Talia's POV

The evening was quiet when I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Talia?"

I looked up from the small journal I had been scribbling in. I had asked Ingrid to get it for me.

Ramon stood there, tall and imposing as always, his expression unreadable.

"You're going to start training," he said simply.

I blinked. "Training?"

"Yes. Self-defense. Everyone in the pack learns it," he replied, his eyes scanning the room like he expected me to argue.

"I... I don't understand," I said, sitting up. "Where I come from, I was safe. I took care of people. I was fine. Why do I need training? Why bring me from my safe space to here to... watch my back?"

He didn't answer. He never explained more than he had to. "Get ready. Karon will come for you."

I frowned, the irritation rising in me like always when he didn't explain himself. "That's it? No reasoning? No 'Talia, this is for your own good'? Nothing?"

"Just... get ready," he said, his voice calm but final.

I groaned, knowing resistance was useless. He turned and left, leaving me with my thoughts and a growing sense of dread.

******

Karon arrived shortly after, just as the last light of sunset faded. Ingrid brought him in, he just stepped into the room, tall and lean, with an easy confidence that made me tense.

"You ready?" he asked.

I folded my arms, trying to look brave. "I guess."

He raised an eyebrow. "Guessing isn't good in a fight. But it's a start."

I bit my lip. "I'm not exactly used to... this."

"Most people aren't," he said, with a small smile. "Come on. Let's go."

The training ground was lit by torches, the cool night air brushing against my skin. The forest loomed around us, dark and quiet. Karon wasted no time, showing me the basics: stance, balance, and movement.

At first, everything was exhausting. My arms burned, legs trembled, and my head spun from trying to remember the instructions.

"You're too stiff," he said, adjusting my stance. "Relax. Move with me."

I tried, stumbled, and he laughed lightly. It was... unexpected.

He was Warm and easy to talk to. And it made my heart lift a little.

"Don't look at me like that," he teased. "You're making me feel like a proper human."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop the small smile. Maybe I didn't have to fear everyone here.

Karon was patient. If I stumbled, he didn't snap. He explained again, demonstrated, and guided me slowly through every movement.

"You're learning fast," he said after a while. "Faster than I thought."

"I've been... doing things my whole life," I muttered. "Just... different things."

"Like taking care of people," he said, nodding. "I like that. You'll need that instinct here too. Not just strength."

We sparred lightly, him holding back, letting me get used to the movements. My punches were clumsy, my balance off, but he corrected me gently, teasing me when I got it wrong, praising when I did it right.

"You're stubborn," he said once, laughing after I refused to give up a move.

"Stubborn is different from dumb," I shot back.

"Touché," he said, grinning.

"Careful," he said softly. "Even small mistakes can hurt."

"Tell me about it," I muttered, brushing dirt off my pants.

"You're improving," he said, his tone proud but casual. "Better than I expected."

"Better than you expected?" I asked, surprised.

"Maybe I underestimated stubbornness," he said with a laugh.

I laughed too. His laughter was easy, warm, and contagious. Somehow, the weight of the pack, the constant tension, faded a little whenever he laughed.

Training was hard, Karon's patience never wavered. He pushed me, corrected me, and sometimes teased me relentlessly, but always with a kind laugh.

I managed a sequence of attacks perfectly, landing a mock strike on him.

"Finally," he said, laughing. "You're brave, Talia. Weldone."

I laughed too, the sound mixing with his. "Brave?"

"Yes," he said, still chuckling. "Brave, stubborn, and just a little crazy. It's a very perfect combination."

I shook my head, grinning. "You're ridiculous."

"Maybe," he said, smiling.

And then I noticed him.

Ramon. At the edge of the clearing. He was watching quietly. His eyes fixed on me with a weight I couldn't name. Approval? Concern? Something deeper.

The bastard had been watching me.

Karon noticed him, but didn't say anything. Ramon didn't move.

I didn't know how long he had been standing there, but the intensity of his gaze made me feel... exposed.

I was going to ignore him.

I turned back to Karon, who gave me a small, knowing smile. "You did well today."

I exhaled, laughing softly again. "Thanks. I think I might survive this after all."

Karon chuckled, shaking his head. "You're not just surviving, Talia. You're learning to fight. That makes you brave."

We laughed again, and the sound carried through the clearing. But even in the warmth of laughter, I felt the weight of Ramon's eyes. Standing there silently, he seemed to watch more than my progress, he watched me.

And I knew that whatever I did, he would always see.

Talia's POV

Something felt wrong before anyone said a word.

It started with the silence.

The pack grounds were never truly quiet.

There was always movement, laughter, the sound of training, the rhythm of life. But that morning, the air felt heavy. It felt too still. Like the forest itself was holding its breath.

I noticed it when Ingrid didn't smile at breakfast.

I noticed it when warriors gathered in small groups, their voices low, eyes sharp. I noticed it when Karon didn't joke, didn't tease, didn't laugh even once.

And then I noticed Ramon.

He hadn't looked at me since training the night before. Now, when he entered the hall, the room shifted. Conversations stopped. Backs straightened. Faces hardened.

Something had happened.

I stood slowly, my chest tight. "What's going on?"

No one answered.

Ramon's gaze snapped to me instantly.

"Stay where you are," he said sharply.

That tone.

It wasn't calm. It wasn't gentle. It was command.

My spine stiffened. "Don't talk to me like that."

He crossed the room in long strides and stopped right in front of me. His eyes were dark, stormy, burning with something that looked dangerously close to fear.

"We need to talk," he said. "Now."

"I'm not a child," I shot back. "You don't get to..."

"Talia," he snapped. Then, softer, but tighter, "I really do not have the time for your quarrels today."

That word stopped me.

"Just come with me."

He took my wrist, not rough, but firm, and guided me toward my room. I could feel eyes on my back the entire way. Whispers followed us like shadows.

The door shut behind us with a heavy thud.

"What happened?" I asked immediately. "Why is everyone acting like...."

He turned to face me, jaw clenched. "The rogue pack sent a message."

My heart dropped.

"Rogues?" I whispered.

"Yes."

I swallowed hard. "What kind of message?"

He hesitated. Just for a second.

That hesitation scared me more than any answer.

"They know about you," he said.

The room felt smaller. "Know... what about me?"

"They know who you are," he replied. "What you mean. And what you are to this pack."

My hands curled into fists. "What did they say, Ramon?"

He exhaled sharply and finally met my eyes.

"They said if I don't surrender territory," he said slowly, "they'll take you."

The words hit me like a slap.

"Take me?" I repeated, disbelief flooding my voice. "You mean kidnap me?"

"They didn't use that word," he said grimly. "They said break."

My stomach twisted violently.

I took a step back. "Why me?"

His voice was rough when he answered. "Because you're human. Because you matter to me. Because they think you're my weakness. They saw you that night, remember?"

Something snapped inside my chest.

"So this is my fault now?" I asked bitterly. "I come here, and suddenly I'm a target?"

"No," he said quickly. "This is not your fault."

"Then why does it feel like I'm being punished for existing?" I demanded.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "That's not what this is."

"Then what is it?" I asked. "Because it feels like the moment I arrived here, danger followed me."

His eyes softened just a little. "Danger existed long before you."

Silence stretched between us.

Finally, he spoke again. "You're not leaving the pack grounds."

I stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"You won't go out alone," he continued.

"You'll be escorted at all times. Training will continue, but only with guards present.

No wandering. No early walks. No....."

"No freedom, no breathing, how about just kill me" I cut in.

His jaw tightened.

"You don't get to lock me up," I said coldly.

"This is not a prison," he snapped.

"Then why does it feel exactly like one?" I shot back.

He stepped closer. "Because you don't understand what they'll do if they get their hands on you."

"And you think scaring me into obedience is the solution?" I asked. "Dragging me deeper into your world and calling it protection?"

His voice dropped. "I am trying to keep you alive."

"Fuck you, Ramon". I said

"I was alive before you," I said quietly. "I was safe."

His eyes flared. "You think the human world would protect you from monsters like them?"

"At least it was my choice," I snapped.

That hurt him.

I saw it in the way his shoulders tensed, the way his eyes darkened with something like regret.

"You don't see it," he said softly. "You don't see how fragile you are to them."

I laughed bitterly. "And you don't see how strong I had to be before you took my life away.",

Silence crashed between us again.

Then he spoke, slower now. "This is exactly why I wanted you trained."

"So I can fight rogues now?" I scoffed. "Is that it?"

"So you won't freeze when fear comes," he replied. "So you won't die because you thought peace meant safety."

I looked away, my throat burning.

"I won't let them touch you," he said firmly. "Not ever."

I turned back to him. "You don't get to promise that."

"I do," he said. "As your Alpha."

"There it is," I whispered. "That stupid title again."

He flinched.

"You keep using power when you're afraid," I said. "And every time you do, you push me further away."

His voice broke just slightly. "I would rather have you angry than dead."

That stopped me.

Because I saw it then.

The kind that claws into your chest and refuses to let go.

"I won't be hidden," I said quietly. "I won't be caged for your peace of mind."

"And I won't bury you," he replied just as quietly.

We stood there, staring at each other, two people on opposite sides of the same fear.

Outside, the pack prepared for war.

And somewhere beyond the forest...

Someone had marked me as prey.

Talia's POV

Restlessness is a quiet kind of torture.

It doesn't scream.

It doesn't hurt loudly.

It just sits inside your chest and slowly eats away at you.

That was how I felt.

Trapped.

I spent most of my days in my room now. The same walls. The same window. The same view of the trees I wasn't allowed to walk into.

Guards stood outside my door day and night, pretending they weren't there, pretending I wasn't a prisoner.

I stopped asking to go out.

The answer was always no.

At first, I tried to distract myself. I wrote in my journal. I read old books Ingrid brought me. I helped her with housekeeping.

But even Ingrid couldn't save me from boredom forever.

Conversation became repetitive. Silence stretched longer. And every time she left, the room felt smaller.

Ramon was nowhere to be seen.

And honestly? Wherever he was, he could stay there.

After our argument, I didn't want to see his face. I didn't want to hear his calm voice or his rules disguised as concern. I didn't want him looking at me like I was fragile glass waiting to shatter.

I hated that he was right about the danger.

And I hated even more that his protection felt exactly like a cage.

One afternoon, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the door like it might open on its own if I glared hard enough.

That was when I heard voices.

Soft.

Right outside my door.

I leaned closer, my heart picking up speed.

"...she hasn't been outside in days," a woman's voice said.

I knew that voice.

Selene.

"She's safer this way," a guard replied.

"Safe doesn't always mean alive," Selene said sharply. "You wolves forget that."

There was a pause.

"I'll speak with her," she added. "She needs someone who isn't afraid of her questions."

The guards hesitated, then the door knocked.

I opened it myself.

Selene stood there, her dark hair loose around her shoulders, her expression soft but serious.

For a second, we just looked at each other.

Then I stepped aside. "Please come in."

She glanced at the guards once more before entering.

The door closed behind her.

I exhaled deeply. "Thank you."

She smiled faintly. "You look like someone who hasn't seen the sky in a while."

"That obvious?" I muttered.

She sat on the chair near the window while I remained standing, pacing like a restless animal.

"I feel like I'm losing my mind," I admitted. "I can't go anywhere. I can't breathe without someone watching me."

She nodded slowly. "Ramon thinks he's protecting you."

"I know," I snapped. "That doesn't make it okay."

"No," she agreed quietly. "It doesn't."

I stopped pacing and stared at her. "Why are you here, Selene?"

She met my eyes without flinching. "Because I remember what it feels like to be silenced for someone else's fear."

Something about that made my chest tighten.

We talked for a while. About small things. About the pack. About how strange wolf politics were. She had a dry sense of humor that surprised me, and for the first time in days, I laughed.

But eventually, the silence crept back in.

And with it, the question I couldn't stop thinking about.

"Selene," I said slowly, "tell me the truth."

She stiffened slightly. "About what?"

"About Ramon," I said. "And the rogues."

Her gaze dropped to her hands.

That scared me.

"They sent a message because of me," I continued. "That's what he said. But this war didn't start with me, did it?"

She didn't answer right away.

"Selene," I pressed.

She inhaled slowly. "No. It didn't."

My heart sank. "Then why?"

She looked up at me, and something dark passed through her eyes.

"Because Ramon made a promise," she said. "And broke it."

The room felt colder.

"What kind of promise?"

She hesitated, then spoke anyway. "He promised marriage to the sister of the rogue wolf."

I felt like the floor shifted beneath me.

"What?"

"She was young," Selene continued. "She was strong and loyal. She believed in him. But he used her and when he was done, he discarded her like trash."

My throat went dry. "You're saying he... used her?"

"She was pregnant, Talia," Selene said softly. "With his child."

The words slammed into me.

"No," I whispered. "That's not.....he wouldn't....."

"He left her," Selene said. "Abandoned her. No explanation. No protection."

My hands began to shake.

"And when the child was born?" I asked.

Selene's jaw tightened. "The child died. So did the sister."

I felt sick.

"That's why the rogue pack wants blood," she continued. "Not territory. Not power. But Justice."

I backed away slowly, my chest tight, my thoughts spinning wildly.

"That doesn't sound like the man I know," I said, more to myself than to her.

Selene's eyes sharpened. "You don't know him, Talia. Not really."

I swallowed hard. "He told me he wouldn't take what I didn't choose. He said he wouldn't force me."

"Did he choose for her?" Selene asked quietly.

Silence swallowed the room.

My heart was racing now, confusion tearing me apart.

"Why would he do that?" I whispered.

"Because he's an Alpha," she replied. "And Alphas make decisions that destroy lives."

I shook my head. "That's not fair."

"Neither was abandoning a pregnant woman," Selene snapped.

Pain flashed across her face before she quickly masked it.

I stared at her. "Why are you telling me this?"

She stood slowly. "Because you deserve the truth. Because if you're going to stay here, you should know who you're trusting."

My chest burned.

I didn't know what to believe anymore.

Ramon the protector.

Ramon the liar.

Ramon the man who kissed me like I mattered.

And now this.

Selene walked toward the door. "Think carefully, Talia. Wolves don't forget betrayal."

She reached for the handle.

Then froze.

Her eyes widened slightly.

I turned slowly.

Ramon stood just outside the door.

His face was stone.

His eyes were locked on Selene.

"How long," he asked quietly, "were you planning to poison her with lies?"

My blood ran cold.

Selene's hand trembled on the handle.

And in that moment, I realized.....

This wasn't just a story.

It was a war of truths.

And I was standing right in the middle of it.