Chapter 05

This was a trial. Trials were never just one struggle.

"Not bad for your first time, huh?" Luka's comments cut short her contemplation. He was walking beside her, his usual teasing grin on his face, but this time there was something different—a softer tone, yet still with a hint of scorn. "You didn't run away shrieking. "I am impressed."

Xara gazed at him, too fatigued to respond. "I didn't have a choice," she explained softly, her voice raspy from the strain of the effort.

"True enough." Luka's grin spread. "However, I've seen experienced boxers lose their nerve while meeting Kael for the first time. You didn't. "That has some value."

Xara couldn't tell if that was a praise or one of Luka's games, so she nodded quietly, too tired to complain. Her thoughts kept returning to the moment Kael had pinned her to the ground. She felt impotent and imprisoned, but something inside her refused to give up. It was only a glimpse of defiance, but it was sufficient.

"You need to rest." Zayne's tone was sharp, cutting through Luka's mockery like a cold blade. His golden eyes shifted to her, his face opaque. "You're no use to us if you collapse."

Rowan walked on the other side of her, silent as usual, his presence as unsettling as always. Though he rarely spoke, Xara could feel his eyes on her, watching her every move. She had come to realize that Rowan was the person she understood the least. Zayne's authority was clear, and Luka's mocking served a purpose, but Rowan remained a mystery: silent, moody, and fierce.

"I'm fine," Xara replied, her voice stronger than her emotions. She didn't want to look weak in front of them.

Zayne's vision tightened. "You're not normal. You are tired and hurt. "That much is obvious."

Xara opened her mouth to argue, but stopped herself. He was right. Her body cried for rest, and the energy that had propelled her through the struggle was now waning. She desperately wanted to recuperate, but she couldn't afford to show weakness, especially here.

"We'll rest soon," Zayne mumbled, his voice lowering slightly. "But we have something else to take care of first."

Xara winced as her heart skipped a beat. "What else?"

Zayne did not respond right away, his gaze fixed forward. Luka, on the other hand, drew closer, his speech a secretive mutter. "You didn't think the fight with Kael was your only test, did you?"

Xara's intestines twist. Obviously there was more. There was always more.

"Let's just say," according to Luka, "there's something you should know about our pack." Regarding your current bond with us.

Zayne gave Luka a warning glance before lifting his hands in mock submission. "What? She deserves to know."

Xara's pulse quickened. "What are you talking about?"

Zayne came to a halt and turned to face her directly. His expression was serious, and for the first time, Xara felt a surge of concern unlike anything she had felt before.

"The bond between you and us," Zayne continued gently, "is more than just a marriage contract. You are not just a newlywed, Xara. You are a part of something far greater. Our group, our power—it's all connected by blood. And now you are also linked to it."

Xara glared, not understanding. "What do you mean?" "How am I connected?"

Luka approached, his eyes burning with something deeper, more primal. "The Alphas' relationship with their brethren is sacrosanct. It is built of more than just words. It is created with blood.

Xara's pulse stutters. "Blood?"

Rowan, who had been quiet until now, said abruptly, his voice low and calm. "You need to be marked."

The words hung in the air, weighty with significance.

"Marked?" Xara repeated, her words barely audible.

Zayne acknowledged. "It's part of the routine. Once you've been identified, our connection will be strengthened."There will be no fracturing.

Xara's blood became frigid. She had heard about spouses marking each other, but she never imagined she would be participating in such a procedure. The notion of being eternally connected to them, with no way out, filled her with terror and something else she couldn't put her finger on.

"What happens if I don't?" she asked gently, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to remain composed.

Zayne's irises darkened. "You won't survive."

The words hit her like a punch. There was no retreat. There is no escape. The Savage Blood Pack had apprehended her, and now they would mark her, binding her to them in a way that left no room for doubt or disobedience.

Luka's diction become quieter, almost relaxing. "It's not as bad as you think, Xara. You will feel the bond. You will feel us as deeply as we feel you. It's how we defend each other. ""That's how we live."

Xara gasped loudly, her heart rushing in her ears. This was happening. She had fought so hard to be strong and keep her head above water, but now she was sinking, pushed down by forces beyond her control.

"You'll be one of us," Zayne whispered gently, his amber gaze locked on her. "But only if you're willing."

Willing? The question rang in her mind. Was she willing? Did she have a choice?

The triplets remained silent as they waited for her response. Luka's amusing grin had disappeared, replaced by something much more serious. Zayne's expression was unreadable, but the stiffness in his jaw told her that this decision was not taken lightly. Rowan remained motionless, his dark eyes never leaving hers, as if he could sense the storm of emotions raging within her.

For a long period, Xara remained silent. Her thoughts was filled with fantasies of escape, of getting as far away from this area as possible. But deep down, she knew the truth. There was no retreat. The triplets had claimed her, making the relationship unavoidable.

Could she make it?

Her fingers clutched at her sides, her claws cutting into her palms as she struggled to keep her cool. She'd come so far and fought so hard to survive. It was only another challenge. Another trial. If she gave in now and let fear rule her, she would lose everything.

Xara took a long breath and met Zayne's gaze, her voice calm despite the panic rising in her breast. "I'll do it."

Zayne's eyes shone with approval, but his demeanor remained unchanged. However, Luka's relief was obvious as he grinned widely. "Good girl," he whispered quietly, his voice filled with dreadful pride.

Rowan said nothing, but his eyes were filled with something like respect.

Zayne looked toward the woods, his gaze narrowing as he scanned the trees. "Follow me," he murmured softly.

Xara followed him without pausing, with Luka and Rowan close behind. Her heart pounded in her chest as they walked deeper into the woods, the light streaming through the trees creating terrifying silhouettes on the trail. The more they traveled, the quieter the environment became, until she could only hear her own breathing and the slight crunch of leaves beneath her feet.

Finally, they arrived at a small area surrounded by massive trees. In the center was a stone altar with strange symbols that burned softly in the fading light.

"This is where it happens," Zayne murmured, his words echoing in the tranquil atmosphere. "The ritual of blood."

Luka moved forward with his hand resting on the stone altar. "You are about to become one of us, Xara. There is no going back from here."

Xara's pulse raced as she gazed at the altar, her thoughts racing with the gravity of what was about to happen. She would be tagged and forever linked to the triplet Alphas.

However, as the cold wind whispered through the trees and shadows swirled around her, Xara secretly vowed herself.

She refused to collapse.

Zayne approached, his eyes blazing with the light from his wolf. "Kneel."

Xara paused briefly before lowering herself to the ground, her knees pressing into the cold earth as she looked up at the triplets. They stood above her, their presence threatening and their power evident in the atmosphere.

Luka leaned out and stroked his palm across her cheek. "You're stronger than you know, little omega," he said softly, his voice gentler than she'd ever heard it. "This is just the beginning."

Zayne moved closer, holding a little knife in his palm. The sword shone in the dim light, and Xara's breath caught in her throat as he knelt before her, his gaze riveted on hers.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his tone low and aggressive.

Xara swallowed deeply, her heart racing in her chest. "Yes."

Zayne maintained a steady gaze as he raised the blade, the edge touching the skin of her palm. Xara gasped as the burning sting of the cut crept through her fingertips, but she did not back away. The blood welled up, dark and viscous, and Zayne placed his hand on hers, the warmth of his skin combining with the chill of the night air.

Luka and Rowan followed suit, their hands joining hers and their blood mixing to form a bond that would last forever.