Chapter 7 – The Shadow Pact

Silvercrest Academy – The Rooftop Overlook

Trust was a weakness.

That much, Ronan had learned from the moment his beta drove a silver blade into his chest. Trust too freely, and it would cost you everything.

So when a stranger stepped out of the shadows, claiming to have answers about the Forsaken, every instinct screamed trap.

Yet here he was, standing on the academy's highest rooftop at midnight, staring down Kael—a mysterious figure with raven-black hair and silver eyes that reflected the moonlight like mirrors.

Beside him, Selene stood tense, her arms crossed and her expression sharp with suspicion.

"You sure about this?" she muttered under her breath.

"No," Ronan admitted, his eyes locked on Kael. "But I want answers."

Kael's smirk deepened. "Smart choice, Forsaken One."

Ronan clenched his jaw. "Start talking."

Kael stepped closer, his movements deliberate, the wind ruffling his dark cloak.

"You already know this," he began, "but I'll say it anyway: the academy won't protect you. The packs won't accept you. The Moon Reapers will never stop hunting you."

He tilted his head, silver eyes glinting with amusement.

"But I can help you survive."

Ronan folded his arms. "And why would you do that?"

Kael's chuckle was soft, almost mocking. "Because I know what you're becoming. And I don't like wasted potential."

Selene stepped forward, her voice cold and cutting. "You still haven't answered the real question."

Kael glanced at her. "Which is?"

Selene's gaze narrowed. "What are you?"

Kael's smile didn't falter, but his tone sharpened. "Ah. The right question at last."

He raised a hand, and a shadow flickered at his fingertips, twisting unnaturally before sinking into his skin like liquid night.

Ronan's instincts flared with warning.

Selene stiffened. "Shadow magic."

Kael inclined his head. "Partly."

Ronan's muscles coiled. "And the other part?"

Kael's silver eyes darkened. "Something far older."

The way he said it sent a chill crawling down Ronan's spine.

"You need to understand something," Kael continued, stepping toward the rooftop's edge. "The Blood Moon Curse isn't just a werewolf anomaly. It's a relic of an old war. A war most of the supernatural world pretends never happened."

He stared out over the academy grounds, his silver eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "The last time a Forsaken One emerged, it nearly shattered the balance of power."

Ronan exhaled sharply. "Selene already told me that."

Kael glanced over his shoulder. "Did she tell you why?"

Silence.

Kael's smirk faded. "The Forsaken weren't just hunted because they were dangerous. They were hunted because they were the only ones capable of killing certain kinds of monsters."

Selene's expression darkened. "You're talking about the Old Bloods."

Kael nodded. "The creatures who existed before the supernatural hierarchy. The ones who were supposed to have been wiped out."

Ronan frowned. "And you're saying they still exist?"

Kael's smile didn't reach his eyes.

"They're waking up, Blackwood."

His voice dropped, low and cold.

"And whether you like it or not, you're the only one who can stop them."

Ronan's thoughts churned. He didn't trust Kael. Not even remotely.

But if he was telling the truth…

Then Ronan had bigger problems than the Moon Reapers.

Kael seemed to sense his hesitation. "I don't expect blind faith. You want proof?" He gestured to the rooftop's edge. "Come with me."

Selene's stance turned defensive. "Absolutely not."

Kael's smirk returned. "You're cute when you're protective."

Selene's dagger was in her hand before Ronan could blink. "Keep talking, and you'll see how protective I can be while gutting you."

Kael chuckled. "Relax, Nightshade. I don't want him dead. I want him strong."

Ronan frowned. "Strong for what?"

Kael's expression turned serious. "For the first test."

Before Ronan could ask what he meant, Kael stepped onto the edge of the rooftop.

And then—

He stepped off.

Ronan's pulse jumped.

But Kael didn't fall.

Instead, the shadows caught him, curling around his body like living tendrils before he disappeared into the void below.

Selene cursed under her breath. "I hate that guy."

Ronan sighed. "Yeah, well. Let's see what he's about."

He stepped to the edge.

And jumped.

Ronan landed in darkness.

The rooftop was gone. The academy was gone.

He stood in a vast, open space, surrounded by an endless abyss of swirling black mist.

Selene appeared beside him moments later, her daggers drawn.

Kael stood ahead of them, arms crossed, his silver eyes gleaming. "Welcome to the Shadow Arena."

Ronan glanced around, his instincts flaring. "Where the hell are we?"

"A pocket dimension," Kael said casually. "A training ground used by the old Forsaken. If you want to control what's inside you, this is where we start."

Selene's tone was sharp. "And what's the price?"

Kael's smirk widened. "Simple."

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

Something stirred in the mist.

A growl—deep, guttural, ancient.

The shadows parted, and something emerged.

A beast unlike anything Ronan had ever seen.

It was twice the size of a direwolf, its body rippling with shifting shadows. Its glowing white eyes burned with intelligence and malice, and black venom dripped from its elongated fangs.

Selene swore softly.

Kael's voice was calm. "Your first trial, Blackwood—"

The creature charged.

"—is survival."

Ronan moved instinctively.

The shadow beast lunged, claws slashing through the air.

He dodged, barely in time, rolling beneath its massive frame.

Selene's daggers flashed, slicing into its flank. But the wounds sealed instantly, the shadow-like flesh knitting back together.

"Damn it," she muttered. "It regenerates!"

Ronan narrowed his eyes.

The way it moved… it wasn't just attacking. It was testing him.

Kael's voice rang out from the shadows. "Come on, Blackwood. Think."

Ronan gritted his teeth.

The power inside him—the same force that had erupted in the arena—burned beneath his skin.

He didn't have a wolf.

He didn't have a pack.

But he had something else.

He took a breath.

And let go.

BOOM.

A shockwave erupted from his body, blasting the beast backward.

The ground cracked beneath his feet.

Selene stumbled, eyes wide.

Kael's smirk grew. "Not bad, Blackwood."

But the beast wasn't done.

It roared, its body shifting—becoming more shadow than flesh.

It struck again, claws glowing with a dark energy that seemed to sap the strength from the air itself.

Ronan gritted his teeth, dodging and countering, but the beast was relentless.

And then, for the first time, he stopped reacting.

He attacked.

The beast swiped again, but this time, Ronan didn't dodge.

He lunged, grabbing its throat with both hands.

Dark energy surged inside him, a force he could barely control.

His instincts screamed for release.

Lunar fire erupted from his hands, sinking into the creature's shadowy flesh.

The beast roared, thrashing, its form unraveling like mist in the wind.

And then—

It collapsed into nothing.

Silence.

Kael let out a slow breath. "Now we're getting somewhere."

Ronan staggered back, his hands still burning with unnatural energy.

Selene's voice was quiet but sharp. "You're changing."

Ronan clenched his fists, staring down at the faint glow of power in his palms.

"I know."

Kael chuckled, stepping forward.

"And this?" He spread his arms.

"This is just the beginning."