Aria's POV
The morning mist still clung to the forest when Ivan and I reached the training grounds.
Today's session was advanced dodging with light counterattacks—no heavy hits, just speed and precision.
Ivan circled me slowly, his eyes sharp. "Remember—watch my shoulders. They'll tell you where I'm going before my feet do."
I nodded, dropping into stance. My heart was already pounding, but not just from the fight.
We began.
He came at me with a quick jab. I dodged left, feeling the rush of air past my cheek. He followed with a hook. I ducked, pivoting, and threw a light counter—my fist grazing his ribs.
He grinned. "Better."
We moved faster. Jab, feint, sweep. I dodged, countered, dodged again. My body felt lighter, more responsive. Lira was there—quiet but awake—lending me bursts of speed I hadn't had before.
Ivan lunged with a straight punch. Time slowed for a fraction of a second. I saw the shift in his weight. I slipped sideways, faster than I ever had, and landed a clean, solid tap to his side—right where his guard had opened.
He staggered back a step, eyes wide with surprise.
I froze, hand still extended, breathing hard.
Ivan laughed, rubbing his ribs. "Well, damn. That was perfect."
I lowered my fists, a grin breaking across my face. "I… felt her. Lira. She made me faster."
He stepped closer, still smiling. "That wasn't just Lira. That was you."
We finished the session breathless and exhilarated. Instead of heading straight back to to the manor, Ivan led me down the narrow path to the riverbank—a quiet spot where the water ran clear over smooth stones.
We sat on a flat rock, legs dangling over the edge, letting the cool air dry the sweat on our skin.
Ivan turned to me, eyes tracing my face.
"You're not just getting stronger, Aria," he said quietly. "You're glowing."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. "Glowing?"
He nodded, reaching out slowly. His fingers brushed a stray strand of hair from my forehead, tucking it behind my ear. The touch was gentle. His hand lingered near my cheek.
"Yeah," he murmured. "Like you're finally coming alive."
I swallowed, my pulse racing for an entirely different reason now. "Maybe I am."
His thumb grazed my jawline lightly. "Good. You deserve to feel that way."
The space between us shrank. Our eyes locked, the river's soft rush the only sound.
Ivan's smile turned teasing. "Careful. Keep glowing like that, and the whole pack's going to notice."
I laughed. "Let them."
He dropped his hand, but his eyes stayed on mine.
My breath caught. The air between us suddenly felt thicker.
His eyes held mine with that warm, quiet intensity. The world narrowed—the river's soft rush, the fading sunlight, everything else fading away.
In that moment, my heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. A slow, delicious heat spread through me, starting in my chest and blooming outward until my skin tingled with awareness.
Then footsteps approached—heavy on the grass.
We both froze.
I turned first. Raine was walking toward us from the training grounds. His silver eyes were fixed on us.
Ivan immediately shifted back to give me space. I stood up straighter, brushing imaginary dirt from my leggings.
Raine stopped a few paces away, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable—cold, as always.
He ignored whatever he had just walked in on.
"I want to see what you've been practicing," he said, voice even. "How far she's come."
Ivan glanced at me, then nodded. "Of course, Alpha."
We stood, moving back toward the open grass near the riverbank. Raine stayed where he was, watching.
"Spar," he commanded simply. "Like you normally would."
Ivan and I faced each other. My pulse hadn't slowed. I could feel Raine's stare on my back—heavy, intense, like a physical weight.
We began.
Ivan came at me with the familiar sequence—jab, feint, hook. I dodged, countered, my movements sharper than before. Lira stirred, lending me that burst of speed. I slipped under his arm, landed a light tap to his side.
"Good," Ivan murmured, resetting.
We went again. Faster. Closer. I felt the rhythm, the flow. My body responded without hesitation—duck, pivot, counter.
But all the while, I was aware of him.
Raine.
Standing silent, arms still crossed. His eyes tracked every move—every dodge, every strike. I could feel the heat of his gaze between my shoulder blades, down my spine. It wasn't encouraging.
I landed another clean hit on Ivan—this one solid enough to make him exhale a surprised laugh.
"Enough," Raine said finally.
We stopped, breathing hard. Ivan wiped sweat from his brow, grinning at me.
Raine's gaze lingered on me for a long moment.
"Progress," he said simply. Then he turned and walked away, back toward the manor.
Ivan exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "Well. That was… intense."
I managed a small laugh, though my pulse was still racing. "You could say that."
We gathered our things in silence, the charged moment from earlier lingering like a ghost between us. Neither of us mentioned it, but I felt Ivan's gaze on me as we started back toward the manor.
Halfway there, Ivan broke the quiet.
"I'm bored," he said suddenly, bumping my shoulder lightly with his. "Training's over, the Alpha's done his inspection. What's next on the great Luna schedule?"
I smiled, grateful for the shift. "Cara and I are organizing a story telling night tonight. In the great hall. Pack legends, old tales—something to bring everyone out together before the full moon."
Ivan's eyes lit up. "That sounds fun."
"It should be," I said. "The elders are bringing their favorites, and I thought the cubs could join for the early ones. Nothing too scary."
He nodded, falling into step beside me. "Count me in. I've got a few stories up my sleeve. Might even throw in one about a certain rogue who stumbled into Nightshade and never left."
I laughed. "As long as it has a happy ending."
"With you around?" he said, voice warm. "It always will."
The manor loomed ahead, torches already flickering to life in the windows as evening approached.
Tonight, at least, there would be stories.
Laughter. The pack gathered together.
And maybe—just maybe—a little more room to breathe.