Raine's POV
The heavy door of my chambers closed behind Ivan with a soft thud. He strode in like he always did—loose-limbed, easy, the opposite of the tension that seemed to coil around me these days.
I stood by the window, arms crossed, staring out at the training grounds below. The sun had climbed higher, and the clearing was empty now, the morning session finished.
"So," I said without turning. "How is she doing?"
Ivan dropped into the chair opposite my desk, stretching his legs out. "It's only been two days, but she's picking it up fast. Really fast. She's got natural balance, and that wolf of hers is starting to stir. Yesterday she managed a clean run through the agility course without a single stumble. Today she was even quicker."
I nodded once, jaw tight. "Good."
"She's tough," Ivan added. "Doesn't complain. Doesn't quit. And she's handling the Luna duties like she was born to them. The elders already talk about her. The cubs too."
I turned then, eyes narrowing slightly. "The pack is warming to her."
Ivan grinned. "They're more than warming. They're fond. She's kind, Raine. Genuinely kind. It shows."
Something twisted in my chest. I looked away, back toward the window.
"She's doing what she was sent here to do," I said flatly. "That's all."
Ivan studied me for a long moment, then shrugged. "If you say so."
We left the chambers together, walking the long corridor toward the main hall. As we passed a group of pack members gathered near the kitchens, their voices drifted toward us.
"...Saw the new Luna in the infirmary this morning. She sat with old Mara for nearly an hour…"
"...brought her water herself, didn't even call for the healer…"
"…she has a good heart. The pack's been missing that."
Ivan glanced at me sideways, but said nothing.
I kept walking, my stride steady. I turned toward the infirmary without a word.
The door was ajar. I stepped inside, and the room went still.
Every head turned. The healer bowed. The young boy with the bandaged arm straightened. Even the elders shifted in their cots, eyes wide with surprise.
And there, kneeling beside old Mara's bed, was Aria.
She was holding the woman's hand, speaking quietly, her voice low and gentle. The elderly woman smiled up at her thin, fingers curled around Aria's. The sight was… quiet. Peaceful.
My heart gave a single, hard thud—sharp enough to catch me off guard.
I remembered yesterday: Aria in the courtyard, distributing bread and honey to the elders, her movements careful and kind. The way they had looked at her—like she belonged.
The pack was fond of her.
And they were right to be.
For one unguarded moment, I let myself feel it—the warmth of her presence.
Then I shut it down.
I could not afford this. I could not afford to care. The curse was not kind to those who loved, and I had sworn never to let anyone close enough to pay that price.
Aria looked up then. Our eyes met across the room.
She offered the smallest greeting—a soft dip of her head, respectful.
I held her gaze for a heartbeat longer than I meant to.
Then I turned and walked away.
Without a word.
Without a nod.
Ivan followed silently behind me, and the door closed at my back.
I didn't go back to my chambers. I couldn't
I needed air. Space. Something to drown out the quiet warmth that had followed me out of the infirmary.
I headed straight for the training grounds.
The sun was high now, beating down on the open clearing. A group of young soldiers—my newest recruits—were already there, running drills under the watchful eye of one of the senior warriors. They snapped to attention the moment they saw me.
"Alpha," the senior warrior said, bowing quickly. "We didn't expect you."
"I need to train," I said shortly. "Pair up. Start sparring. No holding back."
They moved fast, splitting into pairs, weapons drawn. I stripped off my cloak and tunic, leaving only the black shirt beneath. The air was warm against my skin, but it did nothing to ease the tension coiled in my chest.
I stepped into the center of the ring and beckoned the tallest of the recruits forward—a young wolf named Torin.
We circled each other once, twice. He lunged first, fast and strong. I blocked, countered, drove him back with a series of sharp, controlled strikes. He stumbled, recovered, and came at me again.
I should have been focused.
But my mind kept drifting.
To Aria.
Torin landed a glancing blow to my ribs.
I barely felt it.
I growled low in my throat and drove forward, faster, harder. Torin staggered back, eyes wide with surprise and a bit of fear. I pressed the advantage, landing a solid hit to his shoulder, then another to his side. He dropped to one knee.
"Enough," I snapped, stepping back.
The other recruits were staring, breathing hard. I could feel their uncertainty. I was never this distracted. Never this rough.
I turned away, chest heaving, and grabbed a wooden training sword from the rack. I moved to the edge of the clearing, away from the others, and began a series of solo forms—sharp, brutal swings meant to clear my head.
But every strike felt off.
I saw her again—kneeling in the infirmary.
I saw the elders smiling at her.
I saw the pack warming to her, one quiet act at a time.
My grip tightened on the sword until the wood creaked.
I swung again, harder, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp whistle.
She was doing exactly what she was supposed to do. She was fulfilling her role. She was… good for the pack.
And that was the problem.
Because the more they loved her, the more they would look to her.
And the more I would notice her.
I stopped, breathing hard, the sword hanging loose in my hand.
Torin approached cautiously, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Alpha? Are you all right?"
I didn't answer.
The words stuck in my throat. I just stared past him, toward the distant trees, the sword still gripped tightly in my fist.
I wasn't sure I was.
Because it seemed Aria was gradually taking over this pack.
And I couldn't stop noticing.
I walked off the grounds, leaving the recruits staring after me, the question unanswered in the air.
I didn't look back.