Chapter Twenty Nine- The Woman Who Challenged The Luna

Aria’s POV

The first thing I heard when I stepped into the training grounds was the sound of fists colliding with flesh.

The second was the familiar chorus of warriors shouting encouragement as two men wrestled in the sand.

For a moment, I stood at the entrance, taking everything in.

The training grounds of Ironcrest had not changed much since I left. The wooden training dummies still stood in neat rows along the wall, their surfaces scarred by years of strikes. Practice swords lay in racks beneath the watchful eyes of the instructors, while warriors ran around the perimeter, their boots kicking up dust with every step.

Beyond the grounds, the mountains rose majestically against the morning sky.

I breathed in the familiar scent of sweat, earth, and wolves.

For the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel like a stranger standing outside my own life.

I felt like I belonged here. Perhaps that was why I had decide to come.

Or perhaps I simply needed to remind myself that becoming Luna didn’t mean I had to spend my days sitting in the packhouse, wearing beautiful dresses and waiting for Kael to tell me what was happening in my own territory.

I had been trained since childhood.

My father had insisted that I learn to defend myself, regardless of the fact that I was his only daughter and heir. Kael had been my personal trainer for years, pushing me harder than anyone else ever dared.

I had complained about his methods more times than I could count.

Now, standing at the edge of the training grounds, I found myself missing those days.

I missed the simplicity of fighting until my muscles ached, falling into the dirt, and getting back up again.

I missed the girl I had been before I made the decisions that changed everything.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward.

The first warrior to notice me immediately straightened.

“Luna!” His voice carried across the grounds.

Within seconds, several others turned.

One by one, the warriors stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads.

“Good morning, Luna.”

“Welcome to the training grounds, Luna.”

“Good morning.”

I returned their greetings with a small smile. “Please, don’t let me interrupt your training.”

They resumed their activities, although I noticed several curious glances following me.

I couldn’t blame them. It had been a long time since I had trained alongside them.

For months, I had been a distant memory in Ironcrest, the runaway daughter who had abandoned her father, her pack, and her arranged marriage.

Now I was back, and I was Luna. The irony wasn’t lost on me.

I walked toward the weapons rack and selected a wooden sword.

It felt familiar in my hands. I tested its weight, rolled my shoulders, and stepped into the nearest empty training circle.

I began with simple movements.

My body remembered more than I expected.

The movements came naturally, even though I hadn’t trained properly in months.

Soon, the rhythm of the exercise pushed everything else out of my mind.

I stopped thinking about my marriage.

I stopped thinking about the elders and their expectations.

I stopped thinking about the fact that Kael was probably somewhere in the packhouse, attending to matters that seemed to multiply every time he finished one task.

For a little while, I was simply Aria.

The girl who could fight. The girl who could stand on her own feet and the girl who had once believed that being strong meant never needing anyone.

I struck the training dummy harder.

The wooden sword connected with a satisfying thud.

“Not bad.”

I turned. An older warrior stood several feet away, watching me with an approving expression.

“Your form is still good, Luna.”

“Thank you.” I smiled.

“You should come here more often. The younger warriors could learn a thing or two from you.”

I laughed softly. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

He smiled before returning to his group.

I continued training, gradually increasing my pace until a thin line of sweat covered my skin.

It felt wonderful. My muscles protested, but I welcomed the ache.

For the first time since returning to Ironcrest, I felt as though I was reclaiming a part of myself that had nothing to do with Kael, my father’s wishes, or the title I now carried.

I was so focused that I almost forgot about the group training in the far corner.

Their movements were sharper than those of the other warriors, their strikes more precise. Most of them were women, although a few male fighters had joined them.

And at their center stood a woman who seemed determined to ensure that everyone noticed her.

She was tall, with dark hair tied tightly behind her head and a body built by years of rigorous training. Her movements were swift and calculated, and she fought with the confidence of someone who had rarely encountered an opponent capable of challenging her.

She knocked a male warrior off balance with a quick sweep of her leg.

He stumbled backward, barely managing to remain upright.

The others laughed and the woman smiled.

“Again,” she ordered.

The warrior groaned. “Selena, give me a moment.”

“Do you ask your enemies for a moment when they’re trying to tear your throat out?”

“No.” He groaned.

“Then get back into position.” She ordered.

The men around her chuckled, and the warrior reluctantly obeyed.

I had heard the name Selena before.

She was apparently Ironcrest’s best female fighter, a position she had earned through years of discipline and countless victories.

I had intended to approach her after finishing my training.

As Luna, I wanted to know the people who served the pack, especially those whose skills could prove invaluable in dangerous situations.

But something about her made me hesitate.

It wasn’t her confidence or her respected authority .

It was the way her gaze kept drifting toward me. Every time our eyes met, she wore the same small, knowing smirk.

It was almost as though she were waiting for me to do something but I ignored it.

I had no intention of letting another woman’s attitude ruin my morning.

After another few minutes, I decided I had done enough.

I returned the wooden sword to the rack and wiped the sweat from my forehead with the towel one of the warriors offered me.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Luna.” He bowed.

I was about to leave when a voice rang out behind me.

“Leaving already?”

I stopped. I knew who it was before I turned.

Selena approached with a wooden sword resting across her shoulders.

Her companions followed at a distance, their expressions ranging from curious to amused.

I offered her a polite smile. “Good morning.”

She tilted her head. “Good morning, Luna.”

There was something strange about the way she said the title.

It sounded less like respect and more like an insult she was trying to disguise.

“You’re Selena, aren’t you?” I asked.

Her smile widened. “At least you’ve heard of me.”

“I have.” I smiled back.

“Then you know I’m the best female fighter in Ironcrest.”

“I’ve heard you’re very good.” I said with admiration.

“Very good?” She laughed. “That’s a rather generous way of putting it.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

“What can I do for you, Selena?”

She lowered the sword from her shoulders and spun it once in her hand.

“Nothing much. I was just wondering whether our Luna still remembers how to fight.”

A few warriors exchanged glances.

I kept my expression neutral. “I seem to remember enough.”

“Do you?” She looked me over. “Because it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Months, actually. Unless you’ve been entertaining yourself with training sessions somewhere else.”

Her companions laughed.

I felt my patience thinning. “If you have something to say, Selena, say it.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, I like that. Then let’s fight.”

For a moment, I thought she was joking.

I glanced at the wooden sword in her hand. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. A friendly fight between the Luna and the best female fighter in Ironcrest.” She smiled sweetly. “Unless you’re afraid.”

I almost laughed. “You’re challenging me to a fight?”

“That’s what I said.” She nodded.

“Why?” My brows furrowed.

“Why not?” She teased.

I studied her face. There was something behind her smile that had nothing to do with training.

I could feel it in the way she watched me, in the way her fingers tightened around the sword whenever someone called me Luna.

I decided to give her one opportunity to explain herself.

“Is this about my position?”

Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second then she laughed. “My goodness, you really do think the world revolves around you, don’t you?”

“I asked you a question.” I frowned.

“And I think you should stop hiding behind that title and prove you deserve it.”

The warriors around us had begun paying attention.

A few moved closer, sensing that the conversation was becoming more than a casual exchange.

I looked at Selena. “If you want to challenge my authority, there are proper ways to do that.”

“Oh, I have no interest in your authority.” She stepped closer. “Your husband, however, is another matter.”

My expression changed. “What did you say?”

She smiled. “There it is.”

Her eyes glittered with satisfaction.“The famous Aria Nightshade. The runaway princess who abandoned her pack for a man who couldn’t even be bothered to tell her when her father died.”

A cold sensation spread through my chest. “Be careful, Selena.”

“Or what?” Her voice grew louder.“Will you run away again?”

The words struck harder than I wanted them to. Around us, the training grounds had fallen noticeably quieter.

Selena glanced at the watching warriors before turning back to me.

“Tell me, Luna. How does it feel to come crawling back after everything you’ve done?”

I tightened my grip on the towel. “I don’t owe you an explanation for my past.”

“No, you don’t.” She nodded thoughtfully. “But perhaps you owe this pack one.”

She gestured around us. “Your father spent his entire life protecting Ironcrest. He trusted you to carry on his legacy, and what did you do? You abandoned him. You abandoned all of us.”

I felt my jaw tighten. “That’s enough.”

“Is it?” Her smile vanished. “Because I haven’t even gotten to the best part.”

She stepped closer until we were almost face-to-face. “Kael was supposed to marry me.”

For a moment, the world seemed to stop.

I stared at her. “What?”

“You heard me.” Her voice carried across the training grounds. “Before you came crawling back, there were people who believed Kael and I would make an excellent match. I was here. I was loyal. I trained with his warriors. I served this pack.”

She tapped her chest. “I never abandoned him.”

My heart gave an unpleasant twist.

I knew Kael had a life before me. I knew he had friendships, memories, and experiences that had nothing to do with me.

But hearing another woman announce that she had been considered for his marriage was different.

Especially when she looked at me as though I had stolen something that belonged to her.

“Was there an agreement?” I asked.

Selena’s eyes narrowed. “Would you like to ask your husband?”

“I asked you.” I glared at her.

“And I think you should ask him.” She smiled again, but there was no warmth in it. “Unless you’re afraid of what he’ll tell you.”

I hated the small uncertainty her words planted in my mind.

Not because I believed her but because Kael and I were still learning how to trust each other.

There were things about him I didn’t know. Things about his past he hadn’t shared and now Selena stood before me, making it clear that she knew something I didn’t.

I refused to let her see that it bothered me.

“If Kael was supposed to marry you, perhaps you should have asked him why he didn’t.”

Her face hardened. A few warriors made quiet sounds of surprise.

Selena clearly hadn’t expected that response. “You think you’re clever.”

“No. I think you’re wasting my time.” I turned to leave.

Her next words stopped me cold.

“Of course. Running away is what you do best.”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Not again. I had spent months allowing shame to define me.

I had returned to Ironcrest prepared to face the consequences of my decisions, even if it meant living with the disappointment in people’s eyes.

But I would not spend the rest of my life letting others use my worst mistake as an excuse to humiliate me.

I turned around. “Say that again.”

Selena’s smile returned. “Running away is what you do best.”

I walked toward her. “Is that what you want to fight me about?”

“I want to fight you because you don’t deserve what you have.” She smirked.

“And what is that?”

She looked directly into my eyes “Kael.”

The name hung between us. For the first time, I understood.

This wasn’t about the pack. It wasn’t about my father’s legacy and It wasn’t even about my return.

Selena believed I had taken something from her, Something she had wanted.

Perhaps something she had expected to receive and now that I was back, she couldn’t bear to see me wearing the title she believed should have belonged to someone else.

I looked at her for a long moment.

Then I nodded. “Fine.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Fine?”

“You want a fight?” I tossed the towel onto a nearby bench. “You have one.”

The warriors immediately began murmuring.

Someone called out for space to be cleared. Another warrior hurried toward the center of the training grounds, shouting for the others to move back.

Selena’s smile widened. “Excellent.”

She handed her wooden sword to one of her companions then she began removing the protective wraps around her wrists.

I did the same. I could feel the eyes of the entire training ground on me.

Some looked worried while others looked eager. A few appeared almost delighted by the prospect of watching the Luna defend her pride.

I didn’t care. I wasn’t fighting because Selena had insulted me.

I was fighting because I refused to let her decide who I was.

I had made mistakes, I had hurt people, I had run away, but I had returned.

I had faced the consequences and I was still standing.

Selena stepped into the cleared space. “Let’s see whether the runaway princess can do anything besides make poor decisions.”

I met her gaze. “Let’s see whether the best female fighter in Ironcrest can do anything besides talk.”

A few warriors laughed and Selena’s smile disappeared.

I rolled my shoulders and stepped forward.

“One rule,” I said. “No interference.”

She tilted her head. “Afraid your husband won’t be here to save you?”

“I’m afraid you’ll need an excuse when you lose.” I teased and her eyes flashed.

Then, without another word, she shifted. Bones cracked, her body twisted, and In a heartbeat, a powerful wolf stood where the woman had been.

Her coat was dark gray, almost silver around the neck, and her eyes gleamed with unmistakable aggression.

The warriors immediately moved farther back.

I stared at her wolf. She was beautiful and powerful but I had been raised among warriors.

I knew better than to judge an opponent by appearance.

My wolf stirred beneath my skin.

For a moment, I hesitated. Not because I was afraid of Selena, but because I knew what this meant.

Once I shifted, this would no longer be a harmless argument between two women.

It would become a real fight.

I thought of Kael , of the way he had looked at me the previous night, and of the promise he had made at dinner.

I knew he would probably be furious if he discovered what I was about to do but I wasn’t going to ask permission to defend myself, not anymore.

I took a breath, then I shifted.

Pain rippled through my body as my bones changed, my senses sharpening as my wolf emerged.

The world became clearer and my scents grew stronger.

I could hear the warriors’ heartbeats, the rustle of leaves beyond the training grounds, and the low growl vibrating in Selena’s chest.

My silver wolf stood firm on the packed earth.

I lowered my head slightly as Selena circled me.

The warriors had gone silent. I could feel their attention pressing against my skin.

Somewhere in the distance, a voice called my name but I ignored it.

Selena lunged but I sprang aside.

Her claws struck the earth where I had stood a moment earlier. I turned sharply, ready to counter her next move but she spun toward me, baring her teeth.

I matched her movement as neither of us backed down.

Then a voice thundered across the training grounds.

“ENOUGH!”

The command struck the air like a whip.

Every warrior froze, even Selena stopped mid-step.

I knew that voice. I didn’t need to turn around to recognize it was Kael.

The Alpha strode onto the training grounds, his expression so cold that even the boldest warriors immediately lowered their eyes.

His gaze swept over the gathered wolves then it settled on Selena.

“Shift back.”

Selena remained motionless.

Kael’s eyes darkened. “Selena, I will not repeat myself.”

A tense silence descended over the training grounds.

Selena slowly turned her head toward him then she looked at me.

For one brief moment, her expression held something that looked almost like triumph as though she had been waiting for this exact moment.

As though the fight had never really been about proving who was stronger.

It had been about making Kael choose where to stand.

I stared at her, a cold realization settling over me.

This woman wasn’t finished, not even close.

Kael stepped forward. His voice dropped into a dangerous growl.

“I said stand down!”