The First Night In Blood Moon
708 Words
Elara barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard Ryder's voice.
"I reject Elara Ashwood as my fated mate."
Then Lucien's.
"Welcome home."
Two Alphas.
Two completely different worlds.
One had shattered her heart.
The other was surrounding her with questions he refused to answer.
Before dawn, unable to bear the silence any longer, Elara slipped out of her room.
The castle corridors were quiet.
Moonlight spilled through the tall stained-glass windows, painting silver patterns across the marble floor.
She wandered without direction until she heard the unmistakable sound of steel clashing against steel.
Curious, she followed it.
The corridor opened into an enormous training arena.
Dozens of Blood Moon warriors stood in a wide circle.
At the center...
Lucien.
Shirtless.
A thin layer of sweat glistened across his broad chest as he effortlessly disarmed three warriors at once.
His movements were impossibly fast.
Every strike was precise.
Controlled.
He wasn't trying to hurt them.
He was teaching them.
The warriors attacked again.
Lucien sidestepped one, caught another by the wrist, and gently threw him onto the training mat.
"You hesitated."
The young warrior groaned as he stood.
"Yes, Alpha."
"If you hesitate in battle..."
"You die."
His voice wasn't cruel.
It was matter-of-fact.
The lesson settled over the arena.
Lucien turned...
And noticed Elara.
For a heartbeat, the stern Alpha disappeared.
A softer expression replaced it.
The warriors immediately followed his gaze.
One by one, they smiled.
"My Lady."
"Good morning."
Elara blinked.
"Please..."
She smiled awkwardly.
"You don't have to call me that."
An older warrior chuckled.
"Our Alpha hasn't corrected us."
Lucien shot him a warning glance.
The warrior wisely looked away.
Elara folded her arms.
"They're going to keep doing it, aren't they?"
Lucien picked up a towel and draped it around his neck.
"They're stubborn."
"I noticed."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
It was the first genuine smile she'd seen from him.
It transformed him completely.
For the first time, she understood why people followed him so willingly.
He wasn't feared because he was cruel.
He was respected because he was strong.
A young servant hurried into the arena.
"Alpha!"
Lucien turned.
"What is it?"
"The eastern patrol captured a spy."
His expression hardened instantly.
"Alive?"
"Yes."
"He refuses to speak."
Lucien nodded.
"I'll handle it."
The servant bowed and left.
Elara watched the change in him.
One moment he had been smiling.
The next...
He was every bit the terrifying Alpha the stories described.
As he started toward the exit, he paused beside her.
"Would you like breakfast?"
She looked up in surprise.
"You still remember to eat during all this?"
"I always remember."
His golden eyes met hers.
"You haven't eaten enough these past few days."
She frowned.
"How do you know that?"
Again...
He didn't answer.
Instead, he walked away.
Deep beneath the castle...
The captured spy hung from iron chains.
His face was bruised, but he smiled when Lucien entered.
"I wondered how long you'd make me wait."
Lucien dismissed the guards with a wave.
The heavy door closed behind them.
Now they were alone.
The spy laughed.
"You've become soft."
Lucien leaned against the wall.
"I've become patient."
"They're not the same thing."
"No."
"They're more dangerous."
The spy's smile slowly faded.
Lucien stepped forward.
"I'll ask once."
"Who sent you?"
The spy remained silent.
Lucien sighed.
"I was hoping you'd make this easy."
The man's grin returned.
"You'll never protect her."
Lucien's eyes darkened.
"Protect her from whom?"
The spy leaned forward as far as his chains allowed.
"You still don't know..."
A cruel smile spread across his lips.
"...do you?"
Lucien grabbed him by the throat.
"What don't I know?"
The spy laughed.
"You think you're the hunter."
His blackened eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"But you're the one being hunted."
Before Lucien could question him further...
The spy's body suddenly convulsed.
Dark veins spread across his neck.
Blood poured from his mouth.
"No..."
Lucien released him.
The man's eyes rolled back.
Within seconds...
He was dead.
Lucien stared at the lifeless body.
No wound.
No poison he could see.
Someone...
Had silenced him.
And whoever was pulling the strings had just proven one terrifying fact.
They were already inside Blood Moon Castle.
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