Shattered Bond

Chapter 7: Asya’s POV

Chapter 7: Asya’s POV

The early morning light filtered through the tall pine trees, casting long shadows across the training grounds as I stood, muscles taut and breath steady. I’d been up before dawn, as had become my habit in the days since the ceremony. Pushing myself to the limit, training harder and longer than I ever had before. I needed to prove that I was the Luna the pack deserved, that I wasn’t just playing a part because it was arranged for me since birth. But no matter how many rounds I sparred, no matter how fast I ran or how many tasks I took on, a nagging doubt clung to me like a shadow.

Sweat trickled down my forehead as I squared off with one of the warriors, an experienced fighter who’d always looked at me with a kind of quiet skepticism. It was a look I had come to know well, one that told me some members of the pack still weren’t convinced that I could handle this responsibility. My opponent lunged, aiming to knock me off balance. I sidestepped, using his momentum against him, and swept his legs out from under him. He landed hard on the ground, and I could see a flicker of surprise in his eyes before he quickly masked it.

“Again,” I said, my voice steady even though my heart was racing.

He rose, brushing dirt off his clothes. This time, his movements were more cautious, like he was reassessing what I was capable of. But before he could attack again, I caught a scent on the breeze—familiar, comforting, and frustratingly distracting. Baki.

I turned to see him approaching, his dark hair tousled from the morning wind, his gaze focused on me with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. For a moment, I hated that he could still affect me like this. That even after everything, my heart still reacted to him. I tore my gaze away and turned back to the warrior, who took the opportunity to launch another attack, catching me slightly off guard.

I managed to deflect the blow, but it was clumsy. As I stumbled back, Baki was already there, his hand catching my arm to steady me.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” he said, his voice low but edged with concern.

I pulled my arm from his grip, irritation sparking in my chest. “What do you think I should be doing, Baki?” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “Taking it easy? Letting everyone continue to doubt me?”

He stepped back, his expression softening. “No one doubts you, Asya. You’ve already shown them—”

“No,” I cut him off, shaking my head. “There are still some who doubt. They think I’m only here because of the ceremony, because of tradition. They still think I’ll run at the first sign of trouble.” I glanced at the warrior, who was watching us from a distance with a carefully neutral expression. “And maybe they’re right.”

Baki’s gaze darkened, and he took a step closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “They’re not right. And you know it.”

I clenched my jaw, turning away from him again. He didn’t get it. He didn’t feel the way their eyes lingered on me with doubt, didn’t hear the whispers that followed me when I walked through the camp. I wanted to be Luna, truly Luna, in more than just name. I wanted them to see me as their leader—not just someone standing next to the Alpha because it was expected.

“Then let me show them,” I murmured under my breath, mostly to myself. I faced Baki again, my heart pounding with a mix of frustration and determination. “Let me show them I’m not just here because I have to be.”

His eyes softened, the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips. “You don’t have anything to prove, Asya. You’re already doing it.”

But I wasn’t convinced, and something about his calm confidence irritated me. It felt like pity, even though I knew that wasn’t his intention. I’d fought so hard to get back here, to reclaim my place, and now that I was standing at the edge of what I wanted, it seemed more out of reach than ever.

“I have more to prove than you think,” I replied, my voice growing softer, almost a whisper. “And not just to the pack.”

Baki’s expression tightened, like he was about to say something, but then he hesitated. He didn’t understand—how could he? Even after everything we’d been through, there was a distance between us that hadn’t existed before. A lingering sense that we were still fighting separate battles, even if we were standing side by side.

“Then let’s prove it together,” he said finally, his tone earnest. “You don’t have to do this alone, Asya.”

I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time, I saw the exhaustion in his eyes. The same exhaustion I felt. He was trying, too—just in his own way. But I was still scared to let my guard down. I was still scared to trust that we could truly be the same as we once were. Because if I trusted and was wrong again… I didn’t know if I’d survive that.

“Fine,” I said with a resigned sigh. “We’ll do it together.”

The words felt heavy as I spoke them, a promise to him and to myself. But they didn’t ease the pressure I felt. If anything, they made it heavier—because now, I wasn’t just carrying my own doubts. I was carrying his, too.

Baki gave me a small nod before walking away, leaving me to continue my training. As he disappeared back toward the main grounds, I glanced around at the other wolves still gathered nearby. I knew some of them were waiting for me to stumble again, waiting for the moment when I proved them right. But I wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.

Not today. Not ever.

---

Later that day, I found myself near the edge of the territory, needing a break from the constant pressure of the pack. There was a small clearing I liked to retreat to when I needed to be alone, a place where the trees parted just enough to let the sun filter through and warm the earth. It was a place I had come to many times before, even as a child, when I’d needed to escape and think.

As I sat down on a fallen log, my mind wandered back to the ceremony, to the way some wolves had looked at me that night. There had been applause and howls, but there had also been a tension in the air—an unspoken question of whether I was really ready. Whether I had truly earned this.

I wanted to be angry at them for doubting me, but I couldn’t. Because deep down, I doubted myself too. I didn’t know if I was ready to lead a pack that didn’t fully believe in me. But that’s exactly why I was here. To change their minds, to become the Luna they couldn’t question.

The snap of a twig pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Gabir approaching, his expression as steady and composed as ever. There was a calmness about him that always seemed unshakable, no matter the situation. I had always admired that about him, even if I didn’t always understand it.

“I thought I’d find you here,” he said as he came to stand beside me.

“Came to check if I was running away again?” I replied, my voice laced with a touch of bitterness. I didn’t mean to sound that way, but the words slipped out before I could stop them.

Gabir raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a faint smile. “No, Asya. I came to remind you that you’ve already run back—and that’s harder than running away.”

I looked away, not sure how to respond. His words were true, but that didn’t make them easier to accept. “I’m not used to feeling this… unsteady,” I admitted, my voice softer now. “It’s like no matter what I do, there’s always something telling me it’s not enough.”

Gabir’s expression softened. “Being Luna doesn’t mean being perfect,” he said quietly. “It means being strong enough to face doubt, even your own. It means being willing to keep trying, even when it feels impossible.”

His words struck a chord within me, and for the first time in a while, I felt a glimmer of hope that maybe—just maybe—I could find my footing again. But it was going to be a long road, and the weight of expectation would not ease overnight.

“Thanks, Gabir,” I said finally, meeting his gaze. “For reminding me.”

He gave a small nod. “Anytime, Luna.”

The title felt like both a comfort and a challenge, but I was determined to live up to it. As Gabir turned to leave, I stayed there in the clearing, letting the sun warm my skin. I wasn’t just going to be the Luna by name. I was going to be the Luna in every way that mattered—whether the pack believed in me or not. Because if I couldn’t believe in myself, then how could I expect them to?

And so, I took a deep breath, stood up, and walked back toward the pack, ready to face whatever came next.