Bride of the Cursed Alpha (Auren and Lucien)

Chapter 250

Chapter 250

Summer POV

The day had finally arrived for the last trial, the Pack Integration trial. I stood with anticipation as the contestants, including me, gathered in the clearing I could feel the weight of the eyes watching, not just from the pack members but from the Alphas and judges. The pressure to lead, to show my worth, felt immense, because I had no idea how to go about it. I had heard that all the Luna candidates were trained to be the Luna of the pack. Though I didn’t know what that meant, I was sure that it consisted of something intense.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Bradley standing, leaning against a tree with a smile on his lips, watching me. Where was Tammy? When I gazed at him, my cheeks heated, and he shamelessly winked at me. Shocked, I looked away, my heart racing wildly. I think he chuckled.

As we stood there, Alex, the contest MC, called us all to attention.

“Welcome to the Pack Integration trial,” he announced. “You will each be given a group of pack members from varying backgrounds. Your goal today is simple: unify them into a cohesive team. You have to show your leadership skills, resolve conflicts, and prove you can make decisions which will be in the benefit of the pack members. You will have until nightfall to complete your task. Remember, there will be no second chances.”

I had offered to back out of the trial to Luna Auren, but she insisted that I should continue with it. They must be having their reasons. Later I heard that after Laura left, Brad had offered to the human council to let me continue as a gesture of goodwill. I guess I was obliged to continue.

I glanced over at the group assigned to me. There were five pack members in total–three male wolves and two she–wolves. Seemed like each of them had their own quirks, and it was clear from their faces that they weren’t sure about me, especially given my position as a human.

Alex handed each of us a list of tasks and objectives. As the trial progressed, I realized that the challenge was not only about resolving conflict but also about maintaining the pack’s unity, even with differing personalities.

“Remember, you will need to keep things fair,” Alex added. “The Alpha and Luna will be watching.”

I could feel their eyes on me already, and nervousness fluttered in my belly.

All of us were then taken to different spots to alienate every group. After I introduced myself to them, I stepped forward. “Alright, we have a few objectives ahead of us,” I said, never feeling this heavy with the weight of the leadership role. “First things first–let’s introduce ourselves and figure out what everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are. We’re going to need to communicate, and I need to know what each of you can contribute. Like what are your strengths?”

The group hesitated, but one by one, they spoke up. Some were more open, while others held back, clearly unsure of me. There was one wolf, a gruff- looking wolf named Jax, who seemed particularly skeptical.noveldrama

“I’m Jax,” he said, crossing his arms. “I don’t see how talking’s going to help us today.”

“Talking’s just the start,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “Communication is very important. Once we’ve got that down, we can move on to the other tasks.”

I noticed another pack member, Kate, watching us intently. She seemed eager to help and I could sense her quiet strength, the kind that didn’t demand attention but commanded respect. She smiled at me. “Hi, I’m Kate!”

The first task was a basic teamwork exercise. We were to navigate through an obstacle course that required teamwork and quick thinking. I divided the trong team into pairs, ensuring that each pair had someone who could balance the others‘ weaknesses. Jax, despite his gruff exterior, was surprisin at clearing obstacles, so I paired him with me.

As the trial unfolded, I found myself constantly moving between the groups, resolving small disagreements, keeping things on track, and making decisions that I knew would benefit the pack as a whole. My mind was working overtime, and I was surprised by myself.

With each task, we grew closer as a team. Jax, who had been resistant at first, began to trust me more. He nodded approvingly when I made a decision to change our approach to any task. His respect for me grew, and it felt good to see him soften. I could tell that the others were starting to see me not as a human, but as a leader. And it was such a lovely feeling. I felt like I wasn’t the weak girl who was constantly abused by my father, I was something more.

At one point, Kate came to me with a small problem–her teammate was getting frustrated with the pace of the task.

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“I think we’re pushing too hard,” Kate said quietly. “They’re getting frustrated.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s slow it down a little. We don’t need to win every task, but we need to work together.”

I instructed the team to take a short break, allowing everyone to breathe. We sat together in the clearing, catching our breath. As we rested, I watched the team interact more freely, exchanging ideas and laughing. And I joined them. Gods, I loved these people. They were so much better than humans.

We were building trust in each other. I could see the shift. There was a sense of camaraderie in the air that wasn’t there before.

At the end of the day, as we reached the final challenge, I felt confident. We had come so far. There was still one last task: a team–based decision–making exercise. We had to choose between two options, and the majority vote would determine how we proceeded.

“Alright, team,” I said as we gathered in the clearing for the final round. “This is the last test. We need to decide quickly, but we also need to consider what’s best for everyone. We can’t let personal interests get in the way.”

I laid out the two options. One required immediate action but might put some of us at risk. The other was a safer, long–term choice that would benefit

r concerns, and then spoke up. the group in the long run. I watched them debate, listened carefully to their

“I think the second option is our best bet. We’ll be safer, and we’ll come

out strid firmly.

”

Jax nodded. “I agree,” he said, his tone softer than it had been earlier. “You’re right. Let’s go with the long–term plan.”

The group agreed, and we completed the trial successfully.

As the trial ended and we returned to the resort. As we all gathered in the garden outside to hear the results, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in what we had accomplished. The other contestants looked tired, some scowling and some muttering curses about handling omega wolves.

The judges came forward, and Luna Auren stood beside them. When I saw Tammy climbing the podium, I couldn’t help but be relieved. I made a mental note of asking where she was.

Bradley was watching me from the sidelines, his eyes filled with pride and an emotion I couldn’t put my finger on.

“After careful consideration,” Judge Cody began, “we have decided on the winners of the Pack Integration trial.”

There was a moment of silence as we all held our breath.

“And the winner is… Team 2, led by Summer!” The judge’s voice rang out, and I couldn’t believe it. My team had won. I looked at my team members, and I could see the pride in their eyes. The pack members erupted in applause. Jax, Kate, and the others cheered, and I felt a warmth in my chest. It was the kind of victory I had hoped for–not just for me, but for the team we had built together. Tears welled in my eyes. Jax came to me and lifted me up in the air, but he immediately put me down when a dangerous growl emanated from the side. I whipped my head only to see Brad staring daggers at Jax. Jax inclined his head in submission, muttering sorry.

Then, just as we were celebrating, I heard a noise in the distance–a growl. It was low and ferocious. Everyone stopped. My heart skipped a beat, and before I could react, a werewolf lunged at me from the shadows.