The training chamber was smaller than I expected—low stone walls, flickering torches casting long shadows, the air heavy with heat and tension. No crowd, no Alpha oversight, no one to watch except the three of them. Kael, Riven, and Solen. Alone, yet every inch of the space felt like it had been rigged to test me.
Astraea stirred beneath my ribs, calm but alert.
They think control comes from proximity, she whispered. They are about to learn how fragile it really is.
I swallowed, forcing my pulse to slow, grounding myself on the cold stone beneath my feet.
Kael crossed his arms, jaw tight. "Do you even know what you're doing?"
I glanced at him, eyes narrowing. "I know enough not to die under your supervision."
Riven's lips pressed into a thin line. "Funny. I think you'll do more than survive."
Solen didn't speak. He just watched, calculating, waiting. His quiet made the space heavier than the torches could ever illuminate.
"First exercise," Astraea guided, her voice threading into my mind. Focus on the bond. Feel them. But do not let them feel you fully. Balance your power like water—steady, contained.
I inhaled, letting the threads connect us, three pulses stretching toward me, strong and erratic. The bond hummed, alive with tension. Kael flinched first, the thread pulling hard as if it resented me. Riven tried to suppress it, and Solen… Solen's pulse was steady, deliberate, almost mocking in its calm.
I squared my shoulders. "I will not be broken."
The first exercise was simple—synchronize breathing, share a fraction of the bond's energy, maintain control. In theory.
In practice, chaos.
Kael's frustration bled through the thread before he even realized it, jagged and sharp. I flinched. Riven's guilt and panic spiraled into mine, making my stomach twist. Solen's controlled calm kept the thread taut, almost suffocating.
Pain shot through my chest, the bond screaming with every tremor, every half-hearted attempt.
"Focus!" I shouted, clutching at the bond like a lifeline. "Do not push—feel!"
Kael growled, a low, frustrated sound. "You can't—this isn't supposed to be possible!"
"Then maybe you're doing it wrong!" I snapped back, teeth gritted against the flare of energy lancing through me.
And that's when I realized: this wasn't just training for me.
Every mistake, every spike of emotion, every slip in control revealed something about them. Their fears, their shame, their desire to dominate, their jealousy of one another—all splintered into the bond and hurt me.
I staggered back, breath burning, sweat stinging my eyes. The threads quivered violently.
Astraea surged, protective. Anchor. Anchor or this room will collapse with them inside you.
I planted my feet, forcing my breath steady. Slowly, ever so slowly, I drew the threads into a rhythm that matched my pulse. One pulse, two, three. Kael flinched as control slipped through his fingers. Riven cursed softly under his breath. Solen's jaw tightened.
"Yes," I hissed. "Yes, this is how it feels to be felt. Not used. Not feared."
From the corner, a shadow moved. Lyris. She leaned against the wall, a faint smirk on her lips. Careful, Astraea warned. She wants chaos.
I ignored her. The bond flared again, stronger this time, but steadier. My wolf roared softly inside me, urging me onward, guiding, grounding.
Kael, Riven, and Solen gasped as their own emotions reflected back. Frustration, longing, jealousy—they couldn't suppress it. And for the first time, I didn't need to. I directed it, shaping the threads instead of being shaped.
Solen finally stepped forward, eyes locked on mine. "You're… stronger than I expected."
I raised an eyebrow. "Stronger than you hoped, maybe."
Kael growled, but there was respect there now, faint but undeniable. Riven nodded slowly, and even Solen's expression softened just a fraction.
The exercise ended, but none of us moved immediately. The chamber felt… different. Charged. Balanced, yet tense.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the sweat cool on my skin. "This was just the beginning," I said, voice low. "If you think I'll let the bond break me, you're wrong."
Astraea hummed in satisfaction. Good. Let them taste their own reflection in you.
Lyris's shadow shifted one last time before retreating into darkness. I caught the faint smirk again. She'll try something else, Astraea warned. Always.
But for now, the three heirs were quieter. More cautious. And I… I had survived the first true test of the bond.
For the first time, I realized that control wasn't about dominance.
It was about knowing exactly where to stand—and refusing to move, even when the world tried to push you down.