Chapter 5-Let The Duel Begin

Elara's POV “Have you lost your mind, Elara?! What am I saying—you’ve lost your mind. You’ve completely lost your mind.” My father’s voice cracked through the room like a whip as I wrapped the cloth tighter around my wrist, pulling it snug with my teeth before tying the knot. His words echoed, heavy and desperate, but my hands didn’t stop moving. “I’ve made up my mind, Father. I won’t back out now.” The words came out steady, stronger than I felt. I didn’t look at him. If I did, I might hesitate—and hesitation was the one thing I couldn’t afford. “You know what, Elara?” he said, his voice dropping, thick with something that sounded dangerously close to regret. “I blame myself. I blame myself for raising you like a son. Now you think you’re powerful enough to fight Alpha Thorne.” I let out a quiet breath, flexing my fingers. The cloth dug into my skin, grounding me. “Someone needs to put a stop to that man’s arrogance,” I said. “Something needs to show him he’s nothing.” “Do you even hear yourself?!” My father stepped closer, his boots heavy against the wooden floor. “You want to fight Alpha Thorne? The Alpha Thorne?” I finally turned to look at him, my jaw tight. “What’s so special about him? You think I can’t beat him?” A dark laugh tore out of him, harsh and humorless. “You can’t, Elara.” The certainty in his voice stung more than the slap from last night. “Then watch me,” I shot back, stubbornness rising like fire in my chest. “That man destroyed an entire pack!” he snapped, pointing toward the door like Thorne himself stood on the other side. “He can bring any Alpha to their knees, and you seriously think you can win this?! Elara, you’re pushing too far. You need to stop!” I didn’t answer. I just looked at him. Really looked. At the man who had trained me, pushed me, told me I was strong—until now. Then, calmly, I said, “I’ve made up my mind. Nothing will change it.” For a second, something flickered in his eyes. Fear. Not for the pack. For me. But it wasn’t enough. Before he could speak again, I turned, grabbed the door, and pulled it open. The cold air hit me instantly. And then I walked out. I slammed the door harder than necessary behind me. The sky was still gray, the storm having passed but leaving its chill behind. The ground was damp beneath my boots as I made my way toward the training grounds. Alpha Thorne had made one rule clear. Human form only. No shifting. Which meant this wouldn’t be about raw wolf strength. This would be skill. Speed. Endurance. And pain. My heart pounded as I walked, loud and relentless, like it was trying to warn me. You’re going to lose. I clenched my fists. No. All night, I hadn’t slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him. His size. His stillness. The way he didn’t even react when I hit him. He was a wall. A force. A man who looked like nothing could touch him. How was I supposed to compare to that? I stopped walking for a second, breathing out slowly. No. I shook my head, hard. If no one could do it…then I would be the first. I would bring that arrogant bastard to his knees. The training ground came into view, and my steps slowed. They were already there. My pack stood gathered on the left side, a quiet crowd that parted slightly when they saw me approach. Their eyes followed me—wide, tense, filled with things they didn’t say out loud. Fear. Confusion. Disbelief. ‘What are you doing?’ On the right side stood Alpha Thorne. And his men. They were…intimidating. There was no other word for it. Tall. Broad. Silent. Every single one of them looked like they could snap bones without effort. Some watched me with mild curiosity. Others with open amusement. Like this was entertainment. Like I was entertainment. My jaw tightened. From my own pack, the looks were worse. Not mockery. But fear. I could almost hear their thoughts. ‘She’s going to die.’ I scanned the crowd—and then I saw her. Emma. She stood near the back, half-hidden again, just like she did last night. Her fingers twisted together nervously, her eyes finally lifting to meet mine. They were pleading. Begging. Stop. I looked away. I couldn’t look at her. Not after what she’d done. If she hadn’t opened her mouth…I wouldn’t even be here. My chest tightened, but I forced it down. Not now. Not here. I stepped forward into the clearing. The space between both groups felt massive. Empty. Waiting. My hands clenched at my sides, then slowly relaxed as I forced myself to breathe evenly. Calm. I had to stay calm. A shift in movement caught my attention. Alpha Thorne stepped forward. The air changed instantly. It felt heavier. Sharper. His silver eyes locked onto mine, cold and unreadable. For a split second—just a second—I thought I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. A smirk? Amusement? But it was gone so fast I couldn’t be sure. My father joined the crowd, his face deathly pale. He looked like he had aged ten years overnight. He opened his mouth, perhaps to try one last time to stop me, but no words came out. He just watched, his eyes filled with a dread that made my stomach churn. I knew he wanted to stop this. But he couldn't. A tall man from Thorne’s side stepped between us. “You’re sure about this, Alpha?” the man asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “She’s barely a snack for a wolf like you.” Thorne didn’t look at the man. He didn’t even acknowledge the comment. His gaze remained fixed on me, heavy and oppressive, as if he were already weighing my soul and finding it wanting. He looked at me first, then at Thorne, a slow smirk spreading across his face like he was enjoying every second of this. Then he stepped back. And suddenly— It was just us. Me. And him. Face to face. The space between us felt smaller now. Too small. Too tight. My pulse roared in my ears. Up close, he was worse. Taller than I remembered. Broader. His presence pressed against me like something physical, something heavy and suffocating. But I didn’t step back. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I lifted my chin slightly, meeting his gaze head-on. If he was surprised by that, he didn’t show it. Those silver eyes stayed cold. Still. Watching. Measuring. Like I was already losing. A voice suddenly rang out deep and clear. “Let the duel begin.”