Chapter 42: Are You Alright?
Kaya
The crowd thickens as more people pour onto the training grounds, the steady influx making it clear just how formidable this pack truly is.
For the first time, I see the big picture—the sheer power and unity they exude.
Everyone here seems as if they were meant to be part of this pack.
And I mean that literally.
How can they all look so... alike? Similar is the best word I can find to describe it.
They are all tall, powerful, and perfectly built for battle. Their expressions brim with confidence—some crossing into arrogance—and their presence alone is overwhelming. Dressed mostly in black, they emanate a dark, commanding aura that makes them feel untouchable.
If I had my wolf, I have no doubt she would be bowing her head to every single one of them.
And yet, while they don’t approach me, I feel their eyes. Sharp, assessing stares, hushed whispers passing between them, subtle gestures in my direction. They’re curious, but not enough to engage. I am an outsider in a place where strength is the only language spoken.
Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, my gaze finds Magnus.
Oliver is already beside him, talking animatedly, while another man—one I assume must be Aksel, Magnus’s beta—joins in with ease. Their conversation seems natural, familiar.
Meanwhile, Samantha drops onto one of the benches lining the perimeter, tapping away at her smartwatch as if this is just another day for her. But for me, it’s not. I remain standing, awkward and uncertain, sneaking glances at Magnus when I think he won’t notice.