ARIA

The training yard echoes with laughter that isn't mine.Sweat trickles down my spine. Splinters bite my palms. The staff shake like a branch in the wind. My wolf claws at my ribs: Prove them wrong. Stand your ground.

My body's screaming from pain as I strain it. I grit my teeth and wrap my hands around the training staff, my muscles burning, but they still tremble. Two warriors sparring nearby, they're making fun of me and they don't bother to lower their voices.

"That's the Luna?" one sneered. "She can't even keep her balance."

"Moon help us if we go to war," another muttered, smirking.

Heat flares in my cheeks, but I force my legs to stay locked in position. I can't give them the satisfaction of seeing me stumble. The bond has chosen me, whether or not they believed. I will prove myself. Somehow.

The staff slipped in my sweaty palms. I waver – and a hand catches me.

"You're gripping it too tightly,"

Elias says evenly, in such a way that calms my nerves. He then goes ahead to release my hold on the staff and correcting my stance. His touch is light as he brushes dirt from my knuckles.

"Strength isn't just in force, Aria. It's in control.

The mocking laughter dulled, though I still feel their eyes. I exhale shakily.

"If I were stronger... if I were enough, he'd look at me differently."

Elias's expression softens, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or maybe he's the weak one, not you"

I blink, startled by the words. Elias smiles faintly, brushing it off with a shrug before I can respond.

Before I can press him, a ripple runs through the warriors. They straighten, eyes flicking towards the gates.

I follow their gaze – and freeze.

A woman rides into the yard with so much aura and authority. Her long hair silk, her cheekbones sharp, her lips curl in a mischievous smirk as her eyes meets mine.

Astrid Morwen. She carries herself as though she already belongs, her confidence biting at my raw insecurities. Boots crunched against gravel, the sound sharp as a blade.The air shifted; warriors straightened as though gravity itself bowed to her.

"Training?"

Astrid's voice is silk dipped in venom. She cast a deliberate glance at my trembling stance before turning her gaze towards Damon, who appears at the far side of the yard.

"Alpha, I had thought you'd keep your Luna busy with... softer tasks."

Snickers erupts. Damon's expression hardens, but he said nothing. The silence cut deeper than any blade. I lower my staff, my throat thick. Not a word. Not a defense. Nothing.

Astrid's smirk widens, as if she'd won something invisible.Her smirk was victory already claimed. I turn, fleeing the training yard before the tears can fall.

DAMON

I arrive late, the smell of sweat and pinewood thick in the training yard. My wolf growls low as I spot Aria struggling with the staff. She looked fragile – too fragile- but I can't let them see me hesitate.

And then Astrid appears. Of course. She always knows exactly when to make herself visible, to remind me of expectations, to test Aria.

I watch Aria lower the staff, shoulders slumping beneath invisible weight. I want to stride forward, to correct the wrong, to take her side. My wolf howls in frustration, sensing her humiliation.

But I did nothing wrong. Pride and strategy hold me in check. Let her stumble now, let the pack see her struggle. Let her learn the weight of the bond in real terms.

Still, my eyes follow her movement as she heads towards the riverbank. My wolf growls in frustration and my heart beats so fast. Why does it burn so?

ELIAS

I catch her before the staff slipped entirely. Her fingers are shaking, her stance faltering, and I can't let her fall – not like this. Not in front of them.

"Strength isn't just in force. It's in control." I say brushing my fingers over hers to steady her grip.

Her words hit me, soft and laced with doubt. "If I were stronger...if I were enough, he'd look at me differently."

I shake my head slightly, "Or maybe he's the weak one, not you." My wolf prowlers just beneath my skin, hackles raised on her behalf.

I watch her eyes blink, and for a brief moment, I will myself to hope she believes me. She lean against my shoulder, clinging to the only anchor she has left.

When the ripple of attention shifts towards the gates, I turn, following her gaze – and tensed, Astrid Morwen. Beautiful, precise, dangerous. A rival hidden behind confidence and poison.

Aria bolts before I can offer more than a half-grasp. I follow her silently, letting her lead the way to the riverbank.

***

ARIA

I end up by the riverbank. The ache in my chest feels worse than ever. I wrap my arms around myself, wishing the bond will silence, wishing Damon will just – see me.

The rush of water muffles my sobs. Fireflies drifted lazily above reeds.I dip my hands into the cold current as if trying to wash away humiliation.

Elias's footsteps crunch softly against the grass. He doesn't speak at first, only sits beside me, close enough for warmth.

theatreon't have to prove yoursefollowem," he says at last.

My laugh is hollow. "If I can't win their respect, what kind of Luna am I?

"The kind who doesn't need their approval," Elias murmurs. "The kind who rules with her heart, not her centre. That's strength too, Aria."

My eyes sting. I turn to him, searching his gaze, clinginggggg to it as the only anchor I have left.

But the bond tugged cruelly, reminding me it isn't his eyes I longed for.

It's Damon's.

ARIA

The hall of Garvoh Pack glows with firelight, shadows dancing across stone walls. Laughter and chatter fill the air as wolves gather for the autumn feast, tables heavy with roasted meat, spiced bread, and overflowing goblets of mead.

The hall smelled of roasted venison, honeyed mead, and spiced bread. Lutes and drums filled the space, though the music faltered when whispers began. Heat from braziers pressed down, suffocating rather than comforting.

I walk in at Damon's side, my steps small, and my nerves trembling beneath the eyes that followed us. I keep my chin up, though every whisper feels like a stone pressing against my chest.

A warrior's mate whispered, "She looks like prey, not a Luna."

An elder scoffed, "Our Alpha deserves better."

"Is that the Luna?"

"She doesn't look like she belongs."

"An Alpha should have chosen stronger."

My wolf stirs, restless, urging me to push back – but Damon's arm never once brush mine. He walked ahead, as if she were an afterthought, not his fated mate. We reached the high table.

Damon takes his seat, and I take mine next to him. He avoids looking at me, he doesn't say a word to me either. I try to distract myself by fumbling with my dress. My heart beats fast as I try to convince myself that tonight would be different. Maybe he'll claim me in front of them all.

An elder rises, raising a goblet.

"Tradition calls for the Alpha and his Luna to share the first dance." His voice rings with authority, drawing all eyes to us.

Heat floods my face. This is it – the chance. I turn to Damon, my hand trembling as it brushes towards his. "We should –"

"No." Damon's voice cut sharp and flat. He leans back, his gaze hard. "We won't perform for spectacle."

Everywhere goes silent. My heart beats faster.

Astrid's laugh breaks it. She rise gracefully, skirts swaying, and stepped towards Damon with deliberate poise.

"If the Alpha refuses the Luna, perhaps he would accept another partner,"

Astrid's hand trails up Damon's arm, her gown brushing his legs as they move. The pack clapped in rhythm, the sound like thunder pounding against my ribs. Damon's wolf might have stirred, but his face remains carved of stone.

DAMON

Her hand moves towards me, delicate, hopeful. My wolf growls low in protest. I should claim her, acknowledge her... but pride, fear, and centuries of learned restraint keep me seated.

The elder's decree echoed in the hall, but the bond inside me throbbed angrily. She's mine. Why should I humiliate her or myself in a public display?

Astrid's laugh draws my attention – a calculated step towards the center. She extends her hand gracefully, in a well calculated precision. I clench my jaws. My wolf growls, reminding me of my unclaimed mate, and the wrong I'm about doing to her.

I refuse to give them the satisfaction they seek. And yet... seeing Aria's hand fall, her chest hollow with expectation unmet, my wolf ache to act.

I turn towards Astrid, accepting her hand with a measured, controlled movement, shielding the Luna from the spectacle I am creating – but not the pain.

ARIA

I freeze. I can't breathe. It feels as though my heart has stopped beating. I can see the surprise on everyone's faces through distant and blurry eyes.

Damon stands. Without hesitation, he takes Astrid's hand. The two move to the center, his strong frame guiding her with effortless power. Murmurs fill the hall. Some disapprove. Some are amused.

I sit still, too scared to move. It feels as though my body might scatter if I move. My head throbs as the music plays. My muscles tense, my hands clench as I hide them under the table. Why won't he claim me? Or even reject me? Instead, he chooses to neglect me.

The bond flares painfully, pulling me towards him, begging for acknowledgement he refuses to give.

Astrid's eyes are glowing with victory as she moves gracefully beneath Damon's arm. When the were close enough, she whispers loud enough for me to hear.

"Poor thing. Even the moon goddess pities you."

My throat burns. I rise, blinking away tears, and turn to leave before this humiliation drowns me completely.

"Aria – wait!"

Elias. I hear him, even before I see him. I stop moving. He appears next to me and places his hand on my shoulder as though trying to shield me from the multitude of eyes.

His hand linger at my elbow, firm, steady-more grounding than Damon has ever been in public. His eyes cut toward Damon, his jaw tight.

"He enjoys tearing you down," he whispers, his words meant only for me. "I never could."

I shake my head, trying to force myself to breathe. "Don't say that. He's my mate."

Elias's smile is small, sad, his eyes shadowed with something unreadable. "A bond doesn't make a man worthy of you."

ELIAS

"Aria – wait!" My voice is steady as I appear beside her, hand on her elbow. My eyes cut toward Damon, jaw tight. Every fiber of me wants to march to him, demand he see her, protect her – but I mask it under calm restraint.

He enjoys tearing you down. I whisper it, low, meant only for her ears. "I never could"

She shakes her head, fighting to breathe. "Don't say that. He's my mate,"

I give her a small, sad smile, a shadow passing across my eyes. "A bond doesn't make a man worthy of you."

I guide her gently away from the chaos. My heart clenches. I wish I can keep her away from this chaotic life forever.

ARIA

The training yard smells of dust and sweat. Sunlight cuts across the ground in sharp angles as I brace myself, determined to hold my stance this time. My arms ache, but I refuse to lower the staff.A sneer cuts across the silence.

"Careful, Luna," Astrid's voice coils like a whip. She circles me with a cruel smile, her own staff balanced lightly in her hands. "You might hurt yourself trying to play warrior."

I straighten. "I'm trying to learn."

"Then learn this."

Astrid moves with sudden force, her staff striking against mine. The impact rattles my bones. I stumble, my wolf snarling inside me. Astrid's staff sliced the air with grace, the wood whistling with each strike.

My arms trembled, but determination kept me going. Each blow Astrid landed wasn't just practice-it was theater.

Astrid presses harder, each blow sharper, faster – more a performance than a sparing lesson. Warriors nearby watch, smirks on their faces.

Then, one strike catches me off balance, pain tearing through my side as the staff clatter away. The bond flares painfully, my wolf growling, thrumming, in resonance with my fear and anger.

I fight hard to rise, but another strike sends me crumpling to the dust. Gasps echo from the sidelines.Before Astrid can smirk down at her victory, a snarl split the air.

"Enough!" The crowd stills.

Damon strides forward, his eyes burning gold, his presence crushing. He shoves Astrid back with one hand, his chest rising and falling with restrained fury.

His snarl roll across the yard, dropping warriors to silence. Power radiate off him, the kind that makes lesser wolves bow without command.

"Who did this to you?" His voice is low, lethal – but his hands are already on me, steadying me as I try to sit up.

For one breath, his thumb brushed her skin, softer than his tone.

I winced, clutching my side. "Why do you care now?"

His jaw tightens. He presses his palm against my ribs, feeling for the break. The touch is firm, almost rough, but beneath it lingers tremor – as though he can't trust himself not to hold me differently.

"Whether we are bonded or not," Damon growls, his voice low only she could hear, "no one touches what's mine."

The words send a shiver through me – not just fear, not just anger, but something hotter that I shove down instantly.

I catch his wrist, yanking his hands away. "Then claim me, or let me go!" My voice crack, fierce with pain and fury.

For a moment, the air thickens. His eyes locked on mine, the bond thrumming like a living thing between us. His thumb brushes against my wrist – whether by accident or instinct, I can't tell – and my breath catches.

Astrid smirk falters, jealousy flaring like fire before she mask it with a cold laugh. The warriors whisper around us, waiting. Watching.

"He touched her."

"Not rejection... but not acceptance either."

"The Alpha doesn't know what he wants."

Damon's nostrils flare. His grip lingers one heartbeat longer – then he pushes to his feet, stepping back as though burned.

Without another word, he turns and walks away, leaving me kneeling in the dust, my heart pounding with a mix of rage, longing, and despair.

Astrid's smirk returns, faint but victorious. Elias, watching from the edge of the yard, is the one who is moving towards me, helping me up when Damon will not.

But the bond still burns. Damon might have walked away, but for the first time, I felt it – the crack in his armor.

The sunlight cuts across the training yard, dust motes floating in the glow, and my resolve sharpens. I will rise. I will endure. And maybe, just maybe, I will find a way to make Damon see me - not as a fragile Luna, but as his equal, his bond, his mate.

DAMON

The snarl tore through the air-an instinct, not thought. Enough.

I start moving before my mind could weigh the consequences, muscles coiled, presence dominating the yard.

Astrid freezes mid-step as I shove her back. My hands find her-Aria-steadying her against the rough ground. My wolf screams for protection, for claim, for dominance, and yet... restraint.

"Who did this to you?" My voice is low, lethal, but soft enough for her ears only.

She winces, hand pressed to her ribs, eyes full of disbelief and defiance. "Why do you care now?"

The bond throbbed, each pulse a reminder that we are tied, that I can not ignore her-even if I wish he can.

"Whether we are bonded or not," I growl, voice trembling with something I refuse to name, "no one touches what's mine."

The words burn, more than anger, more than warning. Aria catches my wrist, yanking my hand away. "Then claim me, or let me go!"

My fingers press her ribs, heat searing out of her through thin fabric. My wolf surged, clawing, demanding I hold her closer-claim her.For one breath, my thumb brushes her skin, softer than my tone.

For a heartbeat, we are suspended between rage, longing, and the pull of the bond. My thumb brushes her wrist-an electric spark neither could deny. Then I step back, jaw tight, eyes flaring gold, and walk away, leaving the dust of the yard swirling around her.

ELIAS

From the edge of the yard, I watch the exchange, teeth clenched, fists tight. Every fiber in my body wants to step forward and fight, to demand Damon see Aria's worth, to shield her from the pain. But I hold myself back, patience layered over desire.

When Damon walks away, I move in silently, hands gentle on Aria as I help her rise. My heart thuds, not with victory, but a mix of relief and something darker I refuse to name.

"You're okay," I murmur, voice steady but warm. "You're stronger than they think."

She leans into me slightly, breathing ragged, wolf still restless. She hasn't yet seen the edge in my green eyes-one only Damon would ever notice.