Chapter 22
I abruptly woke up as the shadowy figure from the clearing invaded my dreams. Its piercing red eyes seemed to burn right through me. I was sweating as I tried to get rid of the scary images still in my head.
Next to me, Xander moved a little. “Aurora,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. “What happened?”
I inhaled deeply, trying to soothe my racing heart. “I had a bad,” I replied softly.
But as I spoke, a rush of energy went through me. Before I could do anything, a flash of silver light came from my hands, breaking the bedroom window with a loud noise.
Xander sat up quickly, fully awake now. He looked around for any signs of danger. “Are you okay?” he questioned.
I was shocked to see a faint glow coming from my hands. “I… I can’t control it.”
Xander’s expression was worried, but held my hands in his. “Don’t worry,” he said softly. “We’ll work through this together.”
What if I hurt someone?
As if sensing my spiraling thoughts, Xander pulled me close. “I know you’re scared,” he whispered softly into my hair. “But you’re still you, Aurora. You’re still the courageous and caring person I fell for. We’ll face this together, I assure you.”
I held on to him tightly, feeling brave because of his strong support. As the sun came up, the sky turned pretty with light pinks and golds. Quietly, I promised myself that I would learn to handle these special abilities. I wanted to be the leader my group of friends needed.
Later that morning, I sought out Selene and Zara. I found them in the pack house kitchen, sharing a quiet breakfast.
“Mind if I join you?” I asked hesitantly.
Their faces lit up as they saw me. “Of course not!” Selene exclaimed, pulling out a chair. “We were talking about you”
I lifted an eyebrow in surprise as I took a seat. “Really?”
Zara nodded with excitement. “Yes!” About how amazing it is that you’re part goddess! “You’ve always been spectacular,” she exclaimed.
Her excitement made me smile briefly. “I’m… I’m scared.” I whispered.
Selene’s face became more gentle. She reached over and held my hand. “What exactly are you scared of?”
I took a deep breath and finally shared the fear that had been bothering me. “Of losing myself. Of becoming something… What if these powers change who I am?”
Zara scoffed. “As if we’d let that happen,” she said firmly. “You’re our friend, Aurora. Goddess blood or not, that’s never going to change.”
“Zara’s right,” Selene added. What really matters is the kindness in your heart and the way you treat people. That’s not going to disappear just because you have some extra… sparkle now.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the words. “Extra sparkle? Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Well, would you prefer ‘goddess glitter’?” Zara teased.
We started laughing, and I felt a heavy burden lift off my shoulders. My friends were right. I was still me, still Aurora. These powers were a part of me now, but they didn’t define me.
Our laughter was interrupted by a knock at the door. Jaxon poked his head in, grinning when he saw us. “There you are,” he said. “Xander’s organizing a training session to help you with your new abilities. Are you up for it?”
I hesitated, then agreed with a nod. “Yes,” I replied, getting to my feet. “Yes, I believe I am ready.”
By the time we got to the training field, all the pack members had turned out, eager to help or just to watch. Xander stood in the center, his face lighting up as he saw me approach.
“Are you prepared?” he inquired, sounding supportive.
I took a deep breath and stood tall. “I’m as ready as possible,” I whispered.
We began with simple activities, aiming to focus my energy in short, controlled bursts. Initially, it was irritating. My ability appeared to act on its own, suddenly intensifying at unexpected times or failing to show up when I needed it.
“Focus, Aurora,” Xander coached. “Feel the energy inside you. It’s a part of you, not separate. Guide it, don’t force it.”
I closed my eyes, trying to feel the energy inside me. It felt like a stream of soft light moving through my body. Gradually, I started to learn how to control it.
Opening my eyes, I focused on a target dummy across the field. I reached out my hand, imagining the power moving through it. A streak of bright light burst from my hand, striking the target right in the middle. It burst apart, scattering bits of stuffing and cloth everywhere.
A cheer went up from the watching pack members. I grinned, exhilarated by my success.
“Nice shot,” a voice called out. I turned to see Jaxon approaching, a determined glint in his eye. “But how about trying it on a moving target?”
I hesitated, fear flickering through me. “Jaxon, I might hurt you.”
“You won’t. I trust you, Aurora.” He shrugged with a smile.
His confidence bolstered my own. I nodded, settling into a fighting stance. “Let me see what you can do.”
What happened next was the most intense practice match of my life. Jaxon was quick, but my newly discovered abilities gave me an advantage. I realized I could boost my speed and strength, moving with a smoothness I had never had before.
As we battled, I became more in tune with the energy inside me. It wasn’t just brute force; it was a link to everything around me. I felt the wind and the earth’s soft tremble. The experience was a mix of excitement and fear.
In the end, I succeeded in bringing Jaxon down. He hit the ground hard, but got up laughing.
“That was wonderful!” he said, taking my hand to help him stand. “You’re unbeatable.”
Those words made me shiver unexpectedly, even in the heat. Was that my destiny? A weapon against the coming darkness?
Xander must have sensed my unease. He stopped the training session and pulled me aside while the group scattered.
“What are you thinking about?” he inquired gently.
I sighed, resting against him. “I just… I’m not sure if I’m prepared for this, Xander.” Being a Luna was one thing, but this? I’m supposed to save the world, and I can barely control these powers.
Xander paused for a second, gently rubbing his hand in comforting circles on my back. “You know,” he eventually said, “when I first took over as the Alpha, I felt the same way.” The responsibility, the expectations… it was overwhelming.
I pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze. “How did you handle it?”
A soft smile played on his lips. “I remembered that I wasn’t alone. I had the pack, I had my family. And now, I have you.” He held my face with his hands. “You don’t need to go through this by yourself, Aurora. We’re all here, willing to support you.”
His words comforted me like a soothing cream. I moved closer, touching my forehead to his. “What will I do without you?” I whispered.
“I wonder the same thing every day,” he said with a laugh.
As the sun started to go down, Xander gathered the group for a meeting. The entire pack members gathered in the main clearing, an air of anticipation hanging over the crowd.
Xander stood in front of them, looking strong and making everyone feel better. “You all know,” he started, “we’re dealing with something really new and different.” Our Luna, Aurora, has great power, but also great responsibility.
He turned to me, extending his hand. I took it, stepping forward to stand beside him.
“The coming blood moon brings with it a threat to both our world and the realm of the gods,” Xander continued. “Aurora is very important in dealing with this danger. But she needs our help too. We need to work together and train harder.”
I took a deep breath, trying to be brave. It was time to be honest with my pack.
“I want you all to know,” I said, my voice reaching everyone in the open space, “that I’m afraid. These abilities, this future… It’s bigger than I ever thought. But knowing that I have all of you supporting me makes me feel stronger.”
I looked at all the faces friends, family, my pack. “I promise to do my best to keep you safe, to be the Luna you need. But I also need your help. Your support, your understanding as I learn to control these abilities.”
There was a brief silence. “We’re with you, Luna!” a voice yelled from the crowd.
Suddenly, the clearing was filled with cheers and words of support. Pack members pressed forward, each wanting to reaffirm their loyalty.
One of our eldest pack members approached with tears in his eyes. “In all my years,” he said, his voice thick with emotion, “I never thought I’d see the daughter of the Moon Goddess herself leading our pack. It’s an honor to stand with you, Luna Aurora.”
One by one, pack members came forward. Some gave me encouraging words, while others just held my hand or nodded their heads to show respect. Every time this happened, I felt a bit stronger and more confident about where I belonged.
As the meeting wound down, Xander pulled me close. “See?” he murmured. “You’re not alone in this.”
I nodded, too emotional to talk.
The following days went by quickly with lots of training and getting ready. I worked really hard to learn how to use my powers, feeling more confident every hour. They bowed their heads to show respect. Each time I interacted with The pack rallied around me, offering support and encouragement at every turn.
It was during one of these training sessions that something happened. A younger member of our group, a girl named Lily, had a bad accident while running through an obstacle course. She was on the ground, holding her arm and in pain.
Without hesitating, I hurried over to her. When I knelt down next to her, my hands started to shine with that same silver glow I was used to seeing. Following my instincts, I carefully put my hands on her hurt arm.
A warmth flowed through me, down my arms and into Lily. I could feel her pain, could sense the damaged tissue knitting itself back together under my touch. When I pulled away, her arm was completely healed.
Lily stared at me in surprise, moving her arm to check if it still pained her. “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she whispered. “How did you do that?”
I shook my head, equally puzzled. “I’m not really sure,” I admitted. “I just… knew I could make it better.”
As the day of the blood moon got closer, the pack felt more and more excited. We worked harder than ever, strengthening our defenses and getting ready for any situation that might come up.
To make everyone happy, Xander had an idea. He wanted us to have another bonfire party, like the one on my birthday. It would be a fun time for our group to chill before dealing with the hard stuff ahead.
When I sat by the fire, all the laughter and warmth made me feel peaceful. These people were like my family. We’d face everything together, no matter what.
But then, I felt a chill. My neck hairs stood up, and I had that feeling again. The energy inside me grew stronger.
So, I quickly stood up and looked around the edge of the forest. I felt something there, near our area. It was shadowy, strong, and clearly evil.
“Xander,” I whispered, sounding worried. “There’s someone else here.”