LUNAR ETERNITY

CHAPTER 4

Luna was left alone in the small, dark room, her mind racing with unruly thoughts. She struggled against the ropes that bound her to the chair, but they were too tight. She could see the silhouette of the guards outside, and she knew she had to find a way out before it was too late.

She remembered the pocket knife that she had strapped to her lap, and she began to struggle to get it out from under her dress. After a lot of effort, she managed to free the knife and began to cut herself loose from the ropes. She still struggled to come to terms that werewolves did exist and that maybe half of the storyteller's stories weren't made up. She wondered if she had paid more attention to his tales, if she would have know who Ethan actually was and If It would have saved her from being kidnapped.

Once she was free, she headed towards the door, but it was locked. She knew she had to find another way out.

She looked around the room, and her eyes fell on the window. It was her only chance. But there were guards outside, that would be a death trap. She willed her mind to think but there was nothing coming to mind.. the room was almost empty and she had no idea what to do but wait. The plan was simple. Wait until someone opens the door and she is now hissed behind. Once they did, she'd make her escape. Tada. She could only hope that someone didn't turn out to be Ethan.

She waited til dawn broke, and she heard the door open. She hid behind it, ready to make her escape.

But before she could move, Ethan tackled her to the floor, so fast, the breath was knocked out of her.

" Going somewhere, Luna?" He sneered by her ears.

She struggled under him, feeling a sense of desperation creeping in.

And then he brought out a knife and laid it on her neck. He was going to kill her. Her eyes widened in horror and fear.

Just centimeters from her neck, Luna shut her eyes tightly and let out a war cry she didn't even believe was hers. It was the cry of a warrior, who had spent long hours on the field and was desperate for survival.

She felt Ethan's weight thrown off her but her eyes were shut tightly and she couldn't see a thing. Her fingers began to tingle and shake as pain took over her being.

The pain was excruciating, as her bones broke and reformed. She let out another scream but not from the power of a war crier but from pain. Pain, unexplainable. She felt a surge of power coursing through her, and she knew that. Her head began to bang and her mind was filled with multiple voices all saying different and incomprehensible things.

"Stopppp!!!!!" She suddenly screamed but it didn't sound like her voice. She just wanted it to stop. All of it. Then, silence. She began to hear her own heartbeat, loud and clear. And then, the birds, flies, bugs, howls, voices. They all said the same thing. 'She's the one'.

Her eyes flung open and they blazed like fire. Before she could decide, she lunged at Ethan, her teeth bared and her claws extended. He was caught off guard, and she managed to get in a few good hits before he transformed into his own wolf form.

"Not bad for a first time." She heard him say in her mind as they circled each other, fighting for dominance and power.

Luna lunged at him, her heart in her ear as she tackled him to the ground.

It was a fierce fight, with the guards watching in shock. Luna fought with all her might, although she had no idea why she was even fighting him in the first place. Ethan was too strong though and in no time, he managed to pin her down, and they both transformed back into their human forms.

Ethan looked at her in awe "We've found her!" he announced, his voice shaking with excitement.

Luna stared up at him, in both disbelief and horror. What just happened, what was happening and what was to happen. She was speechless and breathless all at once and she had no idea how to react.

Ethan wrapped her up in a blanket, leading her towards a bath that had been prepared for her. "You're the chosen one, Luna. You're the one who can and will save us."

Luna felt a surge of fear and confusion. She didn't know what was going on. How had she turned into a wolf? How had she heard and understood the words of insects and animals? How had she fought Ethan?

As she soaked in the warm water, she tried to make sense of what Ethan had told her. She was the chosen one? What did that even mean?

But as she looked at her reflection in the water, she saw something that made her heart skip a beat. Her eyes were glowing with a bright, silvery light, and she knew at that moment, she was different from any other.

She felt a sense of power surging through her, and she felt the urge to harness it. But, how?

She got out of the bath, feeling a sense of determination settling over her. She needed to get the hell outta here. If it meant saving this clan, she would. Anything to be out of here.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning as they walked through the park, Ethan leaned in closer to Luna's ear. "There's a rival clan, the Solaris Coven. They want to exploit your powers for their own dark purposes. We need to keep you safe, Luna. And we need your help to defeat them."

"Look around you at these people, Lu."

Ethan said, as he demonstrated at the children of his Park, playing with their parents. They seemed truly happy and she felt a surge of protectiveness over them.

Ethan smiled, a rare expression of warmth on his usually stoic face, when he noticed the passion dancing in her eyes.

When she noticed his excitement, she made it clear. " I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for them." She snapped and Ethan raised his hands in fake surrender. What she was even not doing for him but for his people, she couldn't tell.

Luna and Ethan spent their days training in the woods, honing their skills and preparing for the battle that they knew was coming. The setting was idyllic, with the sun shining down on the lush greenery and the birds singing in the trees.

"Stay light on her feet, but also firmly rooted to the ground." Ethan instructed ,much to Luna's dismay and anger.

"That's an impossible feat to achieve. It is very much impossible to do both at the same time! " She retorted, throwing her sword to the earth and glaring daggers at a relaxed Ethan in annoyance.

"Do as told." He instructed, ignoring her frustration and her constant rant.

Ethan had little patience for her frustration, and it irked Luna even more.

"You know what? I'm done!"

She was about to leave the woods when he walked up behind her and moved her body with his. Her breath cut in her throat at the closeness and when he held out her hand in his, she felt pleasant tingles run down her skin. She shivered but not from the chill, it was something else_something much more pleasant. He placed his swords in her hand and his hand on hers.

"Follow my movement. Don't fight it."

He instructed as he pressed closer to go himself, his mouth just by her ear, making her loose whatever concentration she had managed to gather. s**t.

"Close your eyes." He whispered again and for the first time that day, she obeyed him. They moved in sync as he guided her hands and feet with his. He made her understand what it meant to be firm but light on your feet.

Suddenly, the sword practice felt like a dance as they moved to the sound of the wind and the grace of the earth. When Ethan finally let go of her, she shut her eyes, feeling a sense of control of her surroundings upon her. She moved like he had moved with and she listened to the song of the birds and the faraway sound of the sea. She could feel the harshness of the ground but also its coolness. She felt the leaves and the trees suddenly feel beneath her feet.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a very impressed Ethan. His face displayed Just how impressed he was, but he quickly wiped clean his expression and returned to his stoic expression. Luna had seen it, and it gave her a sense of satisfaction. She wanted to point it out but she was overwhelmed by the power she felt in her veins

As they walked back to the Park,She took some time to study Ethan. Ethan was tall and muscular, with dark hair and piercing green eyes. He moved with a grace and power that was both intimidating and alluring. Luna couldn't help but feel drawn to him, even though she knew that he was her captor.

Luna was petite and agile, with long blonde hair and bright gray-blue eyes. She moved with a fluidity that belied her strength, and she was determined to prove to Ethan that she was more than he claimed she was.

Luna knew that she was growing stronger with each passing day, but she knew that she wasn't ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

It scared the s**t out of her but she would never let it show. Ethan could see right through her though.

As they walked deeper into the woods, Luna soon got very uncomfortable with the silence between them. Ethan didn mind though, he enjoyed it.

"So, how was I today? " She asked and he nodded, much to her annoyance.

"What? That's all??" She asked in bewilderment and Ethan paused in his tracks. His index finger was plastered to his lips, in a bid to hush her and Luna paused in fear.

"We're not alone." Ethan suddenly drew out his sword ready for war.

Luna followed his lead but she was far from ready for a fight.