because hesitation here would mean death.
Her pulse pounded in her ears as she watched one fighter stumble, just for a second, just a slip of footing—
It was enough.
His opponent lunged, taking advantage of the weakness, driving him to the ground.
Claws tore through skin. Teeth sank into flesh.
The downed wolf let out a choked snarl of pain before the sound was drowned out by the roars from above.
Laura forced herself to keep her face calm, even as her stomach churned.
This was what Bloodfang valued. Not loyalty. Not family. Power.
And she had none here.
Lucian finally spoke, his voice smooth, unreadable. "You're quiet."
Laura dragged her gaze away from the pit, meeting his eyes. "Nothing to say."
His lips curved just slightly. It wasn't a smile. More like... amusement.
"That's a first."
She ignored the jab.
Lucian glanced down at the pit.
Below, the fight was ending. The losing wolf barely moved, his body a broken heap in the dirt. His opponent—larger, stronger—lifted his head and let out a victorious snarl, blood dripping from his fangs.
"Down there," Lucian said, nodding toward the pit, "strength is all that matters. The weak die. The strong survive."
He turned to look at her, his silver eyes gleaming in the torchlight. "I brought you here to see if you survive."
A chill ran down Laura's spine. "And if I don't?"
Lucian's gaze was cold, his expression unreadable. "Then you're not worth my time."
He gestured toward a narrow path leading down into the pit. "After you."
Laura stared at the path, then at the bloodied warriors below. Her heart hammered against her ribs, but she squared her shoulders.
She had no choice. To show fear now would be to admit defeat.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, feeling Lucian's eyes on her back as she descended into the heart of Bloodfang territory.
Into the wolves' den.