Chapter 2 #2
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the dying embers in the fireplace. I had expected indifference from this pack. I had prepared myself for coldness, for resistance, even for anger.
But I hadn't expected fear. And the worst part? I didn't know if they were afraid of me... or for me.
Dawn crept through the frost-laced windows, a pale whisper of gold against Silverpeak's cold stone. I inhaled sharply, the morning air biting deep, cutting through the heaviness in my chest. But I welcomed the chill—it kept me from feeling numb.
I couldn't keep the day before from my mind. The vendor's wary gaze. The silent warriors watching me in the market. The weight of their cold detachment pressed on me like a second skin, impossible to shed.
I needed answers. I needed something to ground me here before I lost myself in this place completely.
I had spent two days being ignored. I would not spend a third.
I needed something to hold onto here. A place. A purpose. The healers seemed to be the only answer.
I needed to speak with him—even if I would rather avoid Draven. I had to do something meaningful here, something that gave me purpose.
I couldn't waste away in this lifeless place. And if he was going to ignore me, then I'd take matters into my own hands. But as I walked out into the hallway, I was surprised to find someone waiting at my door. Viola.
"Good morning, Luna,"
"Viola," I said, a bit startled. "Why are you waiting here?"
She straightened up, her hands twisted in her skirt. "I... I was assigned to be your personal maid. My mother told me last night."
I blinked, taken aback. "Personal maid?" I didn't even know what to say. This felt odd. Was this because she escorted me yesterday?
"Is that... a problem?" she asked, her eyes wide with concern, as if she feared I would reject her.
"No," I said quickly, perhaps too quickly. "I just feel you have something better to do than being my personal maid."
"It's no worries, Luna. I loved spending time with you, unless you have problems with me being your maid,"
"You're the last person I would have problems with. Also, is this what you want?"
Viola's face brightened. "Of course, Luna," she said with a small smile. "I want to help. I know things have been... difficult for you here."
Her words hung in the air for a moment. I nodded. "Well, thank you. I appreciate it."
Viola bounced on her feet. "What do you want to do today, Luna?"
"I need to speak with Draven," I said, my tone firm. "I'm going to tell him that I'm joining the healer's clan."
Viola's expression faltered, and she hesitated for a moment. "I... I don't know if that's a good idea."
I stopped in my tracks, turning to face her. "Why not?"
"I know I said you could talk to the Alpha yesterday, but I didn't mean to talk to him directly. I was thinking you would speak to Beta Rogilar who will in turn speak to the Alpha for you," she said, glancing around, lowering her voice, "The Alpha is not exactly... the most open person to talk to."
I thought of her words, but even I haven't spoken a word to the Beta before. My best option is speaking to Draven himself. I had enough of being ignored.
"He can choose to ignore me, but I won't just stay silent in this pack. I won't be a ghost here. I deserve to be heard."
Viola looked conflicted but nodded, finally giving in. "Alright, I'll take you to him. But please, be careful. He doesn't tolerate... interruptions."
I followed her through the corridors, my steps growing steadier with each passing moment. I wasn't going to let fear dictate my actions any longer. Not when I had a purpose now.
We arrived at the training grounds, and I paused in my tracks. The sight before me took my breath away.
Draven was training with a few of his warriors. They moved with calculated precision, each strike and block perfect. The energy in the air was charged—every movement, every breath full of raw power.
Draven moved like a storm contained within flesh—calm, lethal, and commanding in a way that made it impossible to look away.
His muscular build, his silver eyes flashing with intensity, the way his body moved—it was mesmerizing.
He didn't hesitate. Didn't falter. His warriors followed him like shadows, each strike and counter flowing like an unspoken command between them.
I should have looked away. I should have ignored the way my pulse quickened watching him. But I didn't. And that unsettled me more than anything else.
He was both terrifying and captivating. Like a storm that could destroy everything in its path. And yet, there he was, surrounded by his warriors, leading them with an undeniable authority.
I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. Then Draven's eyes snapped to me. The air around us seemed to crackle, the tension thickening.
His face, usually a mask of cold indifference, shifted slightly—displeasure flickered across his features.
Viola nudged me, breaking my trance. "Luna," she whispered.
I took a deep breath, shaking myself out of the momentary daze. I walked forward.
Draven halted mid-step, his silver eyes locking onto me like a blade pressed against my skin. A long, charged silence stretched between us before he exhaled, turning away.
"What are you doing here?" His voice, low and sharp, sent a shiver down my spine.
I squared my shoulders, fighting the instinct to shrink under his gaze. "I came to speak with you," I said, my voice firm.
"I see."
"I want to join the Healers Clan."
Draven's gaze didn't waver, but something flickered in the depths of his silver eyes—a shadow of thought, gone before I could grasp it. His jaw flexed, his lips pressing into a firm, unreadable line.
"You seem determined," he muttered, almost to himself.
I nodded, my voice firmer now. "Of course, because this is what I want."
I shivered as Draven's gaze bore into mine, it had nothing to do with the cold. My heart started racing. I swallowed hard, but I refused to back down. I squared my shoulders, meeting his glare with a steady gaze, my voice firm.
"So you've already forgotten the rules I set the first day?"
I squared my shoulders. I rolled my eyes, unable to keep the bite from my tone. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize your rules meant keeping me locked away like some forgotten relic."
His eyes flashed with something unreadable, but he quickly masked it. "You are under my roof, Elara. You will follow my rules."
I crossed my arms over my chest, stepping closer, undeterred by his icy demeanor. "I won't live by your rules. I'm not going to sit idly by and waste away."
His expression darkened. "Don't push me, Elara. Stay within your means, don't poke your nose into what's not your business."
"No," I retorted, my anger flaring. This was my only chance of not going insane.
The warriors around us watched in silence, clearly uncomfortable, but I didn't care. This was about me, my life, and my future.
"You may be Luna," Draven said, his voice dangerously calm, "but you're in my territory, my pack, and those are my rules. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can change them."
I swallowed hard, my body shaking with the intensity of the moment.
"I'm not just some silent fixture in your pack, waiting for scraps of acknowledgment. I refuse to be invisible. I will do something that makes me happy and that's joining the healers clan whether you like it or not."
His eyes narrowed, his silver gaze sharp as a blade. For a moment, I thought he might lash out. But instead, he took a breath, his expression unreadable.
Draven's gaze didn't waver, but a muscle twitched in his jaw—a crack in his marble composure. He stepped closer, the heat of his body cutting through the chill of the training grounds. I held my ground, though my pulse roared in my ears.
"You want to join the healers?" His voice was low, edged with something I couldn't name. Not anger. Not approval.
His proximity flooded my senses—cedarwood, frost, and the faint metallic tang of sweat from training. His heat radiated through the cold air, and my breath hitched. I forced my chin higher, refusing to let him see how he affected me.
"Yes." My voice wavered, betraying me. "I won't stop until you give me what I want."
His silver eyes darkened, lingering on my lips for a heartbeat too long. A muscle flexed in his jaw, as if he were wrestling with something unspoken.
For a heartbeat, silence hung between us. Then Draven turned sharply to his Beta, Rogilar, who stood rigid at the edge of the training circle. A tense beat passed before Draven's lips curled—not in a smile, but something close to amusement.
"Assign her to the Healers' Clan." I blinked. What?
Rogilar dipped his head. "At once, Alpha."
I stared at Draven, wondering what changed in seconds. But he was already walking away, his broad back a wall of leather and muscle.
"You better not cause trouble there," he tossed over his shoulder, as if I had ever caused him trouble.
Viola tugged my sleeve, her eyes wide. "Luna, we should go."
I forced my stiff legs to move, my mind still reeling at how this had gone better than I had imagined.
"Thank you," I called after him. Draven didn't acknowledge me, but I didn't mind. The important thing was, I got what I wanted.
I watched him return his attention to the warriors, his back a wall of muscle and authority. He didn't look back, and for a brief moment, I wondered if I had made the right choice by confronting him directly.
But I held my ground. I had done what I set out to do—taken control of my own path, no matter how reluctantly he had given it to me.
I didn't call after him. No thanks, no further words. I had already said everything I needed to. He wouldn't care about anything else.
Only when we rounded the corner did I exhale, my shoulders sagging. Viola grinned, her eyes wide. "That went better than I expected!"
"You don't say," I muttered, still in disbelief, glancing back.
But something gnawed at me as we walked in silence. Draven had agreed too easily. He didn't argue, didn't make me beg. He simply... gave in.
I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling creeping into my chest, curling around my ribs like a phantom whisper. Draven never conceded this easily.
Was it truly that simple? Or had I just walked into something far more dangerous? Before I could voice my doubts, Viola's voice broke through my thoughts, her tone full of awe.
"I can't believe you just did that, Luna. The Alpha... he actually listened to you."
I met her gaze, still lost in thought. "I'm just as shocked as you are."
"Maybe this is a sign from the moon goddess that you are a match for him." I blinked, taken aback by her words. A match for him?
No. That wasn't it. Draven was no one's match. He was untouchable, cold, a force unto himself. It was absurd enough that my wolf yearned for him. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I recalled how he messed with my head in the training ground just by being close to me.
I shook my head, not wanting to dwell on that annoying fact. The best thing to do is stay as far away from him as possible.
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