THE POWER THAT STOPPED THE FIGHT
The moment Kael’s jaws closed toward the Alpha King’s throat—
Something inside Aria snapped.
A surge of heat burst through her chest, stronger than anything she had felt before.
Her wolf roared inside her mind.
Enough!
The air around her vibrated.
Rowan turned just in time to see it.
“Aria—!”
But the power had already been released.
A blinding wave of energy exploded outward from her body.
The ground trembled.
Leaves and dust blasted through the clearing like a sudden storm.
All five wolves were thrown backward at the same time.
Massive bodies slammed into trees and rolled across the dirt.
The forest went silent.
Aria stood frozen where she was, her heart racing wildly.
Her hands were shaking.
“I… I didn’t mean to…”
Rowan stared at her in shock.
“That wasn’t a little burst.”
Aria slowly looked around.
The Alpha wolves were already recovering.
One by one, they rose from the ground.
But none of them attacked again.
They were staring at her.
Even in wolf form, the shock in their glowing eyes was obvious.
The Alpha King stood first.
His massive black wolf shook the dust from his fur.
His golden eyes locked onto Aria.
Not angry.
Not surprised.
Almost… proud.
Darius shifted back into human form first.
His silver hair fell over his forehead as he stared at Aria.
“Well,” he said slowly.
“That answers a few questions.”
The other Alphas began shifting back as well.
Kael was the last.
His chest rose and fell heavily as he looked at her.
“What was that?” he demanded.
Aria looked down at her hands again.
“They were going to kill each other.”
Rowan shook his head.
“They weren’t.”
Aria frowned.
“It looked like it.”
The Alpha King walked toward her slowly.
His voice was calm again.
“You stopped the trial.”
Aria blinked.
“Good.”
Darius rubbed the back of his neck.
“That power…”
His sharp green eyes narrowed slightly.
“It’s stronger than the rumors.”
The second Alpha nodded slowly.
“Much stronger.”
The third Alpha laughed quietly.
“Well now I’m definitely interested.”
Aria groaned.
“That’s not comforting.”
Kael stepped forward again.
“You could do that the whole time?”
Aria glared at him.
“No.”
Her wolf huffed inside her mind.
Maybe.
Aria ignored that.
The Alpha King stopped beside her.
His presence was steady again.
Protective.
Darius studied the two of them carefully.
Then he smiled faintly.
“Well, this changes things.”
Rowan crossed his arms.
“Meaning?”
Darius looked back at the other Alphas.
“Fighting the King for her might not be the smartest idea anymore.”
The second Alpha nodded.
“If she can throw four Alphas across a clearing…”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
But everyone understood.
The third Alpha sighed.
“Fine.”
He raised his hands slightly.
“I withdraw from the trial.”
Rowan smirked.
“Smart man.”
The second Alpha followed.
“I withdraw as well.”
Now only two Alphas remained.
Darius.
And Kael.
Darius looked thoughtful for a moment.
Then he chuckled.
“I enjoy a challenge… but not a suicidal one.”
He stepped back.
“I withdraw.”
Aria felt relief flood her chest.
But the tension didn’t disappear.
Because Kael hadn’t moved.
His eyes were still fixed on her.
The forest went quiet again.
Rowan sighed.
“Please don’t tell me…”
Kael spoke before he finished.
“I’m not withdrawing.”
Aria’s stomach dropped.
“Kael—”
He ignored her.
His gaze moved to the Alpha King.
“You don’t get to take her that easily.”
The Alpha King’s eyes turned cold again.
“You rejected her.”
Kael’s voice lowered.
“And I regret it.”
Aria blinked.
That was the first honest thing he had said all night.
But Kael wasn’t finished.
His wolf stirred dangerously beneath his skin.
“And I’m not letting anyone else have her.”
The Alpha King stepped forward.
“You don’t get a second chance.”
Kael’s eyes flashed.
“We’ll see about that.”
Aria rubbed her forehead again.
“This is exhausting.”
But before either Alpha could move again—
A loud horn suddenly echoed from the distant fortress walls.
Everyone froze.
Rowan turned toward the mountains.
“That’s the fortress alarm.”
The Alpha King’s expression changed instantly.
“Why would they sound the alarm?”
Rowan sniffed the air.
His face went pale.
“Oh no…”
Aria frowned.
“What?”
Rowan’s voice dropped.
“They’re under attack.”
The Alpha King’s golden eyes darkened dangerously.
And far in the distance—
Flames suddenly began rising above the fortress walls.