Aria's POV
My muscles still ached from yesterday's laps, but I was up before the first light, pulling on my training clothes and slipping out of the manor while the halls were still quiet.
Ivan was already waiting at the training grounds, leaning casually against a wooden post with his arms crossed. When he saw me, he pushed off and grinned.
"You're early," he said. "I like that."
"I didn't want to give you any reason to doubt me," I replied, managing a small smile.
He laughed. "Oh, I don't doubt you. I'm just impressed you're still standing after yesterday."
We started with agility drills.
Ivan had set up a simple course: a row of low hurdles to leap over, a series of wooden beams to balance on, and a rope ladder strung between two trees. He explained the goal quickly—move fast, stay light, don't fall.
"Speed isn't everything," he said. "Control is. Your wolf will help when she's ready."
I nodded and stepped up to the starting line.
The first few tries were clumsy. I tripped over the first hurdle, caught my foot on the beam, and nearly face-planted climbing the rope ladder. Each time, Ivan was there with a steady hand or a quiet word of encouragement.
"Again," he said. "Focus on your center. Let your body remember."
I tried again. And again.
On the fifth attempt, I cleared the hurdles cleanly, my feet landing lighter than before. When I reached the balance beam, I didn't wobble. My steps were sure, steady. I crossed it in a single breath, then grabbed the rope ladder and climbed without hesitation.
When I reached the top and looked down, Ivan was staring at me, eyebrows raised.
"Well, damn" he said. "That was smooth."
I dropped to the ground, breathing hard. "I… I didn't even think about it. It just happened."
"That's Lira," he said with a grin. "She's waking up. Even if it's just a little."
I touched my chest instinctively. The faint presence was stronger now—still quiet, but there. A soft hum of awareness. For the first time, I didn't feel like I was dragging her along. It felt like she was trying to meet me halfway.
We took a break after that, sitting on the grass with our backs against the same tree. Ivan passed me the waterskin, and we drank in silence for a few minutes.
Then he spoke, voice low and thoughtful.
"You ever hear the story of how Nightshade was founded?"
I shook my head. "No. Kael never talked about other packs. Not really."
Ivan leaned back against the truck, arms resting on his knees. "It goes back centuries. The first Alpha was a wolf named Thorne Blackthorn—Raine's ancestor. He wasn't born here. He was exiled from his old pack after refusing to bow to a tyrant. He wandered for years, alone, until he found this valley. The land was wild, dangerous—rogues everywhere, no laws, no mercy."
I listened, drawn in despite myself.
"Thorne could have kept running," Ivan continued. "But he saw other wolves suffering—scattered, hunted, wishing for a good leader. So he stayed. He fought off the rogues, claimed the valley, and started building something better. He didn't do it for glory. He did it because he knew what it felt like to have nowhere to belong."
I looked down at my hands, fingers twisting in the grass. "He sounds… lonely."
"He was," Ivan said quietly. "But he made a home anyway. That's what Nightshade is. A place for wolves who have nowhere else to go."
I swallowed. The words hit closer than I expected.
"That's how I felt," I said softly. "After my parents died, I had nowhere else to go. Alpha Draven took me in, but it was never really home. After he died and Kael took over… I was just… tolerated. Like a stray dog no one wanted to kick out but didn't want to feed either."
Ivan turned to look at me. His eyes were gentle, steady.
"You're not a stray anymore, Aria."
I met his gaze, throat tight. "I don't know what I am."
"You're someone who survived," he said simply. "And you're someone who's still fighting."
He reached over and gave my shoulder a tight, reassuring squeeze.
"And now you're here," he added. "With a pack that needs you. Even if they don't always say it."
I look away, blinking back the sudden sting in my eyes. "Thank you," I whispered.
He smiled. "Don't thank me. Just keep showing up. That's all anyone's ever asked of you."
We sat there a little longer, the morning sun climbing higher, warming the ground beneath us.
About an hour later, Ivan got up and clapped me on the back with that easy grin of his. "You're getting faster every day. Rest up. Tomorrow we'll push harder."
I thanked him again.
He winked. "Just doing my job. Go on, Luna duties are calling."
I watched him head toward the armory, then turned back toward the manor.
I pulled the folded paper from my pocket—the list Cara had given me yesterday—and scanned the next task.
Midday: Visit the sick pack members.
I tucked the list away and made my way to the infirmary, a low stone building on the eastern side of the grounds. The door was already open, and the sharp smell of healing herbs and old bandages greeted me before I even stepped inside.
Inside, the room was quiet. A handful of cots lined the walls, most of them occupied. A young healer—barely older than me—looked up from grinding herbs and gave a small surprised bow.
"Luna," she said softly. "We weren't expecting you."
"I'm here to help," I said, offering a small smile. "If that's all right."
Her eyes widened slightly, then softened. "Of course. We'd be honored."
She gestured toward the cots. I moved slowly down the row, trying not to startle anyone.
The first patient was a teenage boy with a bandaged arm, his face pale but curious.
"You're the new Luna," he said, voice hoarse.
"I am," I replied, sitting carefully on the edge of his cot. "I'm Aria. How are you feeling?"
He shrugged, then winced. "Hurts, but I'll live. Got caught by a rogue on patrol. Stupid mistake."
I reached out and gently adjusted the blanket over his legs. "It's not stupid. It's brave. You were protecting the pack."
He looked at me for a long moment, then gave a small nod. "Thanks."
I moved to the next cot. An older woman with a fevered flush on her cheeks. She was asleep, but her breathing was shallow. I wet a cloth with cool water from the basin and laid it gently across her forehead. She stirred, eyes fluttering open.
"You're… the new one," she murmured.
"Yes," I whispered. "Rest. I'm here."
She reached out with a trembling hand and caught mine. Her grip was weak, but her fingers curled around mine like she was holding on to something solid.
"You have kind hands," she said faintly. "Like my daughter used to."
"Thank you," I said.
She smiled, small and tired, and drifted back to sleep.
I continued down the row—offering water, adjusting pillows, listening to quiet stories of pain and recovery. Some spoke to me. Others simply took my hand or gave a tired nod. No one turned me away.
I moved to the last cot in the corner, where an elderly woman lay curled beneath a quilt stitched with tiny moons. Her silver hair spilled across the pillow, and her breathing was slow and labored. I knelt beside her, gently taking the cup of water the healer had left and lifting it to her lips. She sipped, eyes fluttering open.
"Luna," she whispered, voice like dry leaves. "You came."
"I did," I said softly, setting the cup down. "How are you feeling today?"
"Weary," she admitted, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "But better for seeing you."
I brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. "Rest. I'll be back tomorrow."
She caught my hand in her frail one. "Bless you, child. The pack's been waiting for a heart like yours."
Her words settled warm in my chest, and I squeezed her fingers before standing.
That was when I felt it.
The air in the room changed—grew heavier, charged, like the moment before a storm breaks. Every head turned toward the doorway. The young healer dropped to a quick bow. The boy with the bandaged arm straightened as best as he could. Even the elderly woman pressed her palms together in quiet respect.
I turned.
Raine stood framed in the doorway, tall and silent, silver eyes sweeping the infirmary. Ivan stood just behind him, arm loose at his sides.
My breath caught. I hadn't expected him here.
Our eyes met across the room. I offered the smallest greeting—a soft dip of my head, the polite acknowledgment a Luna should give her Alpha.
Raine's gaze lingered for a single heartbeat. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away. Ivan gave me a quick, encouraging half-smile before following.
The door closed behind them, and the room exhaled.