From His Luna to His Rival's Mate

Chapter 13

SELENE

I stood at the edge of the training grounds for a few minutes, hidden behind a thick tree. The moon was high and bright. Kael practiced alone in the open space, his body moved with smooth power as he worked through a series of fast strikes and defensive turns.

Sweat made his dark shirt stick to his broad shoulders, every movement looked controlled and strong. I watched the way his muscles shifted under the fabric.

I took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the tree. My sneakers made soft sounds on the grass as I walked toward him. Kael stopped mid-move and turned to face me, his dark eyes widened slightly when he saw me. He wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Selene," he said, breathing a little hard. "What are you doing out here so late?"

I stopped a few feet away from him. The night air felt cool on my skin. "I came to find you. I need your help. Real help. I want you to train me in secret."

Kael stared at me for a long moment. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head slowly. "You never listen, do you? I told you this is not a good idea."

"I know what you said," I replied, stepping closer. "But I am asking anyway. Please. I need to get stronger. I need someone who actually knows what they are doing."

He looked away toward the trees for a second, then back at me. His jaw tightened. Finally, he let out a long breath. "Fine. One session, tonight only. After that, you go back to your normal life."

I smiled a little. "Thank you."

Kael walked to the center of the clearing and motioned for me to follow. "Take off your jacket. You will need to move freely."

I pulled off my jacket and dropped it on the grass. The cool air touched my arms. Kael stood in front of me. He was much taller up close, his eyes moved over me quickly before he looked back at my face.

"We start with basic control," he said. "The Lunar Trial showed you can fight when you are angry. But anger is not enough. You need calm control too."

He stepped behind me and placed his hands lightly on my shoulders. "Relax your body. Feel the ground under your feet. Breathe slow and deep."

I tried to do what he said. His hands stayed on my shoulders as he guided me through simple movements. Every time he corrected my stance, his fingers brushed my skin, the closeness made my heart beat faster.

"Like this," he said softly near my ear. He moved my arm into a better position. His chest brushed against my back for a second. "Good. Now hold it."

We worked like that for a while. He showed me how to shift my weight and keep my balance even when he pushed against me gently.

Our bodies moved close together many times and each touch sent small sparks through me. I felt safe with him in a way I had not felt with anyone else in a long time.

"You are doing better than I expected," he said after some time. There was a hint of a smile in his voice.

I turned to look at him. "Is that your way of saying I am good?" I asked.

Kael let out a short laugh. "Do not get too confident, runner-up. You still have a long way to go."

We kept training and he taught me how to control my breathing during stress. He stood close and placed one hand on my stomach to help me feel the right rhythm. His palm felt warm through my shirt. I looked up at his face and our eyes locked, the air between us grew thick.

"You are shaking," he said quietly. "Are you cold?"

"No," I whispered. "Not cold."

Kael's hand stayed on my stomach. His thumb moved in a small circle without thinking, his eyes dropped to my lips and I felt myself leaning in.

He leaned down too and our faces moved closer. I could feel his warm breath on my skin, my heart raced so hard I thought he could hear it and for one perfect second, I thought he would kiss me.

But he pulled back suddenly and took two big steps away and turned his back to me, his shoulders rose and fell with quick breaths as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I can not do this," he said, his voice rough. "You should go back to your dorm."

I stood there, still feeling the almost kiss on my lips. "Why do you stop every time?" I asked. "What are you so afraid of?"

Kael turned around slowly and his eyes looked troubled. He took a step closer but kept some distance between us. "I am dangerous, Selene. More than you know, being around me puts you at risk. I do not want to be the reason something bad happens to you."

I stepped forward and looked up at him. "I am not afraid of you."

"You should be," he said softly. His eyes held mine for a long moment. "Go back. Please, before I forget why I need to stay away."

I wanted to argue, but I saw the real struggle in his face. I picked up my jacket from the grass and held it in my hands. "Thank you for training me tonight. Even if it was only one session."

Kael nodded once. He did not say anything else. I turned and started walking back toward the dorm, my legs felt a little weak. The night air felt colder now. I looked back once and saw him still standing in the same spot, watching me leave.

I felt safe with him tonight, safer than I had felt in a very long time. But Kael clearly carried heavy secrets, secrets he was not ready to share.