The dawn came slow that morning.
Selene woke to the soft hum of the Sanctuary, the crimson light of the Blood Moon fading into pale silver. Her skin still tingled with the power she had unleashed the night before. She could still feel it pulsing beneath her chest the bond to Elias, alive and aching.
She lay still for a long moment, staring at the ceiling carved from living stone. Her dreams had been vivid again, sharper, more intense. Images of battle and fire haunted her sleep. And always… Elias. Standing beside her, his golden eyes blazing under the blood moon.
When she finally rose, she found him waiting.
He stood at the edge of the training hall, his posture still, his eyes fixed on her like a predator watching prey. His hair was dark against the pale light of dawn, his form radiating strength and control.
"You're awake," he said softly.
"I couldn't sleep," Selene admitted. Her voice was quiet. "The dreams… they're stronger now."
He nodded. "The awakening stirs them. The more the bond grows, the more the visions will come. You must learn to understand them."
Selene frowned. "Understand them? They're… confusing. And they feel so real."
"That is because they are," Elias said, stepping closer. "The dreams are part of the bloodline. They speak to you. They will guide you if you learn to listen."
Selene glanced away, her chest tightening. "I don't know if I want to listen."
He reached out, his fingers brushing hers. The touch sent a shiver down her spine. "You will," he said softly. "Because the bond will not let you turn away. And because you are mine."
Her breath hitched. Something about the way he said it felt both dangerous and inevitable.
Training in the Light
The morning was spent in training. Elias guided her through exercises that tested her strength, her control, and her connection to the bloodline.
"You must call it," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Feel the pull. Trust it."
Selene focused, closing her eyes. The air around her shimmered faintly. Her skin prickled. Somewhere deep in her chest, the bond called again. A warmth spread outward, slow and consuming, until her body glowed faintly under the pale light.
She gasped, stumbling. Elias caught her, steadying her. "Good," he murmured. "You're learning."
She shook her head. "I don't feel like I'm learning. I feel… afraid."
"Fear is part of it," he said softly. "It keeps you alive. But so does trust. You must trust yourself. And you must trust me."
She met his gaze, searching his golden eyes for a clue. His expression was unreadable, but the intensity in his stare was undeniable.
"I'll try," she whispered.
"That is enough for now," he said. "But tonight… there will be no more trials. You must rest."
Selene nodded. But rest felt impossible. The dreams and the pull would not let her.
The First Attack
That night, the air was heavy with tension. Selene stood at the edge of the Sanctuary once more, watching as the crimson glow of the Blood Moon returned. Elias stood beside her, his presence a shield she could feel even without touch.
"You feel it?" he asked quietly.
Selene nodded. "The pull… it's stronger."
"That means they know," he said simply. "The hunters are coming."
Her breath caught. "What do they want with me?"
"To kill you," he said flatly. "Before the bond can fully form."
Her chest tightened. Fear rose again. "How do we stop them?"
"We don't," Elias said softly. "We fight."
Before she could react, the ground trembled. From the shadows, shapes emerged. Wolves larger and more terrifying than before. Their fur shimmered like steel in the crimson light. Their eyes burned red with hunger.
Elias stepped forward instantly, shifting without sound. His form rippled and twisted until he was wolf, massive and golden-eyed. His growl rolled through the air like thunder.
Selene gasped. She could feel her bloodline stirring. The bond pulled at her chest fiercely. She didn't know how, but she knew she had to join him.
Before she could speak, Elias turned to her. "Stay close. Trust the bond."
Her feet moved without her will, drawn toward him. Her hands trembled. She focused, breathing deeply. Somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered: This is your trial.
The hunters charged. Elias roared, leaping forward with predatory grace. Selene felt her heart race. The air around her shimmered. Without thinking, she raised her hands. A wave of silver light exploded outward, throwing several hunters back.
They howled in pain. The rest circled, closing in. Selene's skin glowed brighter. Pain surged in her chest, sharp and burning, but beneath it was power fierce and undeniable.
Elias fought beside her, every movement precise and deadly. His golden eyes found hers across the chaos. "Now," he growled. "Call it fully."
Selene's breath caught. She closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the bond. Her chest burned. Her vision filled with crimson light. She stepped forward.
A roar erupted from her lips, and the air itself seemed to shatter. Light burst outward, blinding and pure. The hunters screamed, retreating into the shadows.
When the light faded, the forest was silent. The hunters were gone. Elias stood beside her, shifting back to human form. His golden eyes glowed, fixed on her.
"You did it," he said softly. "You called it."
Selene gasped for breath, trembling. "I… I didn't know I could."
"You didn't know until now," he said quietly. "That is the power of the Moonborn. And it belongs to you."
Her chest tightened. "What happens now?"
"Now," Elias said, stepping closer, "we prepare. For war. And for the choice the prophecy demands."
The Bond Deepens
After the fight, they returned to the Sanctuary. Selene's body ached, but her skin still glowed faintly under the fading moonlight. Elias's hand brushed hers.
"You're changing," he murmured. "The bond grows stronger."
She looked at him, searching his face. "What does that mean?"
"It means," he said softly, "that soon, there will be no turning back. You and I… we are bound. And with that bond comes power. And danger."
Her chest tightened. "And if I refuse it?"
His golden eyes softened, but there was steel beneath the warmth. "Then you will lose yourself. But Selene… I will never let that happen."
She wanted to speak, to deny the pull, but her breath caught. The truth was undeniable something inside her belonged to him already.
The crimson light faded, leaving them in silence. Outside, the forest whispered under the Blood Moon.
And Selene knew the first trial had only just begun.