The sky was overcast, heavy clouds blanketing the forest in a gray gloom as Luna stood at the edge of the training grounds. A chill licked her skin, but it wasn't the cold that made her uneasy—it was the storm brewing within her.
She hadn't slept. Not since Kieran revealed the truth about her bloodline and the cursed legacy she carried. His words had echoed in her mind all night, rattling around with the weight of ancient power she had no idea how to control.
Kieran watched her from across the clearing, arms crossed over his broad chest. His expression was unreadable, but his golden eyes tracked her every movement like a predator sizing up his prey—or his mate.
"Luna," he called, his deep voice breaking the silence. "Let's begin."
She nodded and took a few steps toward him, squaring her shoulders. "I don't know what I'm doing."
"You're not supposed to—yet," he replied. "But you're not powerless. That fire inside you? It's part of the Everleigh legacy. You were born with it. You just need to stop running from it."
He motioned for her to stand in front of a wooden post lined with straw, then stepped behind her, close enough for her to feel the heat of his body. "Close your eyes. Feel the energy inside you. Think about everything you've kept buried—the fear, the anger, the confusion. Let it rise."
Luna hesitated, then obeyed, closing her eyes and steadying her breath. Slowly, she peeled back the mental walls she had built around her emotions. Her chest ached. Her veins felt like they buzzed with a strange, ancient heat.
She heard Kieran's voice behind her, low and coaxing. "Now let it out."
Suddenly, a pulse surged through her, and flames erupted from her hands—wild and golden, wrapping around the post like a serpent before exploding in a shower of sparks.
Luna stumbled back, heart pounding, staring at the scorched remains of the target. "What... was that?"
Kieran moved to her side, his expression unreadable. "That was your power," he said quietly. "The first spark."
Her breathing came in shallow gasps. "It felt... like it wasn't just fire. It felt alive."
"It is," he said. "That magic has slumbered in your bloodline for centuries. You're the first to awaken it."
Luna's legs nearly gave out, and Kieran caught her before she fell. His hands steadied her waist, his touch possessive, grounding.
"This is only the beginning, Luna. The power will grow. So will the curse trying to control it."
She looked up at him, eyes wide. "If I lose control, will it consume me?"
Kieran's gaze darkened. "Not if I can help it."
He was silent for a moment, then stepped closer, the space between them charged and electric. His hand lifted to brush a strand of hair from her cheek, fingers lingering.
"You feel it, don't you?" he murmured. "The bond. The need."
Luna's breath caught as the truth shimmered between them. The desire. The primal connection. It burned like wildfire, undeniable and raw.
"Yes," she whispered.
In a sudden motion, he claimed her lips, fierce and demanding, pouring every ounce of emotion into the kiss. Luna melted into him, the fire in her blood now matched by the fire in his touch. She gripped his shirt, needing more, needing him to anchor her as her world shifted beneath her feet.
When he pulled back, their foreheads rested together, breaths mingling.
"I'll teach you to harness it," he said. "But you have to promise me something."
Luna nodded, dazed. "Anything."
"Promise me you'll fight. No matter what happens. Don't give in to the curse. Don't let it define you."
"I promise," she whispered.
But even as she said it, a small flicker of doubt coiled in her gut. Because something inside her had changed. Something ancient had stirred—and it was watching.
—
Later that night, Luna wandered the halls of the estate, restless. She found herself drawn to the old wing of the mansion—the part that had been sealed off, its doors chained, its halls choked in dust and silence.
But the moment she stepped near, the air shifted. Cold. Tense. Electric.
The chains on the door rattled. Her skin prickled with warning.
And then a voice echoed through the corridor—one that wasn't hers.
*You are not ready.*
Luna froze. "Who's there?"
Silence.
Then another whisper.
*The Alpha cannot protect you from what's coming. He is not your salvation. He is your ruin.*
The shadows swirled, and Luna stumbled back, heart pounding. She turned and ran, the whispers chasing her down the hallway until she burst into the main foyer—and into Kieran's waiting arms.
He caught her, frowning. "What happened?"
"There's something... back there. In the sealed wing. It spoke to me."
Kieran's expression darkened. "That part of the estate has been closed for years. Since the last Alpha was driven mad by the curse."
Luna's heart clenched. "It said you couldn't protect me. That you would ruin me."
He cupped her face, eyes blazing. "I will *burn* this entire world before I let anything hurt you."
She searched his gaze, torn between fear and the wild devotion he gave so freely.
"Then tell me the truth," she said softly. "Tell me everything."
Kieran exhaled heavily and took her hand. "Tomorrow. There's someone you need to meet first. Someone who knows more about the curse than even I do."
As he led her through the flickering halls, Luna couldn't shake the chill of those words in the dark.
*He is not your salvation...*
She wanted to trust him. She *needed* to. But the curse didn't just threaten her life—it was creeping into her soul, whispering lies that tasted like truth.
And she was starting to listen.