The moon hung high and full in the sky, bathing the Blue Moon Pack in silver light. But inside the training grounds, the mood was anything but calm.
Callista stood at the center of a wide circle, her arms outstretched, eyes closed. Around her, a faint glow pulsed from the runes Lucien had carved into the earth. She was trying to channel her power—without letting it consume her.
Lucien watched from the edge, his expression unreadable. Beside him stood Elira, still weak, her hands bound in enchanted cuffs, a silent guard at her back.
"She's learning fast," Elira said softly. "Too fast."
Lucien didn't look at her. "She has no choice."
Callista's eyes snapped open, and with a wave of her hand, the runes flared to life—shifting from silver to blue to a glowing violet. A blast of energy rippled outward, knocking the guards off balance but leaving Lucien untouched.
She blinked in surprise. "I didn't mean to—"
Lucien approached, steady and calm. "You're doing fine."
"No," she said. "I'm not. I can feel it, Lucien. There's more inside me… something dark. Like a part of me wants to burn everything down just to see what rises."
He gently took her hand. "Then we teach you how to control it before anyone else tries to."
Behind them, Elira stepped forward. "That's the same darkness Sabrina wants to use. If she gets inside your head, she'll feed that fire until it consumes everything you care about."
Callista's jaw tightened. "Then I won't let her in."
Elira hesitated. "There's one way to block her—an ancient ritual, old magic. It would sever the link she's trying to form with your soul. But it's dangerous. It could… change you."
"Change me how?" Callista asked sharply.
"It might strip part of your power—or awaken something dormant. Either way, it's irreversible."
Lucien stepped between them. "We're not doing anything without knowing exactly what's at stake."
Callista's eyes didn't waver. "If it means stopping her from controlling me, I'll take the risk."
Lucien turned to her, his voice quiet but firm. "And if you lose yourself in the process?"
She reached up and touched his chest, right over where his heart beat strong. "Then you find me. Like you always do."
For the first time in days, Elira looked truly uncertain.
Because Callista wasn't just willing to fight back.
She was willing to become something new.