Chapter 81 Training On Her Terms
I needed control. I needed my body to obey me before it betrayed me again. I couldn’t let the beast inside me, coiled, patient, hungry, and angry, rule when I couldn’t. I needed to know I was stronger than my fear, stronger than my instincts, stronger than every memory of pain and manipulation drilled into me. And so, I decided: I would train. But on my terms.
When I told Darius, he raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the doorframe with that infuriating calmness he always carried. “You’re sure?” His voice was low, careful, but I knew he was holding himself back. Holding me back.
“I’m sure,” I said. I could feel the tension radiating from him, that invisible bond we shared humming like a live wire between us. It made my skin prickle and my heart thrum. “But I have conditions.”
He tilted his head, and I could see his jaw clench slightly. That look that meant he wasn’t used to being questioned, challenged, or defied. That look I loved and hated in equal measure. “Conditions,” he repeated slowly, as if tasting the word, trying to anticipate what I might demand.
“No Council observers,” I said firmly. “No scientists. No one but Fred. If he’s the only one who might understand what’s happening when I shift, then fine, but that’s it.”
“Fred?” Darius asked sharply, stepping closer. His eyes narrowed slightly, a protective flare I knew all too well. “He’s a…”
“I don’t care what you think of him!” I snapped, startling even myself with the force behind my words. “I care about learning, not about your personal grudges. Fred may know more about my shifts than I do myself. If he can help me control the beast, then he gets to be here.”
Darius opened his mouth, clearly ready to argue, to veto, to refuse, but I cut him off. “No,” I said, my voice quieter now, but just as firm. “I don’t want your debate. I don’t want your lectures. I don’t want this to be about politics, or loyalty, or your ego. I want control, my control. And I’ll do it my way.”
The pause stretched between us like a drawn bow. I could feel him bristling, the invisible cord of our bond pulsing sharply in response to my defiance. I could smell the tension, the underlying anger, the frustration at being told no. And yet… he didn’t leave. He didn’t storm out. That, in itself, was a concession I silently noted.
“No restraints,” I continued, my eyes locked on his. “Unless I ask for them. I will not be treated like a subject, a lab rat, or some… Frankenstein’s monster. Do you understand?”
Darius didn’t reply immediately. He just stared, the storm behind his gaze roiling, his chest rising and falling with the force of it. I held my ground, feeling the weight of every word, every intention behind it. I wasn’t asking for permission. I was declaring terms.
Finally, he exhaled sharply through his nose. “Fine,” he said, low and reluctant. “No observers. No scientists. But you want Fred? He can be here. Only because I trust him not to… You know.” His gaze flicked to mine, the silent words between us: to not manipulate you further. I didn’t respond. I wasn’t here to negotiate approval.
He continued, softer this time, almost a murmur, “But I’ll be overseeing it, Lyra. I can’t… not know what’s happening with you.”
I tilted my head, letting the corners of my lips lift slightly, though it wasn’t a smile. “Then you’ll have to trust me. Or stay out of it.”
Darius paused, measuring me, reading me in ways only someone bound by a bond like ours could. He finally gave a curt nod. “Fine.”
He called in Thane and Vincent. Thane, ever the calm, reliable presence, gave a small nod. He didn’t speak much; he knew when to listen and when to act. But Vincent… Vincent’s lips pressed into a thin line, his arms crossed, his body radiating judgment and challenge all at once. He’s always been like that sharp, defensive, protective.
“You’re serious about this?” Vincent asked, his tone clipped. “About training with us?”
I didn’t flinch. I met his gaze head-on. “Yes. And I need you to treat me like I’m capable. Not like I’m fragile, not like I’m a Luna, not like I’m someone to be protected at all costs. Just… like someone who wants to survive, learn, and control herself.”
Vincent let out a slow, disbelieving laugh. “I’m going to love this.”
Thane stepped forward then, his hand raised in a measured, calm gesture. “Rules acknowledged. No restraints unless requested. Observers limited. Fred may participate. Darius will oversee. Training begins at your discretion, Luna. You’ll tell us when and how.”
I nodded once, letting the control of the situation settle in my chest like armor. It felt good, terrifying, but good. I could feel the coil under my skin shift slightly, restless, curious, testing. I let it stir. Let it taste freedom, but not fully. Not yet.
Darius spoke, voice low, with a smirk. “None you will not hold back. Do you understand? Don’t… compensate for her being Luna.”
Vincent glared but gave a stiff nod. “Understood.” The tension between us didn’t vanish, though. I know he still remembered what had happened with Tessa, I could feel the flicker of resentment beneath his compliance. And I… didn’t care.