I was up before dawn.
Not by choice.
Kael had someone bang on my door like the packhouse was on fire. I knew it was him even before I yanked the door open to find one of his guards standing there, arms crossed, not even bothering with pleasantries.
"Training yard. Five minutes."
Slam.
So yeah. Not exactly a warm wake-up call from my mate.
I pulled on black leggings, a loose hoodie, and scraped my hair into a bun, already regretting everything. The cold morning air hit me like a slap as I stepped into the courtyard, fog curling low across the stone paths.
Kael was already there. Alone. Of course.
He didn't look at me as I approached. Just stood perfectly still, arms behind his back like a soldier ready to command.
His voice was sharp. "You're late."
"I'm three minutes early," I bit back.
He turned then. Gold eyes locking with mine like a shot to the chest.
"I said don't be late. That includes being on time."
Oh, we were doing that today.
"Right. Forgot I was bonded to a control freak with an ice stick up his spine."
A flicker. Barely a twitch of his jaw. But I saw it. Cracks, baby.
"Shift," he said.
I crossed my arms. "No."
Kael's brows raised. "You will."
"I can't. Haven't you figured that out by now?"
"Then we'll push until you can."
That was how it began.
He didn't go easy on me. Of course he didn't. This was Kael—the cold-blooded heir. The type of guy who'd snap your neck if it meant preserving pack order. He ran me into the dirt, correcting every stance, every punch, every breath. And I gave it back to him with everything I had. Sarcasm, sass, bloodied knuckles and all.
But somewhere between the third takedown and me gasping in the dirt, something shifted.
Kael extended his hand.
I blinked up at him. "Wow. Is this you being… nice?"
He didn't smile. "No. You're no good to me dead."
But he didn't let go of my hand.
---
Later, as I limped toward the packhouse, Silas was waiting. Sitting on the front steps with a mug of tea in his hands and a smile too sweet to be real.
"Darling omega," he said, standing. "You look like you got mauled. Did Kael forget you're breakable?"
"He didn't forget. He just doesn't care."
Silas held out the tea. "Chamomile. For bruises and bruised egos."
I took it without looking at him. "What's the catch?"
"No catch." His hazel eyes glinted. "Unless you count my growing obsession with watching you unravel this entire household."
I snorted and kept walking. But his voice followed.
"I'd be gentle, you know. If it were me training you."
I turned, just enough to catch the demon under the golden boy act. "That's the problem. You'd be gentle until you snapped my spine in half for fun."
He bowed. "Exactly."
---
By lunch, the packhouse buzzed with whispers. Lucy's presence had stirred the pot more than I realized. And of course, she found me at the water fountain like we were in high school again.
"Olivia!" she beamed. "You look… tired."
"I trained with your Alpha," I said flatly.
She tilted her head. "Isn't that cute? He's already making you stronger."
I knew that tone. Beneath the sweetness was the same snide girl who once told me I'd never be more than a footnote in someone else's legacy.
"Don't worry, Lucy," I said, smiling. "I won't forget to send you an invite to the coronation."
She flinched.
Just a little. But I saw it.
And it felt so damn good.
---
That night, I found Riven in the backyard, shirtless, shadowboxing like the chaos demon he was. His tattoos shimmered with sweat, muscles rippling as he moved. I leaned on the porch railing, watching.
"You stalking me now?" he asked without looking up.
"Just wondering how you haven't broken a window yet."
He grinned, all teeth. "Want me to?"
"Don't tempt me."
He finally stopped, eyes gleaming. "So… training with Kael. Must've been brutal. How many bones you got left?"
"Enough to kick your ass if you try something stupid."
"Damn, I like you," he said, stepping closer. "You always this fun, or just when you're pissed?"
"I'm always fun. You just didn't notice."
He looked me over, slower now. Less teasing. "Oh, I noticed."
And then, just like that, the tension flipped. Something heavy pulsed in the air between us.
But before I could say anything, the glass door slid open.
Kael.
Standing in the doorway, golden eyes unreadable. Watching. Waiting.
Riven didn't even flinch.
He just winked at me. "Later, trouble."
Then vanished into the woods.
Kael didn't move. Didn't speak. Just held my stare until I was the one who looked away.
---
That night, I lay awake.
Between the way Kael pushed me, Silas toyed with me, and Riven stirred things inside me I couldn't name—my mind was chaos.
And one thing was becoming clear.
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
It was about power.
And I wasn't here to play house.
I was here to take what was mine.