Kella
I didn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I felt it—
the pull,
the heat,
the thing inside me pacing like it was running out of patience.
Morning crept in slowly, pale light spilling across the stone floor of the room Kael had placed me in this time—not his bedroom, but one just as guarded. I could feel it. The wolves outside. Watching. Listening.
Like I was a ticking bomb.
I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest.
You're not human.
The words echoed again, cruel and unreal.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Before I could answer, it opened.
Kael stepped inside.
He looked… tired.
Not physically. Something deeper. Like carrying a weight no Alpha should bear alone. His eyes met mine instantly, sharp and assessing, as if he'd been checking on me all night without ever entering the room.
"You're awake," he said.
"I never slept," I replied.
He nodded once, unsurprised. "I figured."
Silence settled between us, thick and uncomfortable.
Finally, I broke it. "Everyone knows now, don't they?"
"No," he said firmly. "They suspect. There's a difference."
"That didn't stop them from looking at me like I don't belong."
His jaw tightened. "This is my pack. You belong where I say you belong."
Something twisted painfully in my chest at that.
"Is that all I am?" I asked quietly. "Something you decide?"
He stilled.
Then he crossed the room in three long strides, stopping directly in front of me. He crouched so we were eye level, his presence wrapping around me like a storm barely held back.
"No," he said, voice low and absolute. "You're something I'm responsible for."
That didn't make me feel better.
Before I could respond, he straightened. "You're starting training today."
My eyes widened. "Training for what?"
"Control."
Fear slid down my spine. "Control over what exactly?"
He hesitated.
Just a second.
"Your instincts," he said instead.
I followed him outside an hour later, my nerves stretched thin.
The training grounds were set deep within the forest—a wide clearing marked with worn earth and clawed trees. Several wolves stood around the perimeter, pretending not to stare.
Lyra stood among them.
Her gaze locked onto me immediately, sharp and cold.
I swallowed.
Kael positioned himself in front of me, blocking her line of sight. "Ignore everyone else," he murmured. "Focus on me."
"That seems to be the problem," I muttered.
His lips twitched despite himself. "You'll learn."
He stepped back, rolling his shoulders as his Alpha presence flared—not aggressive, but commanding. The air shifted instantly. My pulse jumped.
"Close your eyes," he ordered.
I hesitated—then obeyed.
"Breathe," he continued. "Slow. Deep. Feel what's inside you—but don't let it lead."
I inhaled shakily.
At first, there was nothing.
Then—
Heat.
Low in my stomach. Coiling. Pressing.
My fingers curled as something pushed against my awareness, impatient and powerful.
"I feel it," I whispered.
"I know," Kael said softly. "Don't fight it. Guide it."
Guide it?
Suddenly, Lyra's voice cut in. "This is reckless."
Kael didn't look away from me. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"She's untrained," Lyra snapped. "You're pushing her too fast."
My chest burned.
Without warning, anger flared—sharp and instinctive. I didn't think.
I reacted.
The ground beneath my feet cracked slightly as power surged outward.
Gasps echoed around us.
Kael swore, stepping closer instantly. "Kella—focus on me!"
I tried—but the anger felt good. Right. My vision sharpened, colors deepening, sounds layering over each other until it was too much.
Lyra smelled like threat.
My head snapped toward her.
A low growl rumbled from my chest.
The entire clearing froze.
Lyra's eyes widened—not in fear, but disbelief.
"You see?" she said quietly. "She doesn't need to shift to dominate."
Kael moved fast—too fast for human eyes. He was in front of me in a blink, hands gripping my face, forcing my gaze back to his.
"Look at me," he commanded.
My body obeyed instantly.
The growl died.
My knees buckled.
He caught me, arms locking around me as the power drained away, leaving me shaking and breathless.
"That's enough," he growled at the others. "Training is over for today."
Lyra stepped forward. "Alpha—"
"Leave," he snapped.
She held his gaze for a moment—then bowed stiffly and turned away, her glare promising war.
Kael lifted me effortlessly, carrying me away from the clearing. My head rested against his chest, my heartbeat slowly syncing with his.
"I scared them," I whispered.
"Yes," he admitted. "And that's dangerous."
"For me?"
"For everyone," he said.
Back in the quiet of the pack house, he set me down gently.
"You're progressing too quickly," he said. "Your wolf is strong."
I looked up at him. "You keep saying that like it's separate from me."
His eyes softened. "It is… and it isn't."
I took a shaky breath. "Kael… what happens if I lose control?"
His silence was answer enough.
Finally, he said, "Then I'll stop you."
Something about that sent a strange comfort through me.
"You won't hurt me?" I asked quietly.
"Never," he said immediately. "Even if it costs me everything."
My chest tightened.
"Why?" I whispered.
His gaze dropped to my lips again—just for a second.
"Because you matter," he said. "More than you understand."
Before I could respond, a howl echoed through the forest—long, sharp, urgent.
Kael stiffened.
"That wasn't ours," he said grimly.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
His eyes darkened as he turned toward the sound.
"It means someone else felt you," he said.
"And they're coming."