Matteo stood frozen.
The forest was silent, except for the sound of his own heartbeat hammering in his ears.
Wolves circled him like moving shadows.
Golden eyes glimmered between the trees, bright as embers in the dark.
Their growls were low and deep, vibrating through the cold night air like thunder waiting to break.
His hands were steady
but inside, his chest felt like it might crack open.
One wrong move…
and they would tear him apart before he could even breathe.
The Accusation
Kiaro moved closer.
Her golden eyes glowed in the pale moonlight, catching on the edges of her dark hair as it stirred in the wind.
Her steps were soft, silent… but her voice was sharp enough to cut through the night.
"You crossed into Tukwai," she said.
"No vampire has ever dared this."
"I came to see you," Matteo said quietly, like the words themselves were dangerous.
"I had to."
Her pack snarled at his voice, their claws digging into the earth.
A single shape detached from the circle.
Massive. Gray fur streaked with silver.
One ear torn. Old scars slashed across his muzzle like pale lightning.
Dubio.
The name struck Matteo's memory like a warning bell.
The king's son.
The future alpha of Tukwai.
And the one who had already made it clear he hated Matteo without reason or mercy.
"This is forbidden," Dubio growled, his teeth flashing white.
"He breaks our law.
He must die."
Kiaro Speaks
"No!" Kiaro's voice cracked like a whip.
The wolves froze.
Even the wind seemed to pause.
Kiaro stepped between Matteo and the pack, shoulders squared, head high.
Her eyes glowed brighter now, molten gold, and the air around her thrummed with the quiet power of someone who had finally chosen where she stood.
"He saved my life," she said firmly.
"I would be dead without him."
Dubio's eyes narrowed into slits.
"Maybe he saved you to make you his prey later."
Kiaro's jaw tightened. "He had the chance to kill me. He didn't."
Dubio's lips peeled back from his teeth.
"Or maybe he's waiting. Softening your heart, so when he strikes… it hurts more."
"Enough." Kiaro's voice was low but lethal.
"I trust him."
The words hung in the air like lightning.
Matteo felt them in his bones.
The Circle
The wolves shifted, restless.
Their eyes flicked from Dubio to Kiaro, uncertain.
Then Dubio stepped forward, shoulders rolling like stormclouds.
"This is the law," he growled.
"If he wants to leave alive…
he must survive the Circle."
Matteo frowned. "What is that?"
Dubio smiled, slow and cruel.
"A fight. One against one.
No powers. No fangs. No weapons.
Just blood and fists."
Kiaro's face went pale.
"This is madness."
Dubio tilted his head, mock-innocent.
"Then watch your vampire die."
The circle of wolves widened, padding back to form a rough ring of glowing eyes.
The earth inside the circle was hard-packed and scarred like it had seen this ritual before.
Like it had soaked in blood and screams and secrets.
Matteo looked at Kiaro.
Her hands were clenched tight.
Her eyes burned with fear.
"Matteo, don't," she whispered, stepping closer.
"They won't fight fair."
Matteo smiled, just a little.
"I don't need them to."
Then he stepped into the circle.
The wolves howled, voices shaking the trees.
The Circle of Judgment had begun.
The Challenge
Dubio stalked into the ring opposite him.
Up close, he looked even more lethal
muscles corded under his gray fur, claws clicking against the earth, every inch of him built to kill.
"Last chance, vampire," Dubio said.
"Beg. Crawl. Maybe I'll let you crawl home without your pride."
Matteo rolled his shoulders. "Or maybe," he said calmly, "you'll crawl."
Dubio snarled and lunged.
He moved like a storm.
Matteo ducked. Claws ripped through the air where his head had been.
He twisted, drove his fist into Dubio's ribs.
Pain jolted through his knuckles. It was like punching stone.
Dubio spun and slammed his paw across Matteo's chest.
Matteo flew backward, skidding across the dirt.
Kiaro flinched.
"Get up," she whispered, voice trembling.
"Please…"
Matteo rose.
Slow. Bleeding from his lip.
But standing.
Fists and Blood
Dubio came again.
Matteo met him.
Fist against claw.
Knee against ribs.
Teeth gritted, muscles burning.
The wolves howled from the edges of the circle, their voices rising like thunder.
Dust rose from the ground with every strike.
Blood dotted the earth.
Dubio slammed Matteo down hard.
The world tilted.
Matteo tasted iron.
Dubio pinned him, claws digging into his shoulder.
"Stay down," Dubio snarled.
Matteo's eyes burned crimson.
"Can't."
He twisted, using Dubio's weight against him, and rolled free.
Sprang up.
Drove an elbow into Dubio's jaw.
The crack echoed.
Dubio staggered
then roared and barreled forward, knocking Matteo through the air again.
Matteo crashed into the dirt. His ribs screamed.
Kiaro's breath hitched.
"Stop it," she hissed, voice breaking.
"Dubio, stop!"
But Dubio didn't stop.
The Turning Point
Matteo pushed to his feet.
Barely.
His body shook. His lungs burned.
Every instinct screamed at him to run, to survive, to escape.
But he looked at Kiaro.
Her eyes those molten gold eyes were wide and shining.
Terrified.
Not for herself.
For him.
And that…
that made him stand taller.
Matteo wiped the blood from his mouth.
Dubio snarled and charged.
Matteo didn't move aside this time.
He stepped in.
Their bodies collided like stone smashing stone.
Pain exploded through him
but his fist found Dubio's jaw.
Once.
Twice.
Dubio reeled back, dazed.
Matteo grabbed his arm, twisted, and slammed him into the ground.
The earth shook.
Dubio roared in rage.
He swung blindly
Matteo ducked and drove his knee into Dubio's ribs.
Dubio gasped, the sound sharp and raw.
Matteo stood over him, chest heaving.
Blood dripped from his nose.
His vision swam.
But Dubio…
was down.
Silence
The forest went still.
The wolves stared.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Matteo let go and staggered back, every muscle trembling.
Dubio pushed up to his knees.
His eyes burned like cold fire.
But he didn't attack again.
Slowly, stiffly… he lowered his head.
Submission.
A ripple moved through the watching wolves.
One by one, they lowered their heads too.
The Circle had spoken.
Matteo had survived.
Aftermath
Kiaro ran to him.
"Matteo" she breathed, grabbing his arm.
He swayed. "Still standing," he said with a crooked smile.
Her hands were trembling.
"You're insane."
"Probably."
"You could've died."
"I know."
Their eyes met.
The world seemed to narrow to just that.
Just her.
The wind stirred. The wolves watched in silence.
Dubio rose fully now, wiping blood from his jaw.
His gaze locked on Matteo cold, sharp, but… changed.
"This isn't over," he said quietly.
Matteo met his stare. "Didn't think it was."
Dubio turned and walked away, disappearing into the dark.
The other wolves followed.
One by one, melting into the forest like shadows dissolving into night.
Only Kiaro remained.
The Wolf's Judgment
She stood close.
Too close.
Her golden eyes searched his face like she was trying to solve him.
"You risked your life," she whispered.
"For you," Matteo said.
She blinked.
Something unsteady flickered across her face.
"You don't belong here," she said softly.
"Every rule says I should hate you."
"Then break them," Matteo murmured.
Silence stretched between them.
Somewhere, far away, an owl cried.
The moon slipped out from behind a cloud, bathing them both in silver light.
Kiaro exhaled slowly.
"Go," she said, voice faint.
"Before they change their minds."
Matteo hesitated.
Then nodded.
But as he walked past her, her hand brushed his.
Sparks.
He looked back.
Kiaro's eyes followed him like fire in the dark.
He disappeared into the trees.
And for the first time,
Kiaro wasn't sure
whether he was her enemy…
or the only thing in the world that still felt real.