Chapter 50

Chapter 50
Elara’s POV

I didn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the faces of the wounded, the way they looked at me like I was the reason their blood stained the floor. Their whispers echoed louder than any dream.

So before the sun had fully risen, I left the room I shared with Damian and walked outside. The morning air bit at my skin, sharp and cold, but I welcomed it. I wanted to feel it, to keep myself awake.

The training grounds were already alive. Wolves who had fought through the night pushed their bodies again, running drills under Marcus’s watch. They moved slower than usual, weighed down by exhaustion and the memory of how close they’d come to breaking.

When I stepped onto the dirt, all motion stopped. Eyes turned, first curious, then wary. No one spoke, but the silence was louder than any insult.

I swallowed and forced myself forward. My legs wanted to turn back, to run to safety, but I kept walking until I stood in the center.

Marcus looked at me like I’d walked into a storm barefoot. “Elara,” he said slowly. “What are you doing here?”

“I want to train,” I said. My voice cracked once, but I steadied it. “I want to fight.”

A ripple of shock moved through the group. Someone muttered, “She can’t even shift.” Another scoffed, “She’ll get herself killed.”

I heard every word, felt each one cut into me, but I didn’t move. I couldn’t.

Marcus folded his arms. “Training here is not for proving points. It’s for survival.”

“I know,” I said quickly. My hands curled into fists. “That’s why I’m here. If I can help, if my gift is real, then I need to know how to use it. And if it isn’t enough, then at least I’ll learn how to defend myself.”

The wolves exchanged glances. Doubt. Amusement. A little pity. It burned, but I stood taller.

Marcus stared at me for a long time, weighing the risk. Finally, he jerked his head. “Fine. You’ll spar. No one goes easy on you.”

The first wolf stepped forward, a tall warrior with scars across his arms. He shifted, bones cracking, fur spreading until he towered over me. My chest tightened, but I raised my chin.

“Ready?” Marcus asked.

I nodded, even though my heart pounded so hard I thought it might split.

The wolf lunged. I stumbled back, barely dodging his claws. The crowd laughed, low and sharp. Heat rushed up my neck. I forced myself to plant my feet.

When he came at me again, I reached out without thinking, my palms brushing his fur. Energy surged through me like fire under my skin. His movements faltered, the power in his leap breaking for just a breath.

I gasped. He recovered quickly and knocked me onto my back, dirt filling my mouth. The crowd jeered, but Marcus called the match.

The wolf shifted back, frowning as he looked at his hands. “What was that? I felt… lighter. Weaker.”

All eyes swung to me again. This time the silence was sharper.

I pushed myself up, wiping blood from my lip. My whole body shook, but I didn’t hide it. “That’s my gift,” I said, louder than before. “It isn’t just for healing. It can take, too.”

Murmurs spread like fire through dry grass. Confusion. Curiosity. Fear.

Marcus stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then he barked, “Next.”

Another wolf stepped forward. And another after him. Each time, I faced them. Each time, I touched them. Sometimes they grew faster, stronger. Sometimes they slowed, stumbled, weakened. I didn’t know how I did it. I just felt, and the energy answered.

By the time the sun was high, sweat soaked my clothes, my arms ached, and my body screamed to stop. But I stayed standing.

The crowd wasn’t laughing anymore. They weren’t smiling, either. They were watching me like I was something they didn’t understand, something dangerous.

I met their eyes one by one. “You think I’m the reason Kael comes here. Maybe I am. But if he does, then you’ll need every weapon you can get. That means me. Like it or not, I’m part of this pack now.”

No one cheered. No one rushed to agree. But no one laughed, either.

Marcus finally nodded. “That’s enough for today.” His voice was rough, but softer than before. “Go clean up.”

The wolves broke apart slowly, casting glances at me as they went. Some curious. Some still doubtful. But fewer looked ready to spit my name like poison.

As I left the grounds, my legs shook so badly I almost fell. My hands trembled, raw and sore. But inside, under the pain and fear, a spark burned.

For the first time since the whispers began, I didn’t feel powerless.

I wasn’t done. Not even close. But today, I had taken the first step.