###Chapter Five : Fire and Instinct

The next morning, I had a body like I'd been hit by a truck.

I moaned, rolling onto my side, every muscle crying out in protest. My shoulder ached, my legs were tired, my knuckles raw from training.

Ronan was already outside. Of course, he was.

I heaved myself to the door, gritting my eyes against the bright morning sun. He was standing next to the firepit, his back to me, shirtless. His skin was logged with filmy scars, old and new. His muscles tensed; he rolled his shoulders back.

I look away before I stick around too long.

"It's your turn," he said without glancing around.

I huffed. "Barely."

"Good. We start in ten minutes."

I blinked. "You're joking."

Ronan turned, smirking. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

I groaned and sat down on the steps of the cabin. "You're trying to kill me."

"If I wanted you to be dead, you'd be dead.

I shot him a glare. "So reassuring."

He laughed and tossed me a piece of bread. "Eat first. Then fight."

I listened, and squinted my eyes. "Fight what, exactly?"

Ronan put his arms in the air. "Me."

I froze mid-bite. "Wait. Hold on. No."

"Yes."

I gaped at him. "I only barely survived fighting Kael's wolves. And now you want me to fight you?}}

His golden eyes gleamed. "You have to know how to fight something that is greater than you."

I groaned. "I hate this."

If Kael takes you, you will hate it more."

That shut me up.

I finished eating and stood. "Fine. But if I die, I'm going to haunt you.' "

Ronan smirked. "Noted."

Training Round Two

We circled each other in the clearing.

"Go back for the ribs," said Ronan. "Like last time."

I exhaled and swung.

He dodged. Effortlessly.

And he had taken my feet out from under me before I had even had time to blink.

I hit the ground hard.

I groaned, glaring up at him. "I hate you."

He grinned. "Then hit harder."

I got up and brushed the dirt off. This time, I didn't hesitate. I lunged, this time swinging for his ribs—

But I changed course at the very last second.

Rather than cracking him in the ribs with my right, I faked left and cracked him in the jaw with my right.

My fist connected.

Not hard enough to hurt him, but enough to shock him.

Ronan stepped back, blinking. Then, slowly, he grinned.

"Not bad," he answered, rubbing his jaw.

I smirked. "Almost like I'm learning."

There was something inscrutable in the fire of his gold eyes. "Almost."

I suddenly felt how near we were to one another.

The air surrounding us felt electrified, gestating.

Ronan met my gaze for a beat too long. His eyes flicked to my lips.

My breath caught.

And then just like that, the moment passed.

Ronan stepped back, his expression unreadable. "Again."

I exhaled, steadying myself.

I owed it to whatever that was whatever there was, and I didn't have time to imagine it.

Because I had a fight to win.

How's this?

Quick paced, action packed and build（ training. ）

Arden getting stronger, still struggling

Higher tension and chemistry, with Ronan

The Fire Inside

The midday sun hung low in the sky, the trees casting long shadows. The rigors of all the training had torn my body a new one, but Ronan wouldn't relent.

"Again," he said, facing me.

I groaned. "I just hit you."

He grinned, massaging his jaw, where I had struck him moments earlier. "Lucky shot. Do it again."

I sighed, rolling my shoulders back. My body hurt all over, but I soldiered on. I knew Ronan was a tough sell when it came to compliments, but I was still exacting pleasure in his even referencing my hit: I was improving.

I observed him, searching for an entry point. He was bigger, faster, stronger. But he had tells — small movements before he threw a punch.

He shifted his weight to the right side of his body.

I moved first.

I swung for his ribs, then at the last second, turned and swung for his shoulder.

Ronan dodged.

But barely.

There was a dangerous light in his golden eyes. "Good."

So I smiled, but the second he saw he wasn't in danger, he left.

Too fast.

Superview, he was in front of me, superview, he was in back of me." His arm slid around my waist, pulling me backwards against his chest.

I froze.

His breath brushed against my ear. "You're still too slow."

A shiver ran down my spine.

I tried to wriggle away and he wouldn't let me. My pulse pounded. Not just from the fight. From him.

"I hate you," I muttered.

Ronan laughed, quietly. "No, you don't."

Heat curled through me. My brain was screaming at me to leave, to escape. But my body…

My soul wanted something new.

His grasp loosened, just a tiny bit. I took my chance.

I drove my elbow into his ribs and twisted out of his grasp.

Ronan made a small noise, nothing more than startled. When I looked back at him, his golden eyes blazed with something I couldn't put a name to.

I smirked. "Too slow."

His lips parted, then

A sound cut through the air.

A howl.

My blood ran cold.

Ronan's smirk vanished. His entire body had gone taut, eyes darting to the trees.

"Kael," he muttered.

My stomach twisted. "He's back?"

Ronan's jaw clenched. "He never left."

I swallowed hard as my heart pounded. I had known he would return. It's just I didn't expect it so soon.

With jagged golden eyes, Ronan looked at me. "Go inside. Lock the door."

I frowned. "I'm not hiding."

His gaze darkened. "This is not a battle that you're ready for."

Anger flared in my chest. "Then make me ready."

Ronan stared at me for a long moment. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"Stay close," he said.

I clenched my grip on the dagger strapped to my hip. "I'm not going anywhere."

Sharp figures Training and action at brisk pacing

Arden and Ronan: More chemistry and tension

Arden proves she's not going to give ground

The Wolf reappears.

The howl echoed between the trees, stinging and ravenous.

I gripped the dagger at my hip, heart pounding. A few paces away, Ronan stood, his gold eyes trained on the darkness between the trees.

Then we saw him.

Kael.

He walked into the clearing like he owned it, his form barely human, black fur spreading up his arms, his red eyes burning. He wasn't alone. He was surrounded by three wolves, who were low growling from their throats.

Ronan didn't move. "You shouldn't be here."

Kael smirked. "Neither should she." His gaze slid to me. "And yet… here we are."

I clenched my fists. "What do you want?"

Kael chuckled. "You, of course."

Ronan moved forward, all muscle coiling. "Over my dead body."

Kael sighed, shaking his head. "You keep saying that. "This is the actual concrete you're made of. His eyes gleamed. "Let's fix that."

Then, chaos.

Kael lunged.

Ronan rotated in midair, his golden coat bursting from his body, claw meeting claw below with a wet crunch.

The other wolves leaped straight at me.

I moved before I could think.

I ducked, rolling sideways as the first wolf lunged at me. My training kicked in. I gripped my dagger and swung, pinning one in the shoulder. It yelped but didn't stop.

Another came at me.

I spun around, thrashing to evade the blow, but not fast enough.

I hit the ground hard as claws raked across my side. Pain exploded in my ribs.

The wolf stood over me, growling.

I gasped, holding my dagger for my life.

Then Ronan was there.

He flung himself at the snapping-toothed wolf. Blood sprayed the ground as he yanked it away from me.

I got to my feet and winced. My side burned, but I was far from done.

Kael and Ronan fought viciously, fur and blood mixing in the moonlight.

Kael grinned, fangs bared. "She has more guts than she looks."

Ronan growled. "She's more powerful than you realize."

Kael's gaze slid to me, and I could see something dark in his eyes. "We'll see."

And then, all at once, he pivoted and disappeared into the trees.

On the other hand, the other wolves trailing behind seemed to take a few moments to realize they had been beaten.

I swayed on my feet, panting. "That's it?"

Ronan rocked back, panting. "For now."

I put a hand to my oozing side. "I don't know what he has expect from me."

Ronan's golden eyes met mine. "Power. Control." His voice lowered. "You."

A shiver ran through me.

I had no idea what the plan was for Kael.

But I knew one thing — this wasn't finished.

Not even close.

Fast-paced, high-stakes action

Arden, fighting back but is vulnerable

Frozen out or spoken of unfavorably by her, Ronan and Kael