### Chapter 5: Thrown to the Wolves đșđ„đ
**Lia's POV**
Eric's grip is like a chain, dragging me out of the pack house into the cold morning air.
My bare feet scrape the dirt, the oversized shirt I'm wearing barely covering my thighs, leaving me exposed.
The pack grounds are buzzing, and eyes lock on meâmostly men, their gazes dripping with lust, like I'm some prize they can claim.
It makes my skin crawl, my stomach twisting with disgust. I hate them. Hate this place. Hate *him*. Eric's cold blue eyes and commanding stride scream power, and I want to rip that smug look off his face. đ©žâš
I yank my arm, trying to break free. "Where the hell are you taking me?" I snap, my voice sharp despite the fear clawing my chest.
He stops, spinning to face me, his stare so cold it burns. He steps closer, crowding me, and I step back, my heart pounding.
"Keep being stubborn," he growls, his voice low, a warning wrapped in menace, "and I'll let Dorian know. You'll end up back in that cellar, chained like the omega you are."
The mention of Dorian makes my blood run cold, his cruel smirk flashing in my mind. I force a laugh, bitter and defiant.
"What, you always run to Dorian when you can't handle me?" I taunt, glaring up at him. "Gotta cry to your daddy for help?"
His eyes flash, and before I can blink, he slams me against a wall, the stone biting into my back.
His face is inches from mine, his breath hot, his aura crushing me like a storm.
"You're getting real stubborn," he says, his voice a dangerous whisper. "This is your last warning."
My heart races, but I hold his stare, even as my body shakes. I want to spit in his face, to fight, but he's stronger, and I'm just an omegaâweak, trapped, nothing.
He grabs my arm again, dragging me across the grounds until we hit a wide field.
The air's thick with the clang of swords and the grunts of Lycan warriors training, their muscles gleaming with sweat. My stomach twists. What kind of game is this?
I pull against his grip, my voice shaking. "Why'd you bring me here?"
He ignores me, his voice cutting through the noise. "Zara!"
A man strides over, his frame broad, his gray eyes glinting with something predatory. I don't know him, but the way he looks at meâlike I'm preyâmakes my blood freeze.
He glances at Eric, his voice smooth but edged with menace. "Alpha," he says. "Need anything?"
Eric shoves me toward him, and I stumble, catching myself on the grass.
"I want her to fight one of the warriors," he says, his tone flat, like he's ordering a meal. "Let's see how strong this omega is."
I stare at him, my mouth dropping open.
"You're not serious," I say, my voice cracking. Fight a Lycan? Me? After years on the run, my body's weak, my power drained. He's trying to kill me.
Eric smirks, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. "It's fun seeing you scared all the time," he says.
Zara grabs my arm, his touch rough, and pulls me toward the center of the field. My legs shake, but I force myself to stand tall, even as the warriors stop to stare.
Their eyes are hard, mocking, and I feel like a mouse in a snake pit. Zara raises a hand, silencing the crowd.
"Today," he calls, his voice booming, "we've got a guest. Anyone want to fight the omega?"
The warriors laugh, their voices rough, cutting through me like blades. I scan their facesâall muscle, all power, all Lycan.
I'm nothing compared to them, my omega blood no match for their strength. My hands clench, my nails digging into my palms. Please, let no one step up. Let them think I'm not worth it.
A voice breaks the silence. "I'll fight her."
I turn, my heart stuttering. It's a girl, maybe my age, striding toward me with a swagger that makes my stomach drop.
Her dark hair is tied back, her eyes sharp, her body lean but strong. For a second, I feel a flicker of reliefâshe's not one of the hulking warriors. Maybe I can survive this.
She stops in front of me, her lips curling into a smirk. "Ready for this, omega?" she asks, her voice dripping with challenge.
I force a laugh, my throat tight. "As long as nobody's dying," I say, trying to sound braver than I feel.
Someone tosses me a sword, the weight heavy and awkward in my hands. I grip it, my palms sweaty, as the field clears.
It's just me and her now, the warriors circling us, their eyes hungry for blood. I glance to the side, and my heart sinks.
Dorian and Rick have shown up, standing next to Eric. Dorian's arms are crossed, his smirk cold and cruel, like he's enjoying this.
Rick's quieter, his eyes on the ground, but there's something about him that tugs at me.
My chest tightens, a strange warmth spreading through me, but I shake it off. Focus, Lia. Survive. đŸâš
The girl shifts, her stance low, her sword gleaming in the sunlight. She looks ready to kill, her eyes locked on me like I'm nothing.
A whistle blows, and she moves so fast I can't think. She's behind me in a heartbeat, her foot hooking my ankle, and I hit the ground hard, the air knocked out of me.
The crowd roars, their laughter stinging worse than the dirt in my face. She leans down, her sword at my throat, her voice a hiss.
"How's an omega like you think you can be Luna to Lycans when you can't even take down one of us?"
Rage surges through me, hot and wild. I growl, slamming my fist into her nose. She stumbles back, blood dripping, and I scramble to my feet, my sword shaking in my hands.
"That's what an omega's punch feels like," I spit, my voice raw, my chest heaving.
Her eyes blaze with fury, and she lunges, her sword a blur. I dodge, barely, my body moving on instinct.
I swing my blade, catching her on the back, and she growls, spinning toward me with a speed that makes my heart race.
Her sword arcs, deadly and precise, and I duck just in time, the blade whistling over my head. She's not playing. She could kill me, and the look in her eyes says she wants to.
My arms burn, my strength fading, but I grip the sword tighter, refusing to go down without a fight.
She raises her sword again, her lips curling into a snarl, but before she can strike, Dorian's loud voice booms across the field. "Enough!" đ
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