CHAPTER TEN — BONDED POWER
702 Words
Aria’s POV
The clearing behind the packhouse was silent, except for the rustle of leaves and the soft chorus of crickets. Moonlight bathed the open field in silver light, making the grass sparkle like frost. Damian stood in front of her, shirt off, muscles tense, eyes glowing faintly with his wolf’s presence.
“This place is where my father trained me,” he said, voice low but steady. “It’s where Alphas learn to fight with more than just their claws. Tonight, you’re not just training as my Luna… but as the heir of the Celestial Line.”
Aria’s heart pounded. Since the night of the battle and the visions, the power inside her had been… louder. She could feel it humming beneath her skin like a storm waiting to break.
She nodded. “I’m ready.”
Damian’s lips curved in a faint smirk. “We’ll see.”
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Damian’s POV
He circled her slowly, assessing her stance. She looked delicate, almost ethereal in the moonlight — but he had already seen the power she carried when she defended him. That golden light could shatter walls. But raw power without control was dangerous.
“First lesson,” he said. “Control your breathing. Power follows focus.”
He placed his palm over her chest, right above her heart. “Breathe in through here. Let the energy settle. Don’t fight it — guide it.”
She closed her eyes and inhaled. Warmth bloomed under his hand. Then the markings on her neck — the celestial runes — began to glow softly. The air around them shifted.
Damian felt the bond between them pulse, a low thrum like two heartbeats syncing. His wolf stirred, drawn to the light inside her.
“Good,” he whispered. “Now call it.”
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Aria’s POV
She opened her palms and focused on the warmth building inside her. Images of her parents, the prophecy, and Damian’s silver eyes flashed in her mind. Slowly, golden light seeped from her fingertips, swirling like mist.
At first, it was small — a flickering aura around her hands. But the more she focused, the brighter it grew, until she stood at the center of a soft, glowing storm.
Damian stepped closer. “Now hold it steady. No panic. No doubt.”
Her heart raced. For a moment, the energy flared wildly, wind whipping through the clearing. But then Damian’s hands covered hers, steady and warm.
“Feel me,” he said softly. “Let our bond anchor you.”
Her power responded like a loyal wolf to its Alpha — not out of submission, but harmony. The storm calmed. The golden light condensed into two glowing orbs hovering above her palms.
She gasped. “I did it…”
Damian smiled, pride flickering in his eyes. “You did.”
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Damian’s POV
But training wasn’t just about control — it was about strength. He shifted into his wolf, his black fur glinting under the moonlight. He circled her again, testing her focus.
“Defend yourself,” his voice echoed through the bond.
Aria instinctively raised a hand, and the golden light flared into a protective barrier just as he lunged. His massive form crashed into the shield — and it held. Energy rippled out in a shockwave, sending leaves spiraling.
She didn’t stumble. She didn’t scream. She stood firm.
Pride surged through him. She was more than a Luna. She was a force.
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Aria’s POV
Hours passed in a blur of light, movement, and laughter. Damian pushed her, but he never broke her. For the first time, she felt not like someone running from her past — but like someone shaping her future.
As they finished, she collapsed onto the grass, breathing hard. Damian sat beside her, sweat glistening on his skin, his smile rare and real.
“You’re learning fast,” he said.
She looked at the moon, glowing above them. “I have to. They’re coming.”
Damian’s fingers brushed hers. “Then let them. This time, they won’t know what hit them.”
The wind carried their joined laughter into the night, mingled with the distant howl of wolves — a promise of what was to come.
- Writer
