I left the training ground with lots of unanswered questions, which only one man I dared not face can answer.
Knowing he's the Blood Alpha of Bloodmoon Pack didn't move me as much as I thought it should.
Looking at the opulence of his castle, I knew the pack must have had a major standing in the council.
'And you would have been the Blood Luna' a voice whispered in my mind.
I forced back the bitterness rising in my heart at the thought, as I have a more urgent concern.
'The Race'
The warriors mentioned something about the race to choose the best she-wolf who would be crowned Luna.
As much as the thought of it irked me, I couldn't help but wonder what Roman's real intention behind my trainings was.
Is he preparing me for the race?
I felt a mix of fear, dread, anticipation and a little bit of happiness, knowing he considered me.
'I have to ask him'
I need to be sure if he's preparing me for the race or it's just his own twisted way of punishing me.
Lost in thoughts, I didn't know I had taken a wrong turn on the hallway as I found myself in a passage leading to a small garden-like courtyard.
Beautiful flowers neatly arranged and blooming brightly. A smile found its way to my face as I ran my hands through them enjoying the serene feeling of nature.
'How long has it been since I've been so relaxed?' Years.
'Pah. Pah. Pah.'
a sound broke my reverie as I turned a corner, my view changing.
There he was, upper body bare, his skin glistening with sweat, his muscles flexing with each punch he threw at the wooden training statues around him with his bare fists.
My eyes glued to his firm taut chest, heaving slightly from his intense training, his abdominal muscles so well defined I wished I could run my hands over them to feel how hard and strong they were.
I swallowed subconsiously as I feasted my eyes on the gorgeous body before me, unaware the sounds had stopped.
The wall of flesh moved closer and I almost drooled.
"Seen enough?"
My eyes widened like saucers. That voice!
My cheeks were hot as I tried to look anywhere else but him.
'How foolish Sharon' I chided myself 'It's one thing to check him out, but getting caught? Urghhhhh'.
'I should hate this man, but here I am undressing him with my eyes' sigh.
"Who let you in here" his displeased voice sounded above my head.
I shuffled back a few steps to widen the distance between us, my hands clamped as I gripped the hem of my top.
"I- I didn't m-mean to bother y-you, I lost my, uhm, way." I stammered.
He took a few steps closer and I retreated further way.
"Don't move"
I froze, my eyes glued to the ground as my heart beat wildly, I could almost hear the sounds.
I felt so uneasy, the thought of last night surfaced and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind just to avoid it.
"I heard about the race" I all but slapped myself for my stupidity when I saw his outstretched hand froze before me.
"What?"
Well, here goes nothing. No better time than now. I gritted my teeth and continued, finally lifting my face to his.
"The Luna Race." My voice shook, but I made myself keep going. "The warriors were talking about it. The elders. A seven-day race to choose a Luna. Is that why you make me train? Is that what all this is for?"
For one heartbeat, his cold expression broke as realisation flashed in his eyes. Then it was back in place.
He closed the distance between us in three strides and caught my jaw in his bloody hand.
"Don't flatter yourself," he said quietly. "A wolfless slave in a Luna Race? You're more stupid than I thought."
I swallowed as I blinked my reddened eyes. "Then why..."
"Don't forget your place, mutt" His grip tightened "You don't get to question me, I say train, you train. Period"
My head whipped sideways with the release of his grip, my jaw aching.
"Now get your filthy self out of my sight before I make you regret it" His voice laden with ominous threat.
Despite my reluctance and growing grievance, I remembered how ruthless he could be.
I turned and ran out of the garden.
Right as I crossed the threshold, his voice paused my steps.
"Sharon"
That was the first time he called my name. I turned in surprise. He knew my name?
My tears fell.
"Weak things don't get mercy, they get buried" his voice devoid of its usual coldness. "A moment of weakness will get you chewed to the bones, spat out and trampled on."
The weight of his words coupled with such solemn voice made my heart tremble in fear. He wasn't not trying to scare me. He was warning me.
But why?
"And I don't spend millions of dollars on worthless things that die." he added coldly. "Get out."
I walked back inside with my heart pounding. Sleep eluded me for the first part of the night as I recalled his last words in the yard.
Is there another kind of threat his preparing me for? Am I truly overthinking this?
But what does his warning mean then?
I tossed and rolled in frustration till sleep finally overcame me.
****************************************
The horn sounded before dawn.
It wasn't the usual morning call. It was long and deep, and it sounded through the castle like thunder.
Doors slammed open and shut. Maids ran down the corridors with pounding steps. By the time I reached the training yard, every warrior was already in formation.
The female warriors tried so hard to rein in their excitement, I could see the corners of their lips almost curving into a smile.
'What's going on?'
A man I had never seen before stood on the stone steps in a dark robe stitched with silver thread. Behind him waited two older men, their faces stern.
Roman stood a few feet away from them, with his arms crossed and his face set in his signature expression. Cold.
"By decree of the Alpha and Council of Elders," the robed man announced, unrolling a scroll, "the Luna Race is hereby declared."
A murmur swept through the yard as I gaped in astonishment.
"It's real?"
"And it's about to begin?"
Fuck!