Chapter 91 Chapter 91

Chapter 91 Chapter 91
E L A R A

The morning air was crisp on the training ground, carrying the scent of wood polish and sweat.

The sounds of clashing swords and shouted instructions echoed across the hall as I stepped forward, gripping my wooden sword a little tighter than I probably should have.

Yesterday the healer had checked on Kane, and though he was much improved, Kane had told me he had to return to the border.

My stomach had tightened at his words, he was injured, yet he had left without hesitation, as if nothing could hold him back.

I had bid him farewell, my hands lingering on his arm a moment longer than necessary, and tried to push the worry aside.

Now, I had chosen to come here rather than hide in my chambers, to face this strange new part of my life head-on.

Hunter was already in the center of the hall, moving with the effortless precision that always made my stomach clench.

I hadn’t expected anyone else, but my gaze immediately caught Sera, standing opposite him, wooden sword in hand. She looked focused, controlled, practiced and I felt my nerves flare.

The moment Hunter saw me, everything froze. His movements slowed mid-step, and a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

He walked toward me, purposeful but relaxed, as if my presence had been the missing piece all along.

“I see you’re back,” he said, voice low, steady, carrying that teasing edge I’d come to recognise.

I squared my shoulders and raised my hand, planting my feet firmly. “With one rule,” I said, deliberately slow. “That you do not touch me.”

Hunter’s smirk widened. “Let me guess… the Alpha has ordered my hands broken if I touch you?”

“You say it like it’s no surprise to you,” I replied, trying to keep my voice even.

“Trust me,” he said, tilting his head just slightly, that sly spark lighting his eyes, “I know Kane all too well.”

Before I could respond, Sera’s voice cut through the tension, sharp and pointed. “The library is down the corridor,” she said, the implication clear. You should be reading, not standing here, her words suggested. I didn’t miss the jab, but I ignored her completely.

“I’m here to train,” I said, stepping closer, wooden sword held at my side but ready. “Perhaps you’ll be my partner for today.”

Sera’s eyes went wide, disbelief clear in the way she paused mid-roll of her wooden sword. “Me? You… you want to train with me today?”

I gave her a steady look, my voice quiet but firm, carrying a weight I hadn’t expected I’d be able to command. “Well, learn,” I said. “And you will do well to show your Luna the way, won’t you?”

Sera chuckled softly, rolling her sword in her hand again, less confident now, more amused. “I’ll show you the way, alright,” she said, her voice tinged with humor but also with respect.

I returned the chuckle, but it didn’t reach my eyes. The tension in my chest hadn’t eased, if anything, it tightened.

I took a step forward, toward the center where Sera stood, ready to start, when Hunter’s hand shot out and grabbed mine. My breath caught at the unexpected contact, heat coiling low in my stomach.

I looked down at his fingers wrapped around mine, firm but careful, and my pulse spiked. We haven’t even started and he’s already breaking the rule, I thought, startled.

Hunter’s gaze met mine, calm and steady, and I could almost see the understanding in his eyes. He must have read my thoughts because in the same deliberate motion, he let go, pulling his hand back as if nothing had happened.

“I’ll be your guide for the day,” he said simply, voice low, carrying an authority that brooked no argument.

Hunter stepped back, swinging his wooden sword lazily in a practiced arc. “We’ll start with the basics,” he said, voice calm, steady. “Footwork, stance, parry, strike. Nothing fancy...just fundamentals.”

Sera snorted, rolling her eyes as she tapped her sword against the floor. “Basics?” she said, amusement dripping from her tone. “She might as well get one of those newcomers. I don’t want anyone slowing me down.”

Heat flared in my chest. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword. Excuse me? I stepped closer, forcing my voice to stay level though the sharpness beneath it was undeniable. “Let’s get this straight, Sera,” I said, meeting her gaze directly. “I am your Luna. You will do well to watch the way you speak to me.”

For a heartbeat, her eyes widened caught off guard by the bite in my voice but she recovered quickly, smirking now. “I wasn’t speaking to you, Luna,” she said, her words pointed, the mockery in her tone unmistakable.

I didn’t miss it. The emphasis on Luna felt like a challenge, a deliberate jab, as if she were daring me to prove myself.

My jaw tightened. “Exactly Luna,” I repeated slowly, letting the word hang in the air like a warning. My eyes didn’t waver. “And I’ll remind you once more, I am not here to be ignored or undermined.”

Hunter’s voice cut through the tension, calm and grounding as he runs his fingers through his hair. "Okay ladies let's just stick to the basics."

Before Hunter could finish, Sera’s eyes narrowed, and without waiting for any order, she swung her wooden sword at me.

I froze for a fraction of a second shock rooting me to the spot but reflex took over.

My hands shot up, catching the swing in the air just in time.

The clash of wood against wood vibrated up my arms, startling me with its sharp, satisfying crack.

Sera didn’t wait. She swung again, faster this time, and I lashed out instinctively, parrying and countering with a movement I didn’t even think about.

My pulse raced, adrenaline surging, and suddenly the world narrowed down to the rhythm of attack and defense.

We continued like that, swinging at each other aggressively, sparks of motion flashing with every strike.

My sword arm ached, my legs burned from the quick shifts in stance, and still I pressed on, driven by a strange mix of defiance and determination.

Hunter stepped back, caught somewhere between confusion and cautious amusement. He didn’t intervene immediately, not sure how or if he should separate us.

His eyes flicked between Sera and me, sharp and calculating, as though trying to predict which of us would falter first.