The Last Luna Standing

Chapter 7

Tamara

I turned my head and the towering Beta stood a few feet away. His scarred face looked softer now than it did when we first arrived.

I did not answer his question. Instead, I let out a dry, tired laugh.

"Isn't it funny?" I asked, looking up at him. "We have been in the same space for two days, but I still do not know your name."

A small smile appeared on his face. "My name is Kain."

"Kain," I repeated. I looked back down at the grass. "Do you believe in mates, Kain?"

He stepped closer and stood nearby. "I do. If I found my mate today, I would cherish her with all I have."

"Then why is everything here so difficult?" I asked quietly.

Kain shook his head. "Because I am just a Beta. You are different. You are the mate of the Alpha. The whole pack has very high expectations of you."

I looked up at him again, listening closely.

"You are a stranger amongst them," Kain explained. "That is why they are so hostile. They need to know their Luna is strong. As time goes on, they will warm up to you."

I scoffed. I crossed my arms over my chest. "I do not believe you. It wasn't like this in my pack. I never had to fight for anything." I paused, thinking of Ryder and my other siblings back home. "All I had to fight for was maybe food from my brothers. But never something like this."

Kain looked at me with a very serious expression.

"You were paired with the Alpha for a reason, Tamara," he said. "You should not forget that the Moon Goddess never makes mistakes."

With those final words, he gave a polite nod. He turned around and walked back toward the busy training grounds. I sat alone for a few more minutes, thinking about what he said. Then, I finally stood up and went back inside.

The next morning, Earth began my real training. She stopped making me just run and do push-ups. She started teaching me how to fight. We worked on basic combat and how to throw a proper punch. She taught me how to keep my balance when someone bigger pushed me. We worked on my endurance, and she even taught me basic survival skills in the woods.

Two whole weeks went by like this.

Everything hurt. My arms, my legs, and my back were constantly sore and covered in bruises. My days started in the freezing dark and ended with me collapsing into bed.

There were several times when I almost quit. I wanted to pack my suitcase, walk out the heavy iron gates, and go back to my easy life.

But then, I would see them.

The remaining Luna contenders. Serena and a few other high-ranking female warriors trained fiercely every single day. They always watched me struggle. They whispered to each other and smiled whenever Earth knocked me down in the dirt.

Seeing their mocking faces triggered my anger. It made me get my act up. I refused to let Serena take my mate. I refused to let them see me break. I pushed myself harder and started blocking Earth's hits.

During those two weeks, North did not speak to me. But sometimes, I noticed him. He would stand at a distance, leaning against the wooden fence of the training ring. He watched part of my training without saying a single word. He just watched me fall, and he watched me get right back up. Whenever I caught him looking, he would turn and walk away.

Later that night, I dragged my tired body back to the pack house. My muscles ached so much I could barely lift my feet up the stairs.

When I reached my room, I stopped.

A small grey box sat on the floor right outside my door.

I frowned. I bent down and picked it up carefully. I pushed my door open, walked inside, and placed the box on my bed.

When I opened it, I found several small glass jars filled with thick, herbal medicine. There was also a clean roll of bandages.

I looked back out into the empty, dark hallway. No one was there and the corridor was completely silent.

But then I took a breath, and I recognized the faint scent lingering in the air right outside my door.

Pine, and spicy musk.

It was North.

I closed my door and looked down at the jars on my bed. A warm feeling spread through my chest, completely chasing away the cold ache in my muscles.

He quietly made sure I was treated. He did not want anyone else to know, but he cared enough to bring it himself.

A real smile finally broke across my face. I opened the first jar of medicine.

Maybe he didn't actually hate me after all.

Maybe he felt it too…