SURROUNDED BY ALPHAS
The forest felt smaller the moment the three Alphas stepped out of the shadows.
Aria could feel their power immediately.
It pressed against her skin like invisible weight.
Three pairs of glowing eyes locked onto her at once.
Her wolf stirred uneasily.
That’s a lot of Alpha energy…
Aria swallowed.
She could feel it too.
Each of them carried the same powerful aura as Kael and the Alpha King.
But their presence was colder.
More calculating.
The Alpha King stepped slightly in front of her again.
Protective.
Silent.
Rowan’s shoulders stiffened beside them.
“Well,” he muttered quietly.
“They got here faster than expected.”
Kael turned toward the newcomers, his expression dark.
“What are you doing here?”
The tallest of the three Alphas stepped forward.
His hair was silver-gray, though his face still looked young.
His sharp green eyes flicked briefly toward Kael before settling back on Aria.
“We came for the same reason you did.”
Aria frowned.
“And what reason is that?”
The Alpha smiled slightly.
“You.”
Her stomach tightened.
Another Alpha beside him crossed his arms.
“You’re the Shadow Bloodline heir, aren’t you?”
Aria didn’t answer.
But her silence was enough.
The third Alpha chuckled softly.
“Well… the rumors were true.”
Rowan’s voice dropped to a warning tone.
“You three should turn around.”
The gray-haired Alpha glanced at him.
“Rowan.”
Rowan’s eyes narrowed.
“Darius.”
So that was his name.
Darius looked back toward Aria again.
His gaze was almost curious now.
“You’re younger than I expected.”
Aria folded her arms.
“And you’re more annoying than I expected.”
For a brief moment, the Alpha King looked amused.
But the tension in the air remained sharp.
Darius smiled faintly.
“She’s bold.”
Kael suddenly stepped forward.
“She’s not leaving with any of you.”
The three Alphas looked at him.
One of them raised an eyebrow.
“Interesting.”
Darius tilted his head slightly.
“That’s a strange thing to say… considering you rejected her.”
Aria blinked.
“They know about that too?”
Rowan sighed.
“News travels fast in the Alpha circles.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“That was before.”
Darius chuckled.
“Oh, now you want her back?”
Kael didn’t answer.
His silence said enough.
The second Alpha stepped closer.
His dark eyes studied Aria carefully.
“Honestly, I’m more interested in her power than her past relationships.”
Aria groaned quietly.
“Fantastic.”
The Alpha King’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
“She’s not going anywhere.”
The three Alphas finally turned their full attention toward him.
Darius studied him calmly.
“Alpha King.”
His tone held respect.
But also challenge.
“You’re protecting her?”
“Yes.”
Darius glanced briefly at Aria again.
“Because she’s your mate?”
The Alpha King didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
Aria felt her heart skip slightly again.
Even hearing him say it out loud felt… strange.
Kael’s wolf growled low.
But the other Alphas only exchanged looks.
Then the third Alpha laughed softly.
“Well… that complicates things.”
Rowan frowned.
“You think?”
Darius rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“The council will definitely want to discuss this.”
The Alpha King’s eyes hardened.
“The council doesn’t decide my mate.”
Darius shrugged.
“They might disagree.”
The forest fell silent again.
Aria could feel the tension building between all five Alphas now.
Five.
Kael.
Rowan.
And the three newcomers.
Her wolf whispered quietly.
This could get ugly.
Aria agreed.
Then suddenly—
Darius spoke again.
“There’s another option.”
Everyone looked at him.
The Alpha King’s eyes narrowed.
“What option?”
Darius smiled calmly.
“We let the girl decide.”
Aria blinked.
“Wait… what?”
The Alpha King’s voice turned sharp.
“This isn’t a game.”
Darius raised both hands slightly.
“I’m not suggesting a game.”
His eyes gleamed slightly.
“I’m suggesting a challenge.”
Kael frowned.
“What kind of challenge?”
Darius looked directly at the Alpha King.
“An Alpha Trial.”
Rowan’s eyes widened instantly.
“That’s a terrible idea.”
Aria frowned.
“What’s an Alpha Trial?”
But no one answered her.
Because the Alpha King’s expression had suddenly turned very dangerous.
And that was when Aria realized something.
This “trial” was far worse than it sounded.