MasukLenaBenjamin had never looked at me that way.Not once.Not in all the years I had spent by his side, stood poised at his right hand, carried myself with the grace and strength worthy of his Luna. He had never snapped, never lost his icy composure.But then she arrived.Nova starkUnremarkable and timid, soft around the edges, with her wide eyes and that fragile determination she tried to wear like an armor. And in one moment-one foolish, humiliating moment on the training ground- Benjamin had shattered his own rules for her. Get off her. The words echoed in me like a wound. I replayed the scene in my head, fists clenching at my sides. The way he had crossed the field in seconds. The fury in his eyes-not for me, never for me-but for her.Wolves whispered louder now. They dared.“They say she’s his mate”“But he rejected her, didn’t he?”“Rejection doesn’t matter. The bond doesn’t lie.”I wanted to cut their tongues out.Instead, I smiled sweetly at them, letting them see my perfec
NovaThe training ground still buzzed with the echoes of what had just happened. Warriors whispered in low tones, their voices carrying across the clearing like the hiss of wind through tall grass. I could feel every stare, every curious, judgmental eye on me.Benjamin’s roar still vibrated in my chest, even though he had already stalked off to the edge of the field, barking orders like nothing had happened. I knew better. His hands had been on Damien’s throat, his fury unchecked, his wolf nearly breaking free of for me.But he wouldn’t look at me now. Not once.I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms, fighting the heat that wanted to rise in my cheeks. My wolf, Lyra, paced inside me, restless and wild, whispering that it meant something. That he couldn’t stand another man touching me because I was his.But hadn’t he rejected me?My chest ached at the thought, the memory of his cold words slicing through me all over again. He’d denied me, pushed me away, yet the bond tether
NovaThe ache in my muscles was merciless. Every breath burned, every limb throbbed, but I refused to stop. Training had become more than survival, it was defiance. Each bruise was proof that I was still standing.“Again,” Marcus commanded.I nodded, gritting my teeth as I faced my sparring partner-Damian, a seasoned warrior with a wolf as big as a house. His smirk was infuriating, like he expected me to crumble at his feet.“You’re slow, Stark,” he taunted, circling me. To him, pairing him with me is like a total waste of his time.Anger surged, giving me strength. I lunged, aiming a strike at his ribs. He caught my wrist easily, twisting until pain flared up my arm. I hissed, dropping to my knees.“Come on,” he pressed, leaning over me. “You’ll never”In one burst, I rolled, slipping free of his hold. My fist connected with his jaw, surprising us both.He staggered back, then laughed. “Better. But not enough.”We collided again with sweat, dirt, fists, and snarls. His size gave him
NovaThe morning sun cast a pale glow over the Black Moon training grounds, but it did nothing to ease the chill inside me. My stomach tightened as I stepped through the gates, the crunch of gravel beneath my boots sounding far too loud in the silence.Eyes followed me. They always did now. Some are full of pity. Some with scorn. A few with curiosity. Whispers trailed behind me like shadows, feeding the ache I carried since the night of my twentieth birthday.Rejected. Cursed. Defiant.The words clung to me like thorns.I drew a breath and forced my head higher. If Benjamin thought his rejection would break me, if Lena thought her sneers could keep me down, I’d prove them both wrong. Lyra stirred restlessly in my chest, her voice a whisper of encouragement.We are not weak, Nova. We just haven’t shown them yet.The clang of metal and the bark of commands filled the air as warriors sparred across the grounds. They moved with deadly grace, steel flashing, bodies colliding. They were Ben
Lena Drops of sweat clung to my skin as I strode away from the training grounds, my chin lifted high, my lips curved in the smallest, most satisfied smile. The scene replayed in my mind like a song I never wanted to end, Nova standing frozen, humiliated, her wolf simmering beneath the surface, and Benjamin ignoring her. Completely. Utterly. The Alpha hadn’t spared her a glance, and Lena had savored every bit of it. She had won. Not in a battle of fists, but in something far greater: perception. The way the others had glanced between us. whispering behind their hands, had only deepened my victory. Nova Stark, the girl with fiery red hair and a wolf no one took seriously, had been reminded of her place. And Benjamin, my Benjamin had done nothing to stop it. My fingers trailed idly across my arm as I walked, as if stroking the remnants of a victory. But beneath the smugness, I felt a stirring. A shadow of doubt that I quickly shoved aside. Because I knew. I knew Benjamin was
Nova The training grounds buzzed with life, the clang of fists meeting flesh, the grunts of warriors testing their limits, the air thick with the musky scent of sweat and earth. I stood at the edge of the sparring circle, my arms folded across my chest as I tried to ignore the stares that burned into my back. Some were curious, others cruel, but the sharpest were laced with envy. And envy had a name. Lena. The she wolf stepped into the circle with her usual grace, her raven hair tumbling like silk down her back, her green eyes gleaming with malice. Every inch of her was polished to perfection from her striking beauty to the way she carried herself as though the title of Luna already belonged to her. “Well, if it isn’t our weak little Luna,” Lena’s voice dripped with venomous sweetness as she turned toward me. “I almost didn’t notice you there, hiding at the edge. Do you think watching will ever make you strong enough to matter?” The warriors nearby chuckled under their bre







