Somewhere in the Rogue Wilds, Before Dawn
Ariana woke to Lucian kicking the sole of her foot — not gently.
"Ow! What the hell—?" She bolted upright, tangled in a makeshift blanket of leaves and Lucian's spare coat.
Lucian stood over her with that insufferable smirk. The pre-dawn mist coiled around him, highlighting the wild glint in his golden eyes. He looked more beast than man.
"Rise and shine, princess," he drawled. "First rule of survival: sleep like you're ready to fight. You snore like a pampered pup."
Ariana narrowed her eyes. "I do not snore."
"Oh, you do. Like a dying goose."
She hurled a pebble at his chest. He caught it mid-air, twirled it in his fingers, and flicked it back at her with annoying precision. It pinged off her forehead.
"Second rule," he said, fighting a laugh, "Never throw weapons you can't catch back."
Training Ground: The Killing Hollow
Lucian led her to a mossy hollow surrounded by ancient oaks. Shafts of gray dawn broke through the canopy, making the place feel both magical and sinister. The ground was littered with bones — rabbit, fox, something she didn't want to identify.
"Welcome to your new gym," Lucian said, spreading his arms wide. "It's rustic, but the membership fees are killer."
Ariana snorted. "Do you have to be so... you?"
His grin turned wolfish. "You'll thank me later."
He dropped a battered satchel at her feet. Ariana peered inside: a chunk of raw meat, a rusty dagger, and a length of rope.
She looked up, unimpressed. "Is this your idea of breakfast?"
Lucian arched a brow. "No. It's bait. And a tool. And your lesson."
Lesson One: Bleed First
"Today's goal is simple," Lucian said, circling her like a predator. "You need to survive an ambush. And you will get ambushed."
Ariana frowned. "By who—?"
He whistled. Shadows moved. Two lean, ragged-looking rogues stepped from behind the trees, their eyes gleaming with hunger. One licked his teeth like a feral dog.
Ariana's spine stiffened. "You have got to be joking."
Lucian crossed his arms. "They won't kill you. Probably. They'll just... encourage you to tap into that fight buried under your pretty silk."
She bristled. "You're insane."
His eyes softened, but only for a heartbeat. "You want to go back and make Kael regret it? Then get up, Ariana Thorn. Bite first. Bleed last."
The Fight
The first rogue lunged. Ariana dodged clumsily, scraping her elbow on a rock. Pain flared — her wolf, Lyra, snarled, pushing her limbs to move faster.
"Use your wolf!" Lucian barked. "She's your teeth when you forget yours."
Ariana ducked a swipe, rolled, and came up swinging the rusty dagger. She managed to nick the rogue's shoulder — a tiny cut, but it made the wolf howl and back off.
The second rogue grabbed her from behind, claws scraping her waist. Ariana shrieked, elbowed him in the gut, and headbutted him backward. Her vision danced with stars.
Lucian whistled, amused. "Better! Maybe you won't die before sunrise."
"Not helping!" she hissed.
The Shift
The bigger rogue lunged again, pinning her. Ariana's teeth bared — her wolf half roared to life, searing through her skin. Fur rippled along her forearms, her canines lengthened. She snapped her jaws an inch from the rogue's throat, making him flinch.
She could feel Lucian's pride, like a warmth at her back. Or maybe that was his actual body — he'd slipped behind her without her noticing.
His voice was low at her ear. "Finish it."
Ariana sank her teeth into the rogue's shoulder. He yelped, tore away, and bolted into the woods. The other did the same, limping and snarling.
Ariana spat blood, panting. Her heartbeat was wild, her senses sharp. She'd done that. She'd drawn blood. And it didn't feel wrong — it felt... right.
The Aftermath
She staggered back, shoulders trembling. Lucian caught her, arms firm around her waist.
"Easy," he murmured, his breath tickling her neck. His scent — pine, smoke, and something wild — made her wolf croon.
"Don't get used to this," she rasped. "I still hate you."
His chuckle rumbled against her spine. "Of course you do. But admit it — you feel alive."
She looked up at him — really looked. His golden eyes glowed with pride, with something that almost looked like longing. His thumb brushed a smear of blood from her cheek. The touch burned.
A beat of silence.
Ariana cleared her throat, jerking away. "Do you ever shut up?"
Lucian flashed his teeth. "Not when you keep looking at me like that."
She flipped him off, which only made his grin widen.
A New Threat
A low growl echoed through the hollow. Not Lucian. Not the rogues. Something deeper, older — it slithered up Ariana's spine like ice water.
Lucian's head snapped up. His eyes narrowed at the dark line of trees.
"Well, well," he murmured, voice losing its playful edge. "Looks like we're not the only predators tonight."
Ariana's wolf bristled. "What is it?"
Lucian pushed her behind him, his claws sliding out. "Not pack. Not rogue. Something worse."
"Worse than you?" she quipped, but her pulse pounded. The air thickened with the scent of decay — rot, magic, and something unnatural.
Lucian glanced over his shoulder, his eyes backlit with a dangerous glint. "Stay close, little Thorn. Lesson two: never run alone in the dark."