Luna’s Legacy

Sparring Session

Calder stepped back a few paces, the tension between them thickening as he regarded Serena with a calm intensity. The clearing seemed larger now, the silence stretching around them as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what she would do. Serena swallowed hard, her palms already damp with sweat. She didn’t want to do this, not like this. The idea of shifting, even partially, in front of him felt too exposed, too raw.

But Calder wasn’t giving her a choice.

“Shift, Serena,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “Just enough to tap into your strength. You need to get used to the feeling, to the control. No one’s asking for full transformation—yet.”

Serena’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him. His words were simple, but the weight of them pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe. Just shift, as if it were that easy. As if she could summon the part of herself she had spent years burying without tearing open something deeper inside.

She clenched her fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. Calder stood before her, arms loose at his sides, waiting. The patience in his gaze only made her angrier. Why couldn’t he understand how terrifying this was? Why did he insist on pushing her when all she wanted was to stay hidden?

“I can’t,” she said through gritted teeth, shaking her head. “I don’t… I can’t control it.”

Calder’s expression didn’t waver. “You won’t know if you don’t try.”

Serena scowled, her frustration mounting. Try? It wasn’t about trying. It was about the fear of what she might become if she let go. What if she hurt him? What if she shifted too far and couldn’t stop? What if the power inside her wasn’t something she could control at all?

Her chest tightened, the pressure building beneath her ribs. She could feel the pulse of her wolf form just beneath the surface, like a beast snarling to be let loose. But she couldn’t let it out. Not here, not in front of Calder. She didn’t trust herself.

“I can’t let go,” she muttered under her breath, almost too quiet for him to hear. “What if I hurt him? What if I become… something else?”

Calder must have sensed her hesitation because he took a slow, measured step toward her. “You won’t hurt me,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “You’re stronger than you think. But strength without control is dangerous, Serena. If you don’t learn to control it, someone else will use it against you.”

His words struck something deep inside her, an old wound she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge. That was it, wasn’t it? That was the real fear—that someone like Ronan could use her, twist her power into something terrible. It wasn’t just about losing control—it was about losing herself completely.

Serena clenched her jaw, her anger rising in the pit of her stomach. She could feel Calder’s gaze on her, pushing, always pushing. He made it sound so simple, so easy. But it wasn’t easy for her. None of this was easy.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” she snapped, her voice harsh. “I don’t want to be part of your pack. I don’t want to be anything.”

Her words came out sharper than she intended, but the frustration, the fear—it all felt like too much, pressing in on her from every side. She hated this, hated that Calder was forcing her into a role she never wanted, hated that she couldn’t just be left alone.

Calder remained steady, his gaze unwavering as he absorbed her outburst. “You don’t have to be part of anything,” he said, his voice calm but resolute. “But you do have to learn control. Because if you don’t, it’s not just you who will suffer—it’s everyone around you.”

Serena’s fists clenched tighter, the heat of her anger thrumming through her veins. She wanted to fight back, to tell him he was wrong, that she didn’t need any of this. But deep down, she knew he was right. If Ronan got his hands on her, she wouldn’t be able to stop him. She wouldn’t be able to protect herself or anyone else.

And that thought—losing control to someone like Ronan—terrified her more than anything.

She took a deep breath, her heart racing, and let the heat inside her rise. It started slow at first, a flicker of warmth that spread through her limbs, her senses sharpening as she felt the wolf just beneath the surface. Her muscles tensed, her vision shifting slightly, her nails lengthening into sharp points as she partially shifted.

It was an odd, disorienting sensation—one she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a long time. The power inside her surged forward, wild and raw, but she held it back, her mind grappling with the need to stay in control.

“Good,” Calder said, his tone approving. “Now, let’s see what you can do.”

He took a step back, raising his hands in a defensive stance, his eyes locked onto hers. Serena’s heart pounded in her chest, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. Calder was going to spar with her, test her, push her—but she still didn’t trust herself. She still didn’t know if she could do this without losing control.

She hesitated, her body tensed, every instinct screaming at her to stop. I can’t. What if I—

But Calder didn’t wait for her to finish that thought. In one swift movement, he lunged toward her, his body a blur of motion as he aimed a light but precise strike at her side.

Serena reacted instinctively, her wolf senses snapping into focus as she blocked his blow with more force than she intended. Her arm shot out, her claws slicing through the air as she shoved him back, hard.

Too hard.

Calder stumbled back a step, his eyes flashing with surprise, but he quickly recovered, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “See?” he said, his voice a mix of encouragement and challenge. “You’re holding back, but you’re stronger than you realize. Don’t be afraid to use that strength.”

Serena’s breath came in shallow gasps, her heart still racing. The force of her own strength startled her, and the rush of adrenaline sent a shiver down her spine. She hadn’t meant to push him that hard—hadn’t meant to let that much power out. But the more she fought it, the more it pushed against her control.

She could feel her anger rising again, mingling with the frustration that had been simmering since the start of this session. Calder kept pushing, always demanding more, always telling her she was stronger than she thought.

But what if he was wrong? What if she was too strong? What if she lost control, and there was no pulling back?

“I’m not like you,” she said through gritted teeth, her frustration bubbling over. “I don’t want this power. I don’t want to be a weapon.”

Calder shook his head, his expression unreadable. “You’re not a weapon, Serena. But if you don’t learn to control your power, someone else will use it as one. You can’t afford to keep holding back.”

His words were a challenge, but they also carried a warning, one that settled like a heavy weight in her chest. She hated that he was right. Hated that the more she resisted, the more she felt like she was losing control anyway.

Her muscles tensed as Calder lunged at her again, and this time, she didn’t hold back. She met him halfway, her claws extending as she aimed a sharp blow at his side. He blocked it easily, but the force behind her strike made him stagger, his feet sliding against the damp grass.

“Good,” Calder grunted, dodging another strike. “That’s it. Don’t be afraid to push harder.”

But Serena wasn’t just pushing—she was losing herself in the heat of the moment, her frustration fueling her every movement. She could feel the wolf inside her surging forward, hungry for more, desperate to be unleashed. She fought to keep it in check, but the more she fought, the harder it became.

Her vision blurred slightly, the world around her sharpening in ways that felt unnatural, her senses overwhelmed by the surge of power inside her. She swiped at Calder again, her claws coming dangerously close to his chest, but he deflected the blow just in time.

“Serena,” Calder said sharply, stepping back. “Focus. Control it.”

But it was too late. The pressure inside her was building, her anger and fear tangling together until she couldn’t separate them anymore. She wasn’t sparring anymore—she was fighting, fighting to keep herself from becoming something she didn’t recognize.

Her chest heaved, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stumbled back, trying to regain control. But the power inside her was roaring now, clawing at her from the inside, begging to be let loose.

“Serena!” Calder’s voice cut through the haze, pulling her back from the edge.

She blinked, her vision clearing just enough to see Calder standing a few feet away, his hands raised in a gesture of calm. He wasn’t attacking. He wasn’t pushing anymore.

He was waiting.

“Breathe,” he said, his voice steady. “You’re in control. Not it.”

Serena’s breath hitched in her chest, her muscles trembling as she forced herself to focus. The power inside her was still there, still raging, but she could feel it slowly receding as she took a deep breath, centering herself.

She wasn’t a weapon. Not yet.

And maybe, just maybe, she didn’t have to be.