Aysel's POV I had no intention of spending the next weeks enduring the snide, thinly veiled hostility of my own team. If that was the price of keeping quiet, I'd rather bare my fangs now and make them swallow their doubts whole. Andrea's eyes widened at my challenge-sharp, brazen, and delivered without hesitation. She clearly hadn't expected a young wolf, freshly arrived from the Moonvale Pack, to initiate a formal duel of skill. But the spark in her gaze gave her away. I'd struck her competitive nerve. Sure, picking on a younger wolf was hardly honorable for someone of her standing... but in her eyes, I was a thorny Eastern rose, bristling with defiance-impossible to ignore and even harder to like. "Fine," Andrea said, voice clipped with pride. "Three days. We settle this in our internal showcase. As for roles-Julia is the lead she-wolf, and since you two know each other, she's yours. I'll take the second lead." Then she turned her hard gaze on me, lips curling with a challenge older than any pack treaty. "You wolves of Eastern have a saying, don't you? ‘A wager is a wager.' When you lose-and I don't care what bloodline or backing shields you-I will throw you out myself." I lifted my chin and extended my hand. "Deal." Andrea slapped her palm against mine with arrogance. "Don't disappoint Sophia's praise." Our eyes locked-sparks snapping in the air like clashing aura flares. Beside us, Julia held her breath. She believed in me... but Andrea's reputation was terrifying. High skill, sharp instincts, battle-tested in dozens of showcases. Julia was caught between fearing our defeat and secretly craving to watch Andrea's smug, judging gaze get shattered. Her pretty, sultry face twisted with that conflict. Sophia, on the other hand, simply smiled-soft, knowing. It had been years since she'd seen Andrea this fired up. She patted Julia's shoulder, then turned to me."I look forward to your work." When the crowd finally dispersed, Julia's knees nearly buckled. She leaned against the wall like her bones had turned to mist. "Aysel..." she began carefully, terrified of bruising my pride. "Andrea is very strong. Maybe you should look through her past works first, you know... ‘know your enemy, win your battles'..." If you think we can't win, tell me early-her eyes seemed to plead. The truth was, her earlier solos hadn't matched Sophia's expectations, but that didn't mean Andrea lacked skill. It was simply a mismatch of style. And the piece I'd chosen to go head-to-head on? That meant our two actresses-and the two of us-would share the stage. This wasn't a solo. This was a duel woven inside a collaboration. Julia wasn't wrong-this was much harder. I looked at her, amused. "No confidence in us?" "You weren't like this back home," she muttered. "Back in Moonvale you were... bold. Even without a strong backing you still dared to stand up to Celestine Ward." Her voice faltered. Lately, Julia had been all smiles on the surface, but her heart was under brutal pressure. This opportunity mattered too much. She moved cautiously, swallowed grievances, hid opinions-living like a wolf with her tail tucked. She used to be proud. Sharp. A rising star. How could a wolf perform well onstage in such a cramped, suffocating state? No wonder Andrea kept picking at her. I softened my expression and tossed her a calming bone. "Relax. You forget-this PK is still a collaboration." Julia froze. Then her mind clicked.She snapped her head toward me, eyes wide. I smiled. And nodded. Finally, she understood. No wonder I had chosen such a complicated piece. Onstage, the female lead and second lead may clash-but they are not truly separate. They are rivals who must still breathe the same rhythm, push and pull in unity. Competition inside cooperation. In three days, Andrea and her second lead would be forced to work with us, step by step. Prejudice thrives on distance. If during these three days, my choreography and technique failed to earn respect, then even if I left the troupe afterward, we'd have no right to complain. But if we meshed-if we synced, pushed, challenged, and sharpened each other- then the final "win or lose" wouldn't even be the real outcome. Julia straightened, a new fire lighting her eyes. "We can do this." I lifted my hand, palm up. "Then... let's hunt?" Her grin exploded, bright and fierce. "Let's hunt!"