BLOOD MOON

Chapter 17

Haliya

I guess Kieran ghosting me was a good thing. I just hope he won’t suddenly show up anytime now, not when I’m covered in bruises and cuts from training.

Even Mira kept glancing at me, her eyes narrowing every time she noticed a fresh wound. I brushed it off, claiming I’d slipped while practicing. She didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press either.

“If Master Kieran sees you like this, he’ll be furious with me for neglecting you,” Mira scolded.

I waved her concern away. “The thing is, he’s not here. So there’s nothing to worry about. Besides, this is normal. Not your fault.”

But the words tasted bitter.

Where was he? It had been nearly a month. No letters, no sudden appearances, no sarcastic remarks to fill the silence. Just… nothing. As if saving me had been the last thing he intended to do before vanishing completely.

Shouldn’t he have at least checked if I survived the night? Or if I was strong enough to protect myself the next time? Instead, he left me hanging.

Maybe he really had abandoned me. Maybe saving me was nothing more than a whim.

And the worst part? A small, traitorous part of me almost wanted him to walk through that door just to prove me wrong.

“He left you in my care, so you’re my responsibility, Ms. Hali,” Mira reasoned, her voice firm as she dabbed ointment across the angry cuts on my arm.

I hissed at the sting but didn’t flinch away. My wolf stirred inside me, steady and calm, her warmth coursing through my veins.

You’re stronger now, she whispered. And she was right.

Luckily, I was more in sync with her than ever before. Her healing prowess seeped into my fractured bones, knitting them back together faster than Mira could even notice. The bruises faded quicker, the cuts closed faster. My body was learning to rise from the punishment I gave it.

Still, Mira eyed me with suspicion as if she sensed there was more happening beneath my skin than I admitted. I didn’t say a word. Let her think her ointments were enough.

What mattered was this: every strike, every bruise, every drop of blood had pulled me further away from being the helpless damsel I despised. And if Kieran ever decided to show his face again… he wouldn’t find the same girl he left behind.

"I’m good now, Mira. Thanks for tending my wounds, I really appreciate it.”

She looked hesitant to leave but eventually obliged, glancing back once more before closing the door.

The following day, my body still ached, but the pull to the training ground was stronger than the pain. I wrapped my bruised ribs tighter, slipped on the disguise again, and forced myself to walk with the same stiff confidence I had been practicing.

“Back again?” one of the warriors smirked when he noticed me stepping into the circle. His nose wrinkled as though sniffing out weakness. “You don’t look like you’ll last half the session.”

Another one chuckled, giving me a once-over. “Yeah, you look like a she-wolf. Fragile. Soft.”

My stomach dropped. For a moment, panic threatened to crawl up my throat. Did they recognize me? Had I been careless?

But then the first warrior tilted his head, his grin less mocking now. “Still… you fight better than you look. Guess appearances lie.”

The second one nodded. “Yeah, you’ve got that… feminine thing going on. Weak on the outside, but stronger than you seem.”

I forced a laugh, scratching the back of my neck to hide the tension in my jaw. “Maybe that’s just my style,” I muttered.

They grinned, apparently buying it, and motioned me into the sparring circle. My heart slowed just enough for me to breathe again. If they only saw me as an odd recruit with a strange way of fighting, then I could live with that. Better that than them guessing the truth.

"Everybody on your mark," the head warrior announced. "Days go by fast. In just two days, the Alpha will come to pick a top warrior. So train hard and don’t slack."

The Alpha? My heart skipped. He’ll actually come here… to choose?

I wasn’t sure if I should feel thrilled or terrified. On one hand, this was exactly the kind of chance I’d been waiting for. If I caught his eye, maybe I could climb closer to the truth I’ve been chasing, the truth I nearly died for. But on the other hand, being noticed by someone like him wasn’t always a blessing. It could mean being dragged into something I couldn’t escape.

The warriors scattered into formation. Some bent low, stretching their muscles, while others sharpened their footwork with relentless focus. Their eyes burned with hunger, like earning the Alpha’s attention was worth every cut, bruise, and broken bone.

Was it?

I chewed the inside of my cheek, a knot forming in my chest. I wanted that spotlight. I wanted to see him up close, to face the monster behind the throne and prove to myself he wasn’t untouchable. Yet, the thought of his eyes on me made my stomach twist. What if he saw through me? What if I wasn’t ready?

To be chosen could either be my way forward—or the end of me.

But deep down, I knew one thing. I wanted answers. I needed to know if the Alpha had anything to do with what happened to my pack.

Kieran swore he didn’t, but how could I believe him? If it wasn’t him, then maybe it was his father… or another sibling. His sudden appearance that night felt too convenient, like an alibi he’d carefully crafted. He could spin lies so easily, and worse, he knew how to make me believe them.

If the Alpha chose me, maybe I’d finally get close enough to tear through those lies. Close enough to uncover what really happened—where my parents are, or at least what fate met them that night. There had to be an answer. Someone in his family knew. Kieran might try to shield the truth, but even the best liar slips. And when he does, I’ll be there to catch it.

"Hey, pretty boy with the skinny body! Let’s fight," a voice jolted me out of my thoughts.

I turned my head, blinking, still half lost in my own storm. A tall warrior with broad shoulders and a smug grin was already circling, cracking his knuckles like he was preparing for a show. The others nearby glanced over with mild interest, some smirking, others whispering under their breath.

I hadn’t even steadied my stance before his fist connected with my jaw. The world tilted for a second. I staggered back, the sting biting deep, and the copper taste of blood touched my tongue.

"Too slow," he jeered. His movements were sharp, practiced, confident. Mine… distracted.

Another strike landed against my ribs. Then another to my shoulder. My body ached, but more than that, shame burned hotter than the pain. I could hear the faint chuckles of the others, and it clawed at me.

"You fight like a she-wolf," he sneered, circling again. "Weak. Soft. No wonder you look the way you do." His eyes glinted and a cruel amusement pulling at his lips. Then he leaned in close enough for only me to hear. "Bet your parents regret raising such a pitiful excuse of a boy."

The words hit harder than his fists. My chest tightened, fury sparking through every vein. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe then the anger took over.

I moved before I even realized it. My wolf surged inside me, a dark, primal strength clawing its way out. I lunged, faster than I thought possible, my fist slamming into his gut with enough force to make him choke. He doubled over, but I didn’t stop. My body knew what to do, each strike fueled by the image of my parents, by the grief I’d buried, by the insult carved into my bones.

Blood sprayed as my knuckles cracked against his jaw. He stumbled, disoriented, but when I caught his eyes again, fear flickered there. The kind of fear that told me I’d gone too far, that one more blow might not just knock him down… it might end him.

My claws slipped, half-formed, trembling at my sides. One step closer and I knew I’d shred through his throat.

Gasps erupted around us. I could feel every warrior’s gaze pressing in, the air thick with tension. My opponent was barely standing, swaying on weak legs, blood dripping from his split lip.

And me… I stood there, chest heaving, rage still simmering, caught between pulling back or finishing it.

"That's enough! You're here to train, not to kill your comrade!" the head shouted, snapping me out of it as they pulled me from the ring.