Chapter 5: Trial by Fire

The growls grew louder, vibrating through the forest like a living thing. Amara felt her wolf stirring, its instincts urging her to fight or flee. But she had no idea which choice would be the right one.

Adrian, however, stood his ground, his body tense but controlled. He exuded an aura of power that seemed to give the advancing rogues pause.

“Logan,” Adrian said, his tone icy, “you’re trespassing. Again. I won’t warn you twice.”

Logan’s scarred face twisted into a mockery of a grin. “Big words for a rogue who thinks he’s an Alpha.”

His packmates laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. But Logan’s bravado didn’t erase the fact that Adrian had already bested him once. Amara could see the wariness in Logan’s eyes, the way he hesitated just long enough to let her know he wasn’t as confident as he pretended to be.

“Why don’t we settle this the old-fashioned way?” Logan sneered. “You and me. Winner decides what happens to the girl.”

Amara stiffened, her eyes snapping to Adrian. His jaw tightened, his gray eyes blazing with anger.

“She’s not a prize to be won,” Adrian growled.

“Then let’s call it justice,” Logan said, his smirk widening. “She’s pack. She doesn’t belong here.”

Amara’s fists clenched. She opened her mouth to retort, but Adrian cut her off with a sharp glance.

“This has nothing to do with her,” Adrian said coldly. “You’re picking a fight you can’t win.”

Logan barked a laugh. “Big talk, Adrian. Let’s see if you can back it up.”

Before Amara could fully process what was happening, Logan lunged. Adrian moved like a shadow, meeting him head-on with a ferocity that stole the breath from her lungs.

The two wolves clashed in a blur of movement, their snarls tearing through the air. Logan’s packmates circled like vultures, their eyes glinting with malice, but none dared interfere.

Adrian was faster, his strikes precise and devastating. He anticipated Logan’s moves, countering each one with brutal efficiency. It was like watching a predator toying with its prey.

But Logan was no pushover. He fought dirty, using every trick in the book to try to gain the upper hand. A well-timed swipe of his claws caught Adrian’s arm, drawing blood.

Amara’s wolf growled in response, and she had to fight the urge to shift. She couldn’t interfere—not without making things worse.

Adrian barely flinched at the injury, his focus razor-sharp. He seized an opening, delivering a punishing blow to Logan’s side that sent the rogue crashing into a tree.

Logan staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his split lip. His packmates shifted uneasily, their confidence wavering.

“Enough,” Adrian said, his voice low and deadly. “Get out of my territory before I decide you’re not worth the trouble.”

Logan wiped the blood from his mouth, glaring at Adrian with pure hatred. “This isn’t over.”

Without another word, he turned and stalked into the trees, his pack following close behind.

The tension in the clearing eased, but Amara’s heart was still racing. She watched as Adrian turned to face her, his expression unreadable.

“You okay?” he asked.

Amara nodded, though her legs felt like jelly. “What about you?”

Adrian glanced at the blood staining his arm and shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”

“Why did you do that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Why defend me?”

Adrian’s gaze softened, but only slightly. “Because you’re under my protection. And I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

The weight of his words settled over her, leaving her unsure of how to respond. Before she could say anything, Mara appeared, her blue eyes flashing with anger.

“What the hell was that?” Mara demanded, her hands on her hips.

“Logan,” Adrian said simply, brushing past her.

Mara grabbed his uninjured arm, forcing him to stop. “You can’t keep putting yourself at risk like this, Adrian. One of these days, someone’s going to get the better of you.”

Adrian pulled free of her grip, his expression hardening. “Not today.”

Mara sighed, shaking her head. Her gaze shifted to Amara, and the hostility in her eyes was impossible to miss.

“You’re trouble,” Mara said flatly. “And trouble doesn’t last long here.”

Amara bristled. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

“No,” Mara said, her tone sharp. “But you brought it with you.”

Adrian stepped between them, his voice firm. “That’s enough, Mara. Amara stays.”

Mara looked like she wanted to argue, but she bit her tongue, turning on her heel and stalking off.

Amara stared after her, a sinking feeling in her gut. She wasn’t just an outsider here—she was a threat to their fragile sense of peace.

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Ignore her. She’ll come around.”

“Will she?” Amara asked, her voice tinged with doubt.

Adrian’s lips quirked into a faint smile. “Maybe. But until then, you’ll need to prove yourself.”

Amara’s jaw tightened. “How?”

He studied her for a moment, his gray eyes flickering with something she couldn’t quite place.

“By surviving,” he said simply.

The words hit her like a challenge, igniting a spark of determination in her chest. She had lost everything—her pack, her mate, her future. But she wasn’t going to let that define her.

If this new world demanded strength, then she would find it.