Chapter 9 Kill Or Die

SERAPHINA.

The course stretched before us like a battlefield out of some brutal nightmare. Towering walls, jagged pits, spiked swinging logs, and mud thick bas /bblood. It didn’t look like a test, it looked like a death sentence. The air stank of sweat, earth, and fear. Alphas lined bup/b, some wearing smug grins, others radiating coiled readiness.

bI /badjusted the straps on my loose uniform, took a steadying breath, and fixed my eyes on the obstacle ahead.

bAlpha /bGideon’s voice cracked across the field like a whip

“Begin!”

We surged forward. The uneven ground bwas /bslick with mud, threatening to pull every step from beneath us. The first wall loomed ahead, but bwhile /bbmost /btried to haul themselves over with brute force, I went for speed. I sprinted toward it, using the jagged edges like adder, scaling it with quick, ruthless efficiency. Mud clung to my hands band /bface, but I made it over bwith /bba /bbreathless grunt.

Ahead, a gauntlet of low–hangings and swinging spiked logs waited. Alphas bwere /balready dropping

some too slow, somet too cocky. Cassius moved through the obstacles with cold, calcted ease, while Reed grinned like the cocky bastard he was, vaulting ahead.

I ignored him, as usual.

Then bcame /bthe rope climb, the beast of the course.

The ropes hung like vipers, slick with sweat and grime. The moment my fingers closed around the rough, frayed fiber, my palms burned. I gritted my teeth band /bhauled myself up, muscles straining and arms trembling. Below, a few Alphas bslipped /band fell, their cries sharp as they hit the mud.

But then, I looked down.

bWait/b. Why was the mud. moving?

A sickening realization struck.

“It’s swamp,” Phina whispered in my mind, her voice a cold shiver down my spine.

Swamp The living death. That’s why the others were so tense. The obstacles weren’t just tests, they were deadly. And if you fell here, it wouldn’t be just your pride that got swallowed.

My grip nearly faltered, the bslick /bmix of sweat and grime threatening to betray me, but I wasn’t one to be broken by this. I’d fought through worsel

bThat’s /bwhen I felt it a heavy, suffocating weight before I even saw him.

Ronan,

Leaningzily bagainst /ba post, barms /bcrossed, those violet eyes locked onto me with unnerving intensity. Azy smirk yed on his lips, bas /bif the entire bordeal /bwas beneath him, but I bcould /bfeel the sharpness in his stare like a brand against my

I btook /bba /bsteadying bbreath/b, forced my burning limbs to bmove/bb, /bband /bfinished the climb.

bNo /bsooner had my feet hit bthe /bground than I was thrown into bthe /bnext phase: hand–to–handbat.

Not even ba /bchance to catch my breath.

skin

bAlpha /bInstructor Gideon stood at the center, his gaze sweeping over the assembled group who’d passed the first phase.

“Pairs have been chosen at random,” he announced, his bvoice /bcutting through the bair /blike a bde/b. “Prepare yourselves.”

My jaw clenched bthe /bmoment my name was called and paired with Jordan.

Random! My gut twisted. That reeked of maniption I let my beyes /bflicker bpast /bJordan buntil /bthey found Dante. He didn‘ bother to pretend.

Chapter 9 Kill Or Die

“Kill or die.” Dante mouthed to Jordan, making sure I saw it

So this was how they wanted to y.

+ Pearls

“Wee to the death game, pup,” Jordan sneered, towering over me with a bsick /bgrin. “Hope you’ve said your prayers”

I met his eyes and smiled coldly, “I’ll still stick to the rules and let you live, boy.”

His face twisted in insult.

The fight started in a blur of movement. bJordan /blunged, his fist aiming straight for my head.

“The tiny one dies today!” someoneughed in the crowd. I didn’t spare them a nce.

I ducked his punch, my agility saving me, and countered with swift jabs ribs, knee, ribs bagain /bquick, surgical strikes. Smirks dropped when Jordan staggered, dropping to his knees and clutching bhis /bside.

A deadly hush fell.

Without hesitation, I kicked him bhard /bin the head, sending him sprawling binto /bthe dirt.

A furious growl tore from his throat as he red up at me, disbelief etched across his face. “You little fucker,” he spat, groaning bas /bhe dragged himself up. “Some skills for a newbie, huh? I’m going to crush you!”

There it was. I remembered I couldn’t afford to seem too skilled.

This time, as Jordan’s fist swung, I let it connect with my shoulder. The force made me stagger, and I grunted in pain. The crowd gasped, some smirking at what they thought was my weakness.

Jordanughed darkly, advancing with renewed arrogance. “Is that it, tiny bastard?”

“You don’t deserve everything I’ve got,” I replied tly, meeting his gaze without flinching-

That hurmiliated him..

His eyes bled red, fury overtaking reason, band /bas he lunged, I sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and flipped him clean over my bshoulder/b. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, the air rushing from his lungs.

Alphas watching from the bsidelines /bwere stunned silent.

Jordan groaned, struggling to rise, but I nted my boot firmly on his chest, pinning him down.

“Yield,” Imanded,

“You motherfucker,” he snarled, his body trembling. “You think you can defeat me?!”

His muscles bulged and bones cracked as he began to shift.

My stomach droppedb. /bbShit/b.

I tensed, preparing to defend myself, bwhen /ba bdark /bblur moved between us

bfast/b, lethal

Ronanb. /b

His bbroad /bback faced me, muscles shifting under his shirt as he grabbed Jordan’s bhalf/bb–/bshifted wolf by the scruff and bmmed /bhim into the bground /bbwith /bba /bsickening crack. Not satisfied, Ronan hauled bhim /bup again and hurled him against a bnearby /btree so hard the trunk–split.

Jordan didn’t move.

Casps rippled through the crowd. I stood frozen, pulse pounding.

“bNo /bshifting allowed.” Ronan growled, voice like a storm rolling over the training grounds.

I forced myself to breathe, bwhile /bwatching bRonan /bhandled Jordan like ba /bbbroken /bdoll- and all without shifting himself.

114 PM P P

Chapter 9 Kill Or Die

+8 Pearls

Alpha Instructor Gideon’s voice brang /bout, sharp and final. “Alpha Jordan is expelled from the academy for breaking the rules”

The world seemed to stop. My stomach twisted. Just like that? One mistake and he’s bgone/b!

I lifted my gaze, and Ronan was already moving toward me a predator closing in.

–

I met his eyes band /bscowled. “Who said you could interrupt my bfight/bb? /bHe was mine to finish.”

“Yours?” he bechoed/b, tilting his head. His expression darkened, the sharp glint in his gaze dangerous. “Didn’t bknow /bit was that.

bcasy/b.

“What?” I frowned, confused by his breaction/b.

Before I could demand more. bAlpha /bGideon spoke again, announcing the next trial in the background.

“The Hunter’s Trial: You bwill /bbe both hunter and prey. Thest ones to reach the finish line will be eliminated,” he paused, then added. “And whoever stands before you when the horn sounds is your prey.” The horn sounded the next second.

My mind nked. Wait, what?

slowly lifted my gaze to see who was standing in front of me.

Ronan

His lips curved into a slow, predatory grin. He leaned in, voice a low promise against my ear.

“Don’t let me catch byou/b, Seth Darven.

bSend /bGifts