THE AWAKENING

Selena

"I'm not the same girl who ran away."

One month. It had been a month since I escaped the Bloodfang Pack, and I had collapsed on the riverbank, barely alive. One month ago, Alpha Raiden found me, peered into my eyes, and informed me I was intended for something more.

And now, standing in the midst of the Nightshade training grounds, confronting warriors who had once mocked my weakness, I realized he was correct.

---

"Again."

I barely avoided the attack intended for my ribs, spinning on my heel and throwing my fist into my opponent's jaw. He stumbled back, his eyes wide with amazement.

Raiden watched from the sidelines, arms crossed and expression inscrutable. "She's learning faster than we expected," he mumbled.

My opponent, Jarek, one of Nightshade's greatest fighters, scratched his jaw with a sneer. "Not bad, omega."

I scowled. "Don't call me that."

He lunged again, but this time, I was prepared. I ducked, slid beneath his arm, and slammed my knee into his stomach. The impact knocked him backward, and I didn't hesitate. I snatched the dagger from my belt and pushed it on his throat before he could recover.

Silence.

Then Raiden clapped. "That's enough."

I took a step back, breathing heavily and my heart hammering. Jarek wiped his mouth and grinned. "You sure you're not hiding an Alpha inside you?"

Raiden smirked. "She's Moonborn."

The term felt weird on my tongue, but it was true. I'd spent the last month training, pushing my body to its limits and discovering powers I never thought I possessed. Enhanced speed, heightened awareness, and sharper instincts than ever. But the strength within me went deeper than that.

The prophecy was particularly haunting for me.

---

Raiden's study was dimly lit, with shelves filled with ancient manuscripts. He placed an old book in front of me, its pages brittle from age.

"The prophecy speaks of a she-wolf born under a cursed moon," he explained, scrolling over the pages. "A wolf who will either unite the clans… or destroy them."

I swallowed. "And you think that's me?"

He met my gaze. "There is no doubt."

I shake my head. "That does not make sense. I was nothing in Bloodfang. Nobody respected me. "Why would the Moon Goddess choose me?"

Raiden leaned forwards. "Because power is not granted to those who want it. It is given to those in need.

His comments stayed with me.

For the first time in my life, I was not simply surviving.

I was becoming something more.

---

But not everyone was satisfied.

I stood outside, viewing the stars, in the cold night air. Footsteps approached from behind me, and I tensed before recognizing the aroma.

Jarek.

"You've been avoiding sleep," he said.

I exhaled. "Hard to sleep when your whole life just flipped upside down."

He leaned on the tree next to me. "You don't trust the prophecy."

"I don't trust fate."

Jarek chuckled. "Fate doesn't care if you trust it."

I looked at him for any indication of derision, but there was none. Just understanding.

Before I could react, a loud howl pierced the night.

Jarek and I jumped to attention as another roar rang out. And another. This is the warning call.

Raiden emerged from nowhere, his eyes gleaming. "We're under attack."

My blood became chilly.

---

The combat began before I could comprehend what was happening.

The Nightshade Pack's gates opened, and rogue wolves poured in like a torrent. Clashes of steel, growls, and cries rang across the air. My pulse beat as I grabbed my weapons, adrenaline rushing.

Raiden's voice echoed over the mayhem. They want Selena! "Protect her at any cost!"

I clinched my fist. No. I didn't need any protection.

I grabbed my sword and charged into the combat.

I evaded a rogue's claws and slashed my blade across his chest. He collapsed, but someone else took his position. My body moved instinctively: ducking, attacking, and countering. My training had paid off.

Then I saw him.

Alpha Adrian.

What the hell brought him here?

He stood at the edge of the battlefield, watching with a sadistic sneer.

I charged at him, but he scarcely responded. "Well, well," he remarked. "Look at you." Thinking you're something now."

I gritted my teeth. "You shouldn't have come."

Adrian chuckled. "Do you think you scare me?" You're still the weak little girl I discarded."

I raised my blade, but before I could strike, pain erupted in my side. I gasped and stumbled as a rogue's claws ripped into me.

Adrian stepped forward. "Pathetic."

He raised his sword, and I knew it was the end.

Then, a thunderous snarl echoed throughout the battlefield.

Adrian barely had time to turn around before being smacked into by a large black wolf, which sent him flying.

My breath caught.

Lucian.

He shifted back, eyes burning. His eyes fell on mine, and for the first time, I recognized something other than hatred.

Fear.

He turned back to Adrian, furious. "You shouldn't have touched what's mine."

The battleground went silent.

I stared at him, chest heaving and heart racing.

Lucian was here.

But why?