The Child Of The Moon

CHAPTER THREE

After pondering seriously on what Lyra told her, Kiara decided to accept her fate when she came to realization that there's no way out of it. She agreed to Lyra's help of training her to awaken her powers.

In a forest clearing glowing silver beneath the moon, Kiara stood weakly, her hands raw from hours of practice, her body bruised and her muscles were burning with fatigue.

Before her stood Lyra, who took it upon herself under the command of the moon goddess to prepare Kiara for what's to come.

But Lyra was merciless.

As Kiara's wolf had not surfaced, Lyra knew that intense training and fury will make her wolf burst out with extreme energy before she could awaken her powers.

"Again," she snapped. "Do it properly this time." She instructed.

Kiara's hands trembled. "I've done this a hundred times already. I can barely feel my arms." She complained.

"Then use your legs." Lyra said sharply advancing with a burst of speed. Kiara stumbled backward unable to defend herself on time.

Sweat dripped down Kiara's temple. Her breath was shallow and her heart pounding with frustration. She lunged forward again but Lyra took a sidestep, twist her wrist and send her crashing against the stones.

Kiara gasped as she felts pains up her arms.

Lyra sneered. "Pathetic. If Kael wanted to kill you, you'd already be dust at his feet."

Kiara's chest heaved. "I'm not a warrior and I never asked for any of these."

Lyra's voice was cold. "Neither did Kitara. But she carried the weight anyway. Do you think prophecy bends to weakness?"

Kiara's throat tightened. Fragile. Weak. It was all she had ever heard. Her own mind whispered it back at her every time she failed.

----

A slow clap echoed through the forest. Kiara froze. Lyra turned, her jaw tightening.

Kael Draven stepped out of the shadows. Dressed in black clothes that clunged to his powerful body frame. His molten golden eyes were fixed on Kiara.

"Impressive." Kael drawled. "If your goal is to bore your enemy to death."

Lyra's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't be here, Alpha. This is my training ground."

Kael ignored her, his gaze never left Kiara. "Stand up now, Kiara." He commanded.

Kiara swallowed hard. "I'm not ready."

Kael mouth curved into a predatory smile. "You think the world will wait for you to be ready? Stand up now and attack me"

Her heart raced. "What? So you can kill me?"

He chuckled darkly. "If I had wanted to kill you, Little moon, you'd already be dead."

Lyra stepped forward. "This isn't wise. She isn't strong enough yet—"

"I don't care about being strong enough," Kael cut her off. "I care about what's real. So stand up now."

Reluctantly, Kiara stood up and face him, her pulse racing.

Kael stood still with his hands free by his sides. "Well?"

Kiara lunged forward to attack him but he moved like smoke, sidestepping easily. She struck again and again but he dodged each strike.

Her frustration reached its limit and with a loud cry, she felt a sudden pain and crack on her body. Her nails and fangs elongated. Her wolf reacted. She lunged forward and slashed towards his chest.

In a swift motion, kael her hands with his bare hands. He tightened his grip and with terrifying ease, he twisted her wrist until she was calm and her nails and fangs withdrew.

Kiara stumbled back but Kael lunged forward pinning her against a tree.

"You hesitate," he murmured. "You think too much and that's why you'll never win."

Her breath hitched. "You— you're not my teacher."

"No," he growled, his golden eyes burning. "I am your Alpha."

A very sharp anger flared inside Kiara. She shoved him back with all her strength. He barely budged but it was enough to make his smirk widen.

Lyra's voice cut across the tension. "Enough, Kael. You'll break her before she learn to stand."

Kael's head snapped towards her, his voice dripping with venom and authority. "She doesn't need to stand. She needs to burn."

He shoved Kiara aside and she dropped to her knees trembling with fury.

She hit her palm on the ground and suddenly, the earth trembled. Silver light flickered across her skin, weaving runes along her arms, glowing faintly under the moonlight.

Lyra's eyes widened. "It's beginning..."

Kael froze, then a slow smile spread across his lips. "Good. Now we're getting somewhere."

Later, Kiara sat before the fire. Her body aching from both training and the sudden surge of power. Her mind was crowded with different thoughts.

Kael approached quietly, sitting beside her. He didn't speak at first. He was just watching the flame.

He finally broke the silence. "You hate me."

Kiara kept her gaze on the fire. "I don't hate you."

His golden eyes gleamed. "Liar, you hate me because I forced you to see the truth."

Her throat tightened. "You don't know me."

He leaned closer, his voice low. "I know you better than you know yourself, little moon. Tell me Kiara. How long do you think you could pretend you don't feel it? The pull between us? How long do you think you could deny it? The fire in veins whenever I touched you. You can't deny it."

She turned her face away. Her voice trembling. "Whatever I feel is mine and not yours to claim."

He stretched his hand, cupping her face and forcing her to meet his gaze. His eyes blazing with possession. "Everything about you is mine, even the ones you hid from yourself." He whispered.

A cold shiver ran through her spine. Then he released her, rising up on his feet. Without uttering any other word, he disappeared into the dark forest leaving her shaken and furious. Not only to him but also to herself. Because she knew deep down that part of what he said was true.

She did feel and and that terrified her more than any other thing.

She pressed her trembling hand together, staring at the faint ruins on her skin and Lyra's voice echoed in her mind, "It's beginning."

Her training had only started yet Kael's shadow loomed over each step she takes.