He continued, raising his index finger and pointing it steadily at her chest: “But remember this well…
Anyone who makes men crawl at her feet must be prepared for the day she’s forced not to take a single step back.” Roxy didn’t even blink.
Instead, she tilted her head to the side, an unwavering, mocking smile curving her pink lips.
She casually returned her hands to the pockets of her dark skirt, speaking in a calm, composed tone that easily cut through the arena’s tense silence: “I have never known fear.
See you at the banquet.” Roxy turned with measured, steady, and regal steps, walking past the two curled-up figures on the ground and carving her path through the bewildered crowd of students, who hurriedly backed away from her way in unspoken awe.
She left Alpha Caden standing in the middle of the stone pit, watching the trail of her receding footsteps, while his wolf, **Volcano**, snarled deep within him, waiting for the first spark to ignite beneath the roof of the welcoming banquet tonight.
Roxy left the battle arena with her head held high, making her way through the stone corridors leading to the inner wing of the academy.
Whispers trailed after her like shadows, and fearful, bewildered glances followed her steady steps, yet she didn’t give a single one of them the slightest attention.
She raised her wrist with cool composure, her fingertips tracing the reddened skin where the ropes had left a dark mark.
A sharp, decisive smile touched her lips; she had reclaimed her honor completely and delivered an unmistakable message to anyone who might consider crossing her.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Arena…
Caden remained standing in the middle of the dirt ring, watching her auburn form gradually disappear behind the towering doors.
He brushed the dirt off his arms with rough, heavy movements, his chest heaving with deep breaths, while **Volcano** continued to prowl through his veins in a state of wild, dark excitement: *(That human is no ordinary girl, Caden…
She carries a rare steel in her eyes that breaks the strong without ever raising a weapon.
I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us at the welcoming banquet!)* Caden released a low, muffled growl, then turned with a dark scowl toward the two males lying broken on the ground.
His dry voice boomed across the arena: “Get this trash out of my sight immediately…
and clean up the pit!” A crowd of panicked students rushed forward to drag the two collapsed males away, while Caden turned with heavy strides toward the locker rooms.
He wiped his broad jaw with the back of his hand, his mind entirely consumed by the icy gray glare Roxy had used to defy him just moments before.
Roxy arrived at her room located in the quiet attic at the top of the building.
She closed the door behind her with cool composure.
She walked unhurriedly toward the wardrobe and pulled out her outfit a long, red dress crafted with a sleek, modern design.
Long ribbons in a regal, luxurious purple wrapped around it, trailing elegantly to the floor and imbuing the dress with an aura of mystery and distinction.
Placing it on the bed, she began preparing herself with methodical, unhurried precision.
Standing before the mirror bathed in warm lighting, she applied her makeup with razor-sharp detail.
She highlighted her gray eyes with a clean, striking accent, while coloring her lips with a dark shade of lipstick that matched the pride etched into her features.
She slipped into her dress.
Then, she gathered her long, fiery auburn hair, pulling it up into a flawlessly secured, sleek high ponytail.
Its flame-like tail cascaded down her back, blending with stunning fluidity into the deep crimson of her dress and its purple ribbons like a blazing flame wrapped in ice.
She studied her reflection for a few silent seconds, a quiet, mocking smile touching her lips before she picked up her small clutch and stepped out of the room, heading with a steady stride toward the Grand Banquet Hall.
The royal hall was illuminated in all its magnificence.
Towering marble pillars reached toward the transparent glass ceiling, through which the enchanting dark night sky and streaming moonlight peered down.
Massive crystal chandeliers hung overhead, casting a warm, dimmed light that lent the grand venue an aura of opulence and prestige.
The orchestra played timeless classical melodies that harmonized with the movement of the guests.
Students were scattered across the floor in chatting groups, clinking glasses, while the Omegas and lower ranks huddled quietly in distant corners out of deferential respect for the werewolf elite.
Suddenly, the music cut off for a fraction of a second, and the surrounding chatter abruptly died out.
The massive double royal doors swung open, and an absolute hush blanketed the entire hall.
Everyone knew precisely who had just walked in.
The four Alphas entered together, walking side-by-side in their lavish formal attire.
Their confident, towering presence exerted a natural dominance that forced the crowd to automatically part ways, clearing a wide path before them.
Their gazes remained cold and detached, ignoring the stunned onlookers captivated by their grand entrance.
With regal steps, the Alphas headed toward their private table positioned on an elevated platform in the center of the hall a luxurious table that declared beyond doubt that they were not merely students, but the undisputed kings of this academy, where no creature dared approach without explicit permission.
At the head of the hall, resting upon an elevated marble dais a few steps up, sat the Academy Headmaster at the center of a massive black marble table resembling a throne.
From there, he overlooked the entire hall, monitoring every detail, while senior professors and faculty members occupied extended tables to his left and right.
The four Alphas settled into their seats, but their eyes united in a single direction, looking down…
toward Roxy.
**Caden**, the fierce, rebellious Alpha, leaned back in his seat, his emerald eyes burning with wild defiance as he studied her pinned-up auburn hair and red dress.
Beside him sat **Asher**, the enigmatic, dominant Alpha.
Resting in dark, unshakeable composure, a heavy shroud of mystery surrounded him as his razor-sharp black eyes probed the depths of her quiet confidence.
Meanwhile, **Zane**, the playful and sarcastic Alpha, tilted his head with a mocking side-smile, casually swirling his glass with his fingers, savoring the subtle tension vibrating through the hall.
**Damian**, the stern, law-abiding Alpha, maintained his sword-straight posture, monitoring Roxy with a firm gaze, measuring her every movement against the scales of rules and protocol.
From below the dais, Roxy stood leaning casually against a marble pillar, looking up at them from afar with her fiery auburn hair and her defiant gray gaze…