Training

CHAPTER FIVE

"Training

Selene's POV

The punch hit me that hard, and I found myself on the ground.

My back landed on the earth, and I gasped for a breath of air.

"Get up, " Ronan ordered while standing over me.

I opened my eyes to the sky, tears blurring. My arms ache. My legs shake. My body wasn't used to this. My soul was even more vulnerable.

But I rolled over, pushed with my palms, and stood on my feet.

Again.

I had to.

Even if I bled, I had to.

Because I saw Kael's face when he stood beside Mira, his hand on her belly, his voice thundering as he declared,

"This child will bear my name… and lead this pack."

My father's pack.

No.

That child will never be Alpha. Not while I still breathe.

Ronan raised his hand again.

"Concentrate. Use your feet. "

I attempted it.

I swung at him, and he easily caught my hand.

He didn't hit me this time. He just stared at me with disappointment.

Selene. It's blindfolding you."l

"Your anger is too loud,”

"I'm trying!" I shouted, my voice breaking.

"I'm trying and it isn't working!"

I pushed him away and stumbled off.

Tears scalded my eyes.

"I'm weak. I can't fight. I couldn't even protect myself from a lie. I couldn't protect my father. I let Kael strike me, shame me—humiliate me—and I didn't return it. I didn't fight him back.”

I dropped to the ground, weeping into my hands.

"I'm nothing, Ronan… I'm just a broken girl."

There was silence for a long time.

Then I felt his arms wrap around me from behind.

He didn't say anything at first. He just hugged me.

Not tightly.

Gently.

As if he didn't, couldn't allow me to break if, if he held me too hard.

"You are not broken," he breathed softly.

"You are just… hurt. Hurt people can become strong.”

{His voice was warm against my ear. It made something inside of me ache, ache in a way that couldn't explain, couldn't exactly find words to.

"I saw your father train when even when he was the alpha" he panted. “ he said when he was born, Selene. He became strong. In fire. In pain."

"He fell over. He was not strong”

I slowly turned to look at him.

His silver hair rode over the top of his forehead in a slight angle. There was a scar under his eye that I did not recall seeing before.

He looked like someone who had lost everything… and yet still stood.

“ I wish I was as strong as you, " I whispered.

"You can be," he said.

I stared up at his eyes. They were near now. His face an inch from mine. My breath locked in my throat.

I didn't know what was going on.

But for one moment, the world seemed to recede.

The forest.

The pain.

The betrayal.

Everything just dissolved.

There was only him and I.

He raised his hand, brushing a tear off my cheek with his thumb. His skin was warm.

And then…

He leaned in closer.

My heart pounded. I could feel his breath on my lips. I shut my eyes—

A knock came at the cabin door.

Both of us jumped away quickly.

Ronan got up. His body tense. His sharp eyes again.

He pushed the door open, and an old man stepped in. Dressed in black travel gear. His eyes widened as he spotted me.

He bowed his head.

"Lady Selene."

"Who is it?" I asked, appalled.

"I served your father," he said.

"I followed your scent when I heard rumor you might be alive."

My heart sank.

"Rumors?"

He nodded and regarded Ronan.

"There's news… terrible news. "

Ronan fully opened the door, and I sat, my hands trembling while I listened.

"Kael and Mira are celebrating. They're throwing the 'New Dawn Ceremony.”

I braked.

"What is that?"

I asked, although I already feared the answer.

"Kael will crown himself permanent Alpha. And he will proclaim Mira's unborn son pack heir."

I looked at him.

No words.

Only pain.

Like a stake to my heart.

"Also going to burn your dad's will. And destroy all the things that were his. The memory room, the old dusty books… the photographs… everything."

I felt sick.

I hunched over and cradled my stomach, trying not to puke.

I had nothing anymore.

No where. No authority. No history.

They were erasing me.

Erasing him.

My dad.

Ronan leaned over and sat beside me.

I didn't scream then.

I just breathed.

Deeply.

Then I stood up.

My knees shook, but I kept them.

I glared Ronan right back.

"I want to fight. "

He nodded once.

"Then we begin right."

—

It was not easy the next few days.

We got up before sunrise.

We ran through the woods until my legs gave out. We sparred with sticks of wood. With swords. With claws. He taught me how to parry, how to recognize body language, how to control

my wolf.

I cried at night when he wasn't around.

Sometimes… he caught me.

Sometimes… he just held me.

He never said much about his past.

But once, after a very long training session, when I tripped over the grass and laughed because I had actually been able to disarm him, he looked at me for a long time and said:

"I used to dream of this."

"Of what?"

He smiled softly.

"You. Standing. Fighting. Rising."

I didn't say anything.

I didn't know how.

But when he looked away, I grabbed hold of his hand.

And he didn't let go.