The night had passed, but the memory of Mr. Shadow's touch was a fresh brand on my skin. A strange energy coursed through me—a potent cocktail of fear and exhilaration. I decided to leave for the office early, hoping the pressure of work could distract me from the storm of thoughts.
The office atmosphere was more severe than usual. Colleagues spoke in hushed, hurried tones, and the air was thick with an unspoken tension. As I stepped towards my desk, I saw him through the glass wall of the conference room. Mr. Shadow was already there. He wasn't in his traditional black coat but dressed in a sharp, expensive suit that, despite his mysterious aura, made him look like a player from the boardroom.
He was discussing something grave. Before him sat several senior executives, their faces etched with clear concern. I strained to listen.
"...This is not merely a business acquisition," Mr. Shadow's voice was low but carried an authority that commanded the room. "It is a matter of our existence. 'Black Ice Corporation' is not just a competitor. The forces behind it... they are like us. But their ambition extends far beyond corporate dominance."
His red eyes glinted as a graph flashed on the projector. "They are poaching our key business partners. But that is all a smokescreen. Their true target is control over the city districts where our... community resides. They seek to weaken our packs."
A senior manager ventured a question. "But sir, can't this be handled through legal channels? We can compete."
Mr. Shadow let out a sharp, cold laugh. "This war will not be confined to boardrooms. It will be fought in the streets, in the alleys, and in the places the common eye does not see. Behind 'Black Ice' are Alphas—feral, unbound, and ungoverned by our laws. They are abducting Lunas, breaking them, and using their power for their own gain."
My heart hammered against my ribs. Abducting Lunas? Were Emma and I in danger?
"Over the next few weeks," Mr. Shadow continued, "we must all be vigilant. Especially our new... protected individuals." His gaze suddenly shifted, piercing through the glass and locking directly onto me. He had seen me.
I immediately sat at my desk, my pulse racing. Had I overheard something confidential? But his eyes held no reprimand, only a warning—and a sense of protection.
Minutes later, Mr. Shadow emerged from the conference room and walked straight to my desk. His presence silenced the curious onlookers around us.
"Sophia," he said in that deep timbre. "My office. Now."
I followed him, feeling the weight of every stare in the office. He opened the door to his private chamber—a room I had heard of but never entered.
It was spacious but starkly decorated compared to David's opulent office. A large window offered a panoramic view of the city, and a vast desk held a few files and an antique lamp.
He closed the door and turned to me. "You heard everything," it was a statement, not a question.
I nodded. "Are we... are Emma and I in danger?"
He looked at me gravely. "Yes. The Alphas of 'Black Ice' are hunting for new Lunas. You and your sister... you are new, not yet fully trained. You would be easy prey."
"But you said you would protect us," I said, my voice laced with a fear I couldn't suppress.
"And I will," he said, stepping closer. He cupped my face, his cold fingers a stark contrast to my feverish skin. "But you must also learn. You must learn to control your power. You must learn to fight."
"How...?"
"I will teach you," he declared. "But first, you must understand what you are. You are not just a Luna, Sophia. Your blood holds a special power. Your mother was a very powerful Luna, and that power resides in you and your sister."
He dropped his hand and turned to his desk. "In the meantime, you must maintain your normal life. Come to work, go home, spend time with your mother and sister. But always be alert. Trust no stranger."
"Are David and Damian involved in this?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "We will all face this threat. We are a pack, and the pack stays together."
He handed me a file from his desk. "This is your new project. It pertains to our business dealings with 'Black Ice.' Read it carefully. You must remember every detail."
I took the file and turned to leave, but he stopped me.
"And Sophia," he said, his voice softening yet remaining deadly serious. "Tonight, you and your sister are to come to a designated location. We will begin your training."
I nodded and exited the room, the file in my hands suddenly feeling immensely heavy. The normalcy of office life now felt like a thin veneer, beneath which a dangerous war was brewing—a war in which Emma and I were now key players.
---
Elsewhere, David sat in a cafe, facing Sophia's mother. He was smiling, deploying his most charming, trustworthy persona.
"Your daughters are incredibly talented," he was saying. "Sophia is poised to become the backbone of the company."
Sophia's mother watched him suspiciously, but David's flattery coaxed a slight smile from her. She didn't know this wasn't a casual meeting—it was a predator's first, calculated move.
---
Leaving the office, my mind echoed with Mr. Shadow's warnings. Black Ice Corporation, Luna abductions, danger. The words created a terrifying chorus in my head. I went straight home, where Emma was waiting, her face mirroring the anxiety I felt.
"Sophie, what's wrong?" she asked the moment I entered.
"We need to talk,"I said, leading her to my room.
I told her everything—Mr. Shadow's meeting, the threat of 'Black Ice,' and our training tonight. Emma's eyes filled with fear, but also with a newfound determination.
"So we have to learn," she said, clenching her fist. "We can't be easy targets."
As evening fell, a message from Mr. Shadow arrived with an address—an old manor in a deserted area on the outskirts of the city. We told our mother we were going to a movie with friends. She merely nodded, but her eyes held a strange anxiety, as if she knew something.
The manor was exactly as I had imagined—large, old, and mysterious. The door opened to reveal Damian, a peculiar smile on his face.
"Come in," he said. "You're expected."
Inside, a vast hall had been converted into a training area. Mr. Shadow and David were there. David's eyes were on me, and the dissatisfaction in them was plain to see.
"Let's begin," Mr. Shadow said. "Tonight, we will acquaint you with your inner power."
He positioned us in the center of the room. "Close your eyes and feel the fire within you. The flame that runs in your blood."
I closed my eyes. Within moments, I felt the heat—a living, breathing fire coursing through my veins. Emma also drew a sharp breath, as if feeling the same thing.
"Now," Mr. Shadow's voice resonated, "let it out."
A golden light began to emanate from my hands. A faint glow also appeared around Emma. It was incredible—terrifying, yet beautiful.
"Very good," Mr. Shadow said. "Now you begin to understand what you are."
The next few hours were spent in rigorous training. We learned to control our powers, to focus them. Mr. Shadow was a patient teacher, while Damian trained Emma separately. David mostly watched in silence, but I could feel his gaze constantly on me.
During a break, when Emma and Damian were outside, David approached me.
"You know you're making the wrong choice," he said, his voice dripping with a dangerous sweetness. "Mr. Shadow... he cannot give you what I can."
"And what is that?" I asked.
"Protection. Respect. Real power," he said. "He is just a mysterious man who lurks in the shadows. I am the one who controls the real power in this city."
He stepped closer. "There's still time, Sophia. You could be my Luna."
But at that moment, Mr. Shadow returned. "David," his voice held a warning. "Our focus should be on training."
David offered a bitter smile and walked away.
At the end of the session, Mr. Shadow addressed us. "That is all for today. But remember, this is only the beginning. You must practice daily."
---
That same night, David stood at the doorstep of Sophia's mother's house, an expensive bottle of wine in his hand.