Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter

28

The woman let out a sharp hiss, her eyes red as she glared at Fiona. Fiona reacted quickly, her instincts honed by years of training. Being a Rosenthal wasn't just about healing. She was a werewolf trained to fight for her life.

The woman lunged at her again, but Fiona sidestepped, swinging her dagger with precision. The blade nicked the woman's side. She snarled in pain, her glowing red eyes filled with rage.

The woman was fast-too fast. Fiona barely had time to brace herself as the woman spun and delivered a sharp kick to her midsection. Fiona stumbled back, gasping for breath but keeping a firm grip on the dagger. She refused to back down. If this woman thought she could overpower her, she had another thing coming.

They circled each other, both waiting for the next move. Fiona noticed the slight hesitation in the woman's stance, a brief pause before each strike. She was trying to gauge Fiona's skill, testing her limits. Fiona wouldn't give her the chance. The woman lunged again, aiming for Fiona's throat. Fiona ducked, slashing upward in a sharp motion. The blade grazed the woman's shoulder, drawing blood. The woman hissed, eyes flashing in fury, and rushed forward in a blind attack. Fiona barely managed to block the next blow with her arm. The force of the hit made her wince. She twisted, using the momentum to jab the dagger into the woman's side. Still, the woman twisted away just in time, earning only a shallow cut. Before the woman could recover, Fiona kicked her hard on the knee, causing her to stumble. Fiona moved in for a finishing strike, her dagger poised to end the fight. But just as she was about to deliver the blow, a sharp clap echoed through the room.

"Enough!" Miss Rosenda's voice rang out, freezing Fiona in place. Fiona looked over, shocked to see the older woman standing in the doorway, her expression calm but stern. "Fiona, Kariana... that is enough."

Fiona hesitated, her dagger still raised, her breath coming in sharp gasps. The woman she had been fighting-Kariana, as Miss Rosenda had called her-took a step back, her glowing eyes fading to normal. She rubbed her wounded arm, glaring at Fiona but making no move to attack. "Put the knife down, Fiona," Miss Rosenda said, her tone firm. "Kariana wasn't trying to kill you. This was a test."

Fiona blinked, her mind racing to catch up. A test? She looked between Rosenda and Kariana, her grip on the dagger slowly loosening. "What?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion and lingering adrenaline.

Miss Rosenda stepped forward, arms crossed. "Yes, a test. Kariana is one of my best assistants. She wasn't going to harm you in a serious manner, but we needed to see how you would handle a surprise attack. Fiona's jaw clenched, her anger rising. "You call this a test? You nearly got me killed!"

Kariana gave a small smirk as she stood not too far away from Fiona. She was now more relaxed than she was earlier. "You did better than I thought you would," she said, though there was a hint of grudging respect in her tone.

Miss Rosenda didn't seem bothered by Fiona's frustration. "Consider it a lesson," she said briskly. "In this palace, you need to be ready for anything. Danger can come from anyone, anywhere. I needed to see if you were truly capable of handling yourself." Fiona took a deep breath, lowering the dagger completely. Her heart was still pounding. The realization that this had all been some twisted initiation left her both furious and relieved.

"Well, now you know," Fiona muttered, her voice hard.

nodded. "Yes, I do. Now drop the knife. There's no

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finally releasing her grip on the dagger. It clattered onto the floor, the

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Miss Rosenda tumed her attention to the woman

She knew this was another part of the test too. Seeing her reaction, Rosenda gave her a sarcastic smirk. "You didn't

raise a fuss

maid, her expression unreadable. "Poisoned, you say?" she asked, raising

"The signs are subtle, but they're there. The pale skin, the shallow breathing, and the discoloration-these all point to poison. It's likely something mild, but

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sharp. "And what would you do about it, then? If you're so certain, tell me how

most poisons that affect werewolves, though it has to be measured carefully to avoid any adverse effects. After that, I'd use Bloodroot to stimulate her natural healing ability and flush the toxins from her system. We'll also need to keep her

respond immediately, her eyes narrowing as she studied Fiona. Then, with a faint smirk, she nodded. "You're not just a pretty face after all.

meeting Rosenda's gaze without flinching. "I've been trained since I

tone brisk. "Then get to work. I want you to treat her now.

herbs and tools. With practiced precision, she began to mix a small dose of wolfsbane into a vial of water. Once

the maid's chest and applying gentle pressure to

the poison," she said, her voice calm. "The bloodroot will work with her natural healing

you've predicted." Fiona wiped her hands, feeling the adrenaline start to wear off. She glanced down at the maid, who was already showing signs of steadying breathing. "She'll be fine,"