The bucket of ice water hit Aria square in the face.
She gasped and stumbled backward, soaking wet and freezing cold. Through the water falling from her hair, she could see Sable standing there with an empty bucket and a nasty smile.
"Oops," Sable said. "My hand slipped."
Aria wiped water from her eyes, shaking. She'd been walking to breakfast when Sable popped out of nowhere with the bucket. Now she was drenched, and everyone in the hallway was looking.
"That wasn't an accident," Aria said.
"Prove it." Sable tossed the bucket away. "Oh wait, you can't. Just like you can't show you didn't kill those children ten years ago."
"Cassandra already confessed to framing me."
"Cassandra admitted to kidnapping three kids last week. That doesn't mean you're innocent of the old killings." Sable stepped closer, her dark eyes full of hate. "Everyone knows you're hiding something about that river."
Aria's hands started to shake, but not from the cold. Ever since she'd seen Lyra's face at her window three nights ago, she'd been having more dreams. More images of silver light and her sister's screams.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't." Sable's words got louder, making sure everyone could hear. "That's why you wake up screaming every night. That's why the Alpha can't stand to be in the same room as you."
The words stung because they were true. Kael had been avoiding her totally since the night he found her crying. He wouldn't even look at her during pack meetings.
"Leave me alone, Sable."
"Or what? You'll use your weird powers on me too?" Sable laughed, but there was fear underneath it. "Everyone's seen what you can do. Breaking punching bags, breaking windows, making plants grow like crazy. What kind of Luna has power like that?"
"The kind who's tired of being pushed around," Aria said, surprised by the anger in her own voice.
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a fact."
For a second, Sable looked truly scared. But then her face hardened.
"You don't scare me, rogue. And you don't deserve to be here." Sable moved even closer, until they were almost nose to nose. "Kael should have chosen me. I've been loyal to this pack my whole life. I've fought for it, bled for it. What have you done except bring trouble and death?"
"I didn't ask to be his mate!"
"No, but you're sure trying to keep him." Sable's voice dropped to a whisper. "Too bad he wishes you'd never come back."
Before Aria could answer, Sable grabbed her wet shirt and shoved her hard against the wall. Aria's head smacked against the stone, making her vision blur.
"Hey!" Damon's voice cut through the crowd that had gathered. "What's going on here?"
"Just having a friendly chat with our Luna," Sable said softly, but she didn't let go of Aria.
"Let her go. Now."
"Why? She can defend herself, can't she? With all that scary power everyone talks about?" Sable's grip tightened. "Unless she's too weak to fight back."
Aria felt something hot and angry growing in her chest. The same feeling she'd had in the forest when her power burst. But this time, she didn't want to stop it.
"Sable," she said softly. "Let go of me."
"Make me."
That's when Aria's eyes started glowing silver.
Everyone in the hallway gasped and stepped back. Sable's confident face cracked, but she still didn't release Aria.
"Do it," Sable said, but her voice was shaking now. "Show everyone what you really are. Show them you're the monster we all think you are."
"I'm not a monster."
"Then prove it. Don't use your power. Fight me like a real wolf."
It was a challenge Aria couldn't ignore. In werewolf society, backing down from a direct challenge meant accepting defeat. If she didn't fight, everyone would think she was weak.
"Fine," Aria said. "But when I win, you leave me alone."
"When I win," Sable said, "you leave the pack. Forever."
The crowd around them started muttering excitedly. Pack challenges were serious business. Whoever lost would have to respect their word or face exile.
"Deal," Aria said.
---
They moved to the training room, where word spread quickly. Soon half the pack was there to watch, including Kael. He stood at the back with his arms crossed, his face blank.
"This is stupid," Damon said, appearing at Aria's side. "You don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do. I'm tired of everyone thinking I'm weak."
"You're not weak. But Sable's been training to fight since she was five years old. She's the pack's best fighter."
"Then I guess I'll have to be better."
The fight started fast and vicious. Sable came at Aria like a hurricane, throwing punches and kicks that would have broken bones if they'd hit. But Aria was faster than anyone expected. All those years living as a rogue had taught her how to move, how to dodge, how to find openings.
For a few minutes, they were equally matched. Then Sable got lucky and landed a punch that sent Aria spinning across the room.
"Stay down, rogue," Sable panted. "You don't belong here."
But Aria got back up. She wiped blood from her mouth and smiled.
"My turn."
What happened next surprised everyone, including Aria herself. She moved like water, like wind, like something that had never been quite human. Every punch she threw hit. Every kick sent Sable sliding backward. It wasn't just fighting. It was something else. Something old and powerful that lived in her bones.
Within minutes, Sable was on the ground, gasping and beaten.
"I win," Aria said, standing over her.
The training room was completely silent. Everyone was looking at Aria like they'd never seen her before. Even Kael looked shocked.
"How did you do that?" Sable whispered.
"I don't know."
And that was the truth. Aria had no idea where those fighting skills had come from. It was like her body had remembered something her mind had forgotten.
"The challenge is over," Damon announced. "Sable loses. She'll respect her word and leave Aria alone."
But as people started to leave, Sable grabbed Aria's ankle.
"You want to know why Kael can't stand you?" she whispered. "It's not because of what happened at the river. It's because of what's going to happen."
"What do you mean?"
"Ask him about the prophecy. Ask him about the bloodline curse. Ask him why he really brought you here." Sable's eyes were full of pain and something that looked like sorrow. "You think you're his mate? You're not. You're his sacrifice."
Before Aria could answer, Sable let go and walked away, leaving Aria alone with questions that made her blood run cold.
She looked across the room at Kael, who was already headed for the door.
"Kael, wait!" she called.
He stopped but didn't turn around.
"What's the bloodline curse?"
His whole body went stiff. "Who told you about that?"
"Does it matter? Just tell me the truth."
Finally, Kael turned to face her. His golden eyes were full of pain and something that looked like guilt.
"The truth," he said softly, "is that you're going to die on your nineteenth birthday. And I'm the one who has to kill you."