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And if it is, I need Arwan to do me a favor.

If this doesn’t make him owe me one, I don’t know what will.

The crowd is murmuring. Another shifter talking to one of the cameras quickly waves the filming crew over to where I’m heading.

Bianca crosses her arms as I approach.

When I reach her, I curl my fingers into fists.

Here we go.

“Ouch, that looks like it hurts,” I say loud enough for the cameras as I lean in and inspect her nose.

There’s a nice crescent-shaped mark that pierces straight through one nostril and digs a line through the entire ridge.

Her gaze drops to the necklace resting on my cleavage. My battle leathers are tighter than what I usually wear, and Godric must have had them custom-made, because they hug my shape perfectly.

“That explains why it hasn’t healed,” she snarls. She snatches up my necklace, and the cord goes taught. As she inspects it, I’m forced to balance on my toes, given how much taller she is than me. “Picking up a few tricks from our pack master, hmm?”

I tilt my head at that thought. If I picked up something from Godric that prevented her wound from healing, then that would mean…

He has toxin in his bite. Just like the wolf who bit him.

Is that why he’s so careful with me?

She glances up when the shifter balancing the camera on his shoulder comes in closer.

She gives me some slack but doesn’t let go.

It seems I was right that she won’t do anything in front of the cameras.

“It won’t be enough to save you,” she vows with venom in her tone. Then she raises her voice as she steps back, dragging me with her because she’s still holding my necklace. “I challenge this candidate!” Bianca shouts, making the blood drain from my face.

I assumed the first combat would be between humans like the practice had been.

But as I scan the training grounds, I realize all the female shifters are geared up and in a neat line.

This time, they’re the opponents.

Shit.

My mind spins as I think of how I barely survived my last encounter with her. Shoving down the panic, I swat her hand away.

She allows it and smirks at me as I prop a hand on my hip. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll mark up your ugly face some more?” I say.

Bianca doesn’t react, but her gray eyes slightly widen. “Do you think you’re special?” she asks with a calm lethality to her words.

I freeze, but she continues talking as she leans in until there’s only a few inches between us. “The infusion might have given you some shifter traits, but you aren’t a shifter.” She snorts as she leans back again. “Everyone knows that our pack master won’t take a mate. He’s toying with you.” She brushes the soft brown ringlets of my hair over my shoulder. I’ve forgotten to put it up again. “You don’t belong here, little girl.”

My heart twists because she speaks with enough truth that my confidence wavers.

Godric had called me special, but Bianca cuts right through that term of endearment and makes it a taunt.

Even the pack master said I didn’t belong here.

Maybe she’s right about that, too.

And now she’s going to wipe the floor with my limp body.