94. Before The Blood Moon.

Rose POV

I never imagined my life would turn into this.

A few weeks ago, I was just a normal girl. I worried about work, traffic, bills, and simple things. Now, I stood in the middle of a large training field, surrounded by powerful wolves, learning how to survive a world I didn’t even know existed years ago.

The morning air was cool, but my body was warm from movement.

“Again,” Caleb said.

I exhaled slowly and adjusted my stance.

Adrian stood a few steps away from me, watching carefully. Matthew stood beside him, his arms folded, his eyes sharp and observant.

I moved forward and attacked.

Caleb blocked easily.

Too easily.

Before I could recover my balance, he tapped my shoulder lightly.

“If that was a real fight,” he said calmly, “you’d be on the ground already.”

I groaned.

“I know.”

Matthew stepped forward.

“You’re thinking too much,” he said. “Stop trying to fight perfectly. Just react.”

I nodded.

I was tired.

But I didn’t want to stop.

Because this wasn’t practice for fun.

This was survival.

From the side of the field, I heard my mom voice.

“That’s my girl!”

I turned and smiled.

My mom stood near the edge of the training ground, clapping proudly like this was a school sports day instead of combat training.

Her presence gave me strength.

She looked worried sometimes, but she never showed fear in front of me. She always smiled. Always encouraged me.

And I needed that.

“Ready?” Caleb asked.

I nodded.

This time, I moved faster.

I didn’t overthink.

I attacked.

He blocked again, but this time I adjusted, stepped aside, and pushed forward.

Caleb’s eyes widened slightly.

Then he smiled.

“Better.”

Adrian spoke for the first time.

“Again.”

His voice was calm, but I knew him well enough now to hear the approval behind it.

I trained again.

And again.

And again.

By the time Caleb finally said, “Break,” my arms felt like they would fall off.

I sat down on the grass, breathing heavily.

Training like this was exhausting.

But something inside me was changing.

I wasn’t just a human anymore.

I wasn’t weak anymore.

And for the first time, I felt like I was slowly becoming part of this world.

While I rested, I noticed Adrian and Matthew talking quietly.

Their faces looked serious.

Too serious.

A moment later, Caleb walked toward me.

His expression was different.

Not relaxed.

Not casual.

Something was wrong.

“What happened?” I asked immediately.

He hesitated.

Then he said quietly, “We just got news.”

My chest tightened.

“About what?”

He looked at Adrian.

Adrian walked closer.

His voice was low.

“Lucy is dead.”

The world suddenly felt quiet.

I stared at him.

“…What?”

Caleb spoke gently.

“She died in the forest.”

My heart sank.

Lucy.

Even after everything… even after the ritual… even after the conflict…

She didn’t deserve that.

“And Rowan?” I asked.

Matthew answered.

“He took her body. He disappeared into the forest.”

I looked down at my hands.

I didn’t know Lucy well.

But I knew her pain.

I knew what it felt like to be pushed into something you didn’t fully understand.

I knew what it felt like to fight for a place.

And now she was gone.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

No one spoke for a moment.

Even the air felt heavy.

Then Adrian said quietly, “We don’t have time to stay in grief.”

I nodded slowly.

Because I understood.

The war was coming.

And the world wasn’t going to pause for sadness.

Adrian POV

Watching her train today made something clear to me.

She was changing.

Not just physically.

Mentally.

Emotionally.

Rose was stronger than she thought.

Every fall, she stood up.

Every correction, she listened.

Every mistake, she tried again.

That was the kind of strength a Luna needed.

When the news about Lucy came, I watched her reaction carefully.

She didn’t celebrate.

She didn’t show relief.

She showed sadness.

That told me everything.

She had compassion.

Even for someone who had stood against her.

That kind of heart was rare.

And dangerous.

Because this world was not kind to soft hearts.

But I wouldn’t let her carry this alone.

Not anymore.

After training, I saw her sitting with her mother under the large tree near the field.

They were talking quietly.

I stayed at a distance.

This was something they needed.

Family.

Comfort.

Normal conversation in a world that was no longer normal.

But I kept watching.

Because protecting her wasn’t just about fighting enemies.

It was about making sure she didn’t break under the weight of all this.

Rose POV

I sat beside my mom, resting my head on her shoulder.

For a moment, everything felt normal.

Like when I was younger.

Like before all this.

“You’re doing well,” she said softly.

“I’m trying.”

She held my hand.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

I looked at her.

“For what?”

“For hiding this life from you.”

Her voice was quiet.

“I tried to keep you away from all this. I wanted you to live a normal life. I didn’t want you to carry this burden.”

I squeezed her hand.

“You were protecting me.”

She shook her head slightly.

“I didn’t know you had a role in this world. If I had known… I would have prepared you.”

I smiled a little.

“I’m learning now.”

Her eyes softened.

“You have to be strong, Rose.”

“I know.”

“No,” she said gently. “Not just physically. Strong in your heart. Strong in your decisions. This world will test you.”

I nodded.

“I won’t run.”

She pulled me into a hug.

“I know you won’t.”

"Your dad would have been so proud of you."

Adrian POV

The Seer’s presence always changed the air.

You could feel it before you saw her.

Calm.

Heavy.

Certain.

She walked toward us slowly.

Everyone stopped what they were doing.

When the Seer called a gathering, it was never something small.

“Come,” she said.

We gathered around her.

Rose stood beside her mother.

Caleb and Matthew stood near me.

The Seer looked at all of us.

Her expression was serious.

“We need to prepare,” she said.

“For what?” Caleb asked.

The Seer’s voice was calm.

“The Blood Moon is tonight.”

Silence.

Matthew frowned.

“That’s not possible. It was supposed to be tomorrow.”

The Seer shook her head.

“It was revealed to me this morning.”

I felt tension move through the group.

Everything had been planned based on tomorrow.

Training.

Protection.

Preparation.

Now we had less time.

Rose looked shocked.

“Tonight?”

The Seer nodded.

“You will all be fortified tonight.”

Her eyes moved to Rose.

“There is no mistake.”

Rose swallowed.

“Is something wrong?”

The Seer’s expression softened slightly.

“No. There is no danger in the change.”

She looked at all of us.

“But fate does not always follow the time we expect. Sometimes it moves faster.”

I took a slow breath.

Then I nodded.

“Then we prepare now.”

The Seer inclined her head.

“That is the right choice.”

Rose POV

Everything suddenly felt faster.

Training.

Preparation.

Fortification.

Tonight.

The Blood Moon was tonight.

I looked at Adrian.

He looked calm.

But I knew him.

He was already thinking ahead.

Planning.

Protecting.

I took a deep breath.

Fear tried to rise inside me.

But I pushed it down.

Because this was my world now.

Our fight.

My place.

And tonight…

Everything would begin.