Chapter 12 Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Seeing Her Naked
Ignas’s POV
The training ground had always been a very noisy place. The clash of swords, the growling of the wolves, the sharp, commanding voices of betas guiding the younger pack members. But today, it felt different.
I stood in the shade of the watchtower, my arms folded across my chest, watching him. Lykon. The man who confused me more than anyone ever had. His body moved with sharp, clean precision, like his muscles remembered a life his mind could no longer reach. I’d told myself to stay away, to keep the distance clear between us, but here I was, staring at him like some lovesick fool.
He moved like he owned the ground beneath him. His sparring partner lunged, but Lykon stepped to the side. His movements were fluid and fast, then the next minute, he was slamming the poor warrior to the ground. The others circled him, staring at him like he was some god. I couldn’t hear their words from here, but I could see the look of approval in the training master's eyes.
One would've thought that as he lost his memories, he would have gone soft and weak and all that.
But he wasn’t soft. He was even sharper than ever. I watched him, not realizing I was holding my breath, as one after the other, the wolves came at him. Lykon dodged, punched, kicked, and blocked. His movements weren’t wild or desperate like he was struggling. It was calculated and natural as if his body didn’t need permission from his head to do what it knew best. Fight. Survive.
And as I watched, something else crept up from the dark corners of my mind.
Memories.
The scent of another man.
The face of someone I once loved.
My ex-mate. His smile. His strength. His hands that once held me like I was something precious. I saw him, clear as day, right where Lykon stood. My heart clenched. My stomach flipped. It felt like betrayal, like I’d crossed some invisible line by simply allowing the thought to bloom.
I turned away, pressing my hand against the cold stone wall, trying to steady myself. My ex wasn’t as strong as Lykon, but the way Lykon moved, it mirrored the confidence I used to admire. The nights we spent tangled in sheets, the way his rough hands would trail over my skin, promising to protect me. Those promises turned to lies, but still, the ghost of them haunted me.
I hated myself for letting those old feelings surface.
When I finally opened my eyes, Lykon was still there, still fighting. Still winning. His determination radiated like heat off his skin. I couldn’t look at him anymore.
Shame burned through me.
Without a word, I turned on my heel and left the training grounds, walking briskly through the stone paths back to the Alpha house. My boots clicked against the polished floors as I climbed the stairs to my room. I needed to be alone. I needed a shower. I needed to remind myself of who I was. Not some girl stuck between past and present, but a leader. A protector. A fighter.
I stripped away the heavy layers of leather and cloth, letting them fall to the floor. My skin trembled from the cold, and I stepped into the steaming bath. The water lapped against me, soothing my tense muscles and bones that felt heavy.
For the first time in days, I noticed my reflection in the mirror across the room. My skin, though it was pale from the long winter, still looked nice, I guess. Scars trailed across my arms and shoulders, reminding me of every battle I've ever fought, every loss I had incurred and every struggle for victory.
My face that was usually so stern and strong involuntarily softened in the quiet steam. High cheekbones, sharp nose, strong brows, these were features that had earned respect and fear from both allies and enemies. But beneath all of it, I was still a woman. I’d forgotten what that looked like.
The water grew cold before I moved again. I climbed out, grabbing a towel but not bothering to wrap it around me. My room was mine. No one had any reason to be there. I stretched, shaking loose the heavy thoughts from my head.
The door creaked as I pushed it open, stepping into the dim-lit room. My bare feet padded softly against the wooden floor.
And then I froze.
He was there.
Lykon.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, looking every bit as shocked as I felt. His eyes dropped, and I watched the moment his throat worked to swallow, the moment his gaze jerked back to the ceiling, to the floor, to anywhere but at me.
"I—" he started, standing up so fast he almost knocked over the chair beside him.
My heart slammed against my ribs. "Get out!" I barked, voice sharp and cold as steel.
He flinched. But he didn’t move right away. His eyes met mine, filled with confusion, with something close to hurt. That look hit me harder than a blade to the chest.
"Ignas, I didn’t know—I thought—"
"I said leave!" I snapped, my hands scrambling for something, anything, to cover myself. My fingers found the towel, and I held it tight against my chest, as if it could shield me
from the twisting feelings curling like smoke inside me.