Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy (ARIA) novel Chapter 204

Chapter 204

ARIA

Finally, the announcement came. Twenty people would advance to the second phase. Ten men. Ten

women.

For the women: Ivory, Nina, Elite, Aria, Margo, Kira, Jasmine, Kendra, Amiyah, Sara.

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I’d made it. Somehow, despite finishing last or near-last in almost everything, despite my obvious failure to keep up compared to the others-I’d made it into the top ten women.

Though I knew why. My title as Luna meant they couldn’t eliminate me without it being an insult and also causing political complications. I was advancing not because I’d earned it, but because excluding the Luna from the second phase would create problems the elders wanted to avoid.

I looked at the other women whose names had been called. Aside from Ivory, Nina, and Margo, I’d never actually met them before today. Kira I recognized vaguely-she worked in the kitchens with Martha. But Jasmine, Kendra, Amiyah, and Sara were strangers.

As we gathered together during the break, I overheard Nina explaining to someone that most of these women were part of something called the SSW otherwise known as Shadowmere Special Wolves. They did spywork. Infiltration. The kind of secret spy operations that required exceptional skills and absolute discretion.

Which explained why I’d never interacted with them before. They operated in shadows, in spaces where the Luna’s notice and involvement would be inappropriate or dangerous.

And it explained their attitude toward me now. They were polite towards me. They acknowledged my presence with appropriate respect for my title. But they didn’t talk around me. Didn’t include me in their conversations or treat me like someone they trusted or valued beyond what was necessary.

They were warriors. Spies. Women who’d earned their positions through capability and dedication. And I was the special case who’d advanced alongside with them despite not deserving it.

For the men: Kael, Jordan, Jason, Marcus, Damien, Chase, Aiden, Bucky, Sam, Dean.

I recognized most of these names from various pack functions. Kael obviously. Jordan was his assistant. Jason I’d heard mentioned before-wasn’t he the one Margo had been teasing Ivory about? Marcus had been one of the guards who’d taken the accelerants during our rescue. The others I knew by face if not by extensive personal interaction.

They were gathering on the opposite side of the training grounds, already forming the kind of casual camaraderie that came from shared capability and mutual respect. Warriors who knew they belonged here, who’d earned their advancement through genuine skill rather than political necessity.

“Water break!” one of the evaluators called out. “Fifteen minutes. Then we reconvene for the team selection

announcement.”

People dispersed toward the spectator stands where family and friends were waiting with water, towels, encouraging words. I saw warriors being greeted by proud pack members. Saw Nina immediately surrounded by her team offering congratulations and support. Saw Ivory being handed water by at least three different people, all of them praising her performance despite her theatrical complaints.

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Chapter 204

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I had no one waiting for me. Kael was with the other male participants. The pack members who’d come to spectate didn’t know me well enough to feel invested in my performance. I was alone in a crowd, watching everyone else celebrate advancement that they’d earned while I’d just barely scraped by from pure luck and nepotism.

I grabbed water from the communal supply and found a spot on one of the benches slightly away from the main groups. Tried to catch my breath. Tried to process the fact that I’d made it to the second phase despite knowing I probably shouldn’t have.

Across the training grounds, I could see Ivory gasping dramatically, her whole body draped across the nearest bench like she’d been pushed beyond all possible endurance. She was clutching a water bottle like it was life itself, moaning about muscle failure and physical destruction in ways that were so obviously exaggerated that people were laughing.

“I’m dying,” she announced to no one in particular, her voice carrying across the space with theatrical despair. “Actually dying. Someone tell the elders I gave my best performance and request a tasteful memorial service.”

“You’re not dying,” Nina called back, clearly amused. “You’re being dramatic.”

“Same thing!” Ivory protested, sliding off the bench onto the ground in a boneless heap. “This is what death looks like. Enjoy my final moments.”

More laughter from the spectators. More affection from pack members who were entertained by her performance even though they all knew she was fine.

I watched this and felt that familiar hollowness. The knowledge that when I struggled, it was real and pitiful. When she struggled, it was entertainment that made people love her more.

A sharp whistle cut through the noise and laughter, commanding immediate attention. One of the commanders-a senior warrior whose name I’d never learned-stood at the center of the training grounds with an announcement.

“We need one person from the female team and one person from the male team to compete for the chance to draw slots!” he called out, his voice carrying easily across the space. “This will determine who has the authority to select their own partner when names are drawn. The winner gets first pick. The loser gets whatever the lottery gives them.”

The implications were immediately clear. Whoever won this competition would have significant advantage -being able to choose their partner meant you could strategically select someone whose skills complemented your own, rather than being stuck with whoever random chance paired you with.

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