Chapter 57
Julian's POV
On Silver Moon's training grounds, warriors were preparing for the coming war.
I stood at the edge, watching Samuel Harper move through the fighters like an enraged beast. His voice was hoarse and vicious, each roar making the young warriors tense their nerves. Anyone who moved too slowly would be kicked to the ground without mercy.
"You think the Blood River wolves will give you a chance to breathe?!" Samuel grabbed a fallen warrior and nearly lifted him completely off the ground. "One second slower and your throat would be torn out!"
Under his training, the warriors were like drawn bowstrings, ready to snap at any moment.
But this was exactly what we needed—in the coming war, mercy meant suicide.
Samuel noticed my arrival and immediately softened his ferocious demeanor. He strode over and bowed his head respectfully before me. "Your Highness."
His tone was as docile as if he'd become a different person.
"Spar with me," I said.
Samuel's brow furrowed immediately, worry flashing in his eyes. "Your Highness, your body... you've only just recovered. Strenuous exercise isn't advisable."
"I insist."
He hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. We took our positions in the center of the training ground as the surrounding warriors instinctively cleared space, their curious gazes fixed on us.
Samuel assumed a defensive stance, his movements cautious. I struck first, and he blocked easily. We began to exchange blows—the dull thuds of fists and feet meeting echoed through the air, and I could feel my breathing gradually becoming labored.
My body after the seal was weaker than I'd imagined.
After just a few rounds, I was gasping for breath, my movements slowing. Samuel was clearly holding back, deliberately avoiding vital points and pulling his strikes.
"Don't hold back," I said through gritted teeth.
Samuel hesitated for a second, then his eyes sharpened. In the next instant, his movements suddenly accelerated—a sweeping leg kick that I barely blocked, but he seized my arm in the process.
The world spun, and my back slammed hard into the ground, the air forced from my lungs.
I closed my eyes, the pain from my back momentarily preventing me from rising.
When I opened them again, the person looking down at me wasn't Samuel, but Kane.
After two days of rest, his body had recovered well enough to move freely.
He stood backlit, his black hair gleaming coldly in the sunlight, his blue eyes carrying a hint of contempt. "Without elemental power, you really are nothing."
I pushed myself up from the ground, brushing the dust from my clothes.
Samuel immediately stepped forward to argue, but I raised my hand to stop him.
"Though I lack elemental power," I said to Kane, trying to keep my tone light, "you still have the dark flame. For the sake of protecting Silver Moon, don't hold back on the battlefield."
Kane glanced at me sideways, a cold smile curving his lips. "I won't let Silver Moon fall into enemy hands."
He turned and walked toward another training area. The warriors there immediately tensed—Kane's training methods were even more brutal than Samuel's. He wouldn't hesitate to burn those whose movements weren't up to par with dark flames.
A young warrior who dodged too slowly immediately had his arm licked by black fire, leaving a charred wound. The warriors trembled under his command but didn't dare voice a single complaint.
Samuel lowered his voice, indignation clear in his tone. "You lost your wolf spirit saving him, and he acts so arrogant?"
I smiled but didn't respond.
A familiar voice came from behind. "Julian."
I turned to see Father standing at the edge of the training grounds. He wore dark robes, the white in his eyebrows more pronounced than I remembered.
Samuel immediately withdrew, and I walked to Father's side.
"How has your body been lately?" he asked.
"Recovering."
Father nodded, his gaze sweeping across the training ground before settling on me. "Jenna spoke with you, didn't she?"
"Yes."
"You've done well." His voice carried rare warmth. "After this incident, you've developed the spirit of a leader. I've led the Silver Moon pack for nearly forty years now, and even my eyebrows are turning white."
He paused, a trace of weariness in his tone. "Sometimes I think perhaps it's time for the younger generation to take over. This position requires not just experience, but courage and decisiveness—and you've already proven yourself."
I froze, instinctively saying, "Father, we can definitely lead Silver Moon through this crisis together."
Father shook his head, his gaze profound as he looked at me. "Not we. You. You will lead everyone through this crisis."
I was completely stunned.
He patted my shoulder. "You'll understand soon enough."
With that, he turned and left, leaving me standing alone.
The clamor of the training ground seemed isolated in another world. In my mind, only Father's words remained—
"You will lead everyone through this crisis."
Not "we," but "you."
I raised my head and looked toward Kane training in the distance. His movements were sharp and cold, black flames dancing in his hands like living creatures.
And I had lost Sage, lost the ice element, couldn't even shift anymore.
How was I supposed to lead Silver Moon?
Wind swept across the training grounds, bringing a hint of cold. I took a deep breath and turned toward the Alpha House.
Perhaps Silver Moon needed an Alpha who could stand on the front lines of war.