Camilla POV

Malakai was the most infuriating person I had ever met. He was persistent, relentless, and absolutely determined to get his way. Our conversation outside the packhouse kept replaying in my head, his words ringing louder each time.

“I’m not some prize to be won, Malakai. I’m a person, and you don’t own me.”

"Then why are we hiding that we are meant to be together as fated mates? I really don’t understand why you want to keep it a secret, and to be honest, it makes me uncomfortable."

"I told you I would be your girlfriend, not your possession. That means we can hang out and date, but I don’t want to mark each other or seal our bond just yet. We’re just dating, and that's all."

A small smirk appeared on his lips. "So, you're officially my girlfriend now? That means I get some special privileges, right?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, curious. "What kind of privileges are you talking about?"

"For starters, holding your hand," he said, sounding a bit playful.

I sighed, feeling a bit defeated. "Okay, fine."

"And hugging you," he added with a grin.

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my smile. "Whatever you say."

"And kissing you," he said, leaning a little closer.

I gasped, my mouth falling open. "Excuse me? Kissing?"

Just then, Hilda walked over with a confident smile on her face. "Drive safe, Malakai," she said sweetly, flipping her long, dark hair over her shoulder in a way that felt very dramatic, like she was a star in a movie.

I wasn’t exactly jealous, but I wasn’t going to let her think she could just swoop in and take something that wasn’t hers. So, even though I was a bit annoyed, I found myself saying yes to all of his requests.

Thankfully, he didn’t ask for anything more, because if he had, I would have said no right away.

A sharp knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. I stood up, catching my reflection in the mirror. Today was training day, and I was finally old enough to participate. It wasn’t anything too intense—the hardcore drills were for the warriors. I wasn’t one of them, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t learn a thing or two.

Susan, my trainer, stood in the doorway, arms crossed. “You clean up nice. The suit looks good on you.”

I glanced down at my black training gear and had to admit, it did fit well. Malakai’s favorite color was black. He’d probably love to see me in—

Wait, what? Why was I thinking about him again? I shook my head and refocused.

When I was born, I had been weak. Rumors swirled that I wouldn’t be able to shift. And in my past life, they had been right.

Susan and I walked towards the training grounds, a ten-minute trek from the packhouse.

“You look great too,” I told her, noting her gray training suit.

She grinned. “Thanks. I’m feeling good about today. It’s funny how the right outfit can boost your confidence, huh?”

“I think it works both ways. Your mood influences what you wear, but what you wear also affects your mood.”

We arrived just as a group of warriors began sparring. Their energy was infectious, buzzing with anticipation.

“Why are they so hyped?” I asked.

Susan smirked. “Because Alpha Malakai’s men are leading the training today.”

I froze. “You’re kidding.”

“Only for the warriors,” she assured me. “But our pack needs better training. Our numbers are small, and our combat skills are weak. Alpha Damian asked Malakai to help.”

I groaned. There was no escaping him, was there?

“When does this start?”

“Next week. His Gamma and some of his men will be coming.”

“Will they train the female warriors too?”

“Yeah, Damian insisted on it.”

I hesitated before blurting out, “Can I join?”

Susan gave me a puzzled look. “Join what?”

“The warrior training.”

She chuckled, but when I didn’t laugh along, her amusement faded. “You’re serious?”

“Completely.”

“You’re not a warrior, Camilla. You need to start with the basics. Your body isn’t conditioned for that level of intensity. If you jump straight in, you’ll break before you build.”

I swallowed hard. She wasn’t wrong. I was a complete novice when it came to combat. I let it drop and joined the regular training group instead.

The session started with warm-ups, then a stamina-building run. I barely made it halfway before I was gasping for air. After a short break, we moved on to punching drills and push-ups to strengthen our arms. By the time we hit self-defense techniques, my body felt like it had been put through a blender.

Three hours later, I collapsed against a wall, muscles trembling. My water bottle felt like a gift from the gods as I took a sip. I had planned to walk back with Susan, but my legs had other ideas.

Snickers reached my ears.

“That’s the Alpha’s girlfriend, right?”

“The one who can’t even shift?”

The girls burst into laughter. They thought I couldn’t hear them. They were wrong.

I had never told anyone I had shifted that night. I begged Malakai to keep it a secret, and he played along.

“Why is she even here?” one girl sneered. “She thinks training will make her stronger without a wolf?”

“Shh, she might hear you.”

“No, she won’t. She’s not powerful enough.”

I rolled my eyes. If only they knew that non-shifters had the strongest hearing.

“Want me to come out?” Lyra, my wolf, stirred inside me.

“No. Let them talk.”

“But it bothers you. I can feel it.”

“I’ve dealt with worse. Let it go.”

In my past life, the whispers had followed me everywhere. A Luna without a wolf, bonded to a powerful Alpha. I had learned to shut it out and do my duty—until the incident changed everything.

“How about a run tonight?” I offered Lyra.

Her excitement was immediate. “Really? Yes!”

I smiled. Two days without shifting was too long. Tonight, I will run. And for a while, at least, I would be free.