Chapter 24
Noelle
A month has passed since I moved in with Lucian. I haven’t seen him much since he has been busy with Alpha work. Most nights, he comes home so exhausted that he ends up falling asleep without us exchanging a single word with each other, and that’s heartbreaking.
But Lucian is working hard for a cause.
The pack elders are still secretly questioning whether or not I will make a great Luna, and so are the pack members. That’s why Lucian has been working extra hard to show everyone that he is strong enough to protect us without a Luna by his side.
But I know how much Lucian wants me to be accepted, to prove to himself and the pack that our bond is unbreakable, regardless of me not being in touch with my inner wolf.
I sigh to myself as I step into my workout clothes. I really want to connect with my wolf. Like, I don’t think I can travel to the South continent and look for the portal to the magical realm without my wolf, which sucks.
But this isn’t the time to fret! Lucian is finally back to train me and the other “newbie” werewolf fighters in our pack. I can’t be late for that training session and quickly leave my room in a rush to get outside.
I haven’t done my makeup and my hair isn’t brushed. I must look crazy…not that I care. I just want to spend time with Lucian, which is why I get so irritated when I round the corner of the mansion and spot Sebastian.
He is leaning against a car I don’t remember him having. It must be a new one and I snort to myself. Did he get that one in a blind panic after I won that duel against him? My poor ex–mate might be going through an identity crisis and wonder if he is really suitable to be the pack’s Beta.
“Sebastian,” I say, trying not to sound too smug. “To what do I owe the pleasure of you coming here?”
Instead of smirking at me like he usually does, his eyes narrow into a dangerous glare. “Who says I’m here for your sake?”
I arch an eyebrow. I’ve never seen Sebastian this pissed off before. Sure, he was angry after I won against him, but that time he had a reason to be.
“Oh, I see,” I laugh, shaking my head slightly. “You’re here to see Lucian, aren’t you?”
Sebastian grits his teeth, and I can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. “Yes, I came to see Lucian, but since the subject I was going to discuss with him is you, I might as well discuss it with you directly.”
His voice is a growl, and I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Oh, I’m the topic of conversation now? How intriguing.”
“And it’s not in a good way,” Sebastian bites back, taking a threatening step towards me.
I won’t let him see that his aggression affects me. He might take it as a sign of weakness. So I stand tall, clenching my fists at my sides in preparation for whatever comes next.
“Then what is it?” I ask, keeping my voice steady.
Sebastian hesitates and for a moment, just a brief moment, I see something else in his eyes. Worry? Concern? It’s hard to tell, but it is quickly replaced by an icy glare.
“Why did you pretend to be a weakling of a werewolf when you were with me?”
“Uh, excuse me?”
“You heard me!” He roars. “Why did you pretend you were completely useless when you were my mate, but now, with my brother, you’re suddenly faster than an eagle! And don’t you come and say, ‘Your brother helped me defeat you‘ because even if he did, you were still moving like a freaking ninja during our duel!”
I pause, taken aback by the sudden explosion from Sebastian. Is this jealousy I detect in his voice? Or is it regret for cheating on me now that he knows I’m not as useless as he once thought I was? Perhaps both.
“Sebastian,” I start, doing my best to keep my voice steady and calm, “I didn’t pretend to be anything. With you, I just never had to prove myself,” I pause for a second and then continue, “But now that I’m with Lucian, who is the Alpha of our pack, everyone is testing me. The pack wants me to prove myself to be worthy of my future role as Luna, and I guess that’s what
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Chapter 24
pushes me to become stronger. That’s why I’m training now with Lucian, because being Luna isn’t just about standing by his side but to protect our pack as well. And unlike you, Lucian sees me as a partner, not an object to treat as you want.”
Sebastian’s face turns a shade of crimson I didn’t know was possible for him. He looks like he is struggling to control his anger. At this moment, it’s clear that he underestimated me, and now his pride is paying the price.
“Enough!” He snarls, his body rigid with tension. His wolf is now dangerously close to the surface. “I don’t need you to lecture me about pack responsibility and your newfound powers!”
I can’t help but chuckle, savoring the look of pure frustration on his face. “Then why are you here, Sebastian? Trying to figure out how your little mate turned into a warrior?”
That hits a nerve. I see his jaw clench tightly, and his knuckles turn white as he grips the car handle beside him. He is struggling to keep himself from shape–shifting.
“Don’t fool yourself, Noelle. You’re not a warrior, and you will never be one,” Sebastian growls. “All you’ve become is a mere puppet to Lucian’s whims.”
For a moment, I’m shocked by his harsh words. When we were together, he was nothing but sweet. I’ve never seen him this confrontational before.
Are these his true colors?
It feels like I’ve hit his ego hard, and now he is lashing out in defense. But I won’t let him belittle me or discredit my efforts.
“A puppet? No, Sebastian,” I raise my voice back at him and allow a smirk to spread across my face. “Puppets don’t have a mind or will of their own. I am someone who chose to better herself, to rise above the expectations you and the pack put on me before I was the future Luna.”
His eyes flash with anger, and he takes another step towards me, but I don’t back down. Instead, I stand tall even though he towers over me to let him know that his intimidation tactics no longer work on me.
“You speak as if you’ve won some great battle,” he sneers, “But becoming stronger and faster physically doesn’t make up for your weakness in other areas.”
“Oh really?” I coolly reply, crossing my arms over my chest. “And what weaknesses might those be?”
“Your inability to connect with your wolf, for starters,” he snaps back instantly, cutting me deep where it hurts without looking one bit sorry.
A flicker of pain must have crossed my face because the corners of Sebastian’s mouth lift in a cruel smirk.
“Yes, I’ve heard that you’re still struggling to find your wolf soul. It must be so frustrating for you, knowing you’re failing in one of the most significant aspects of being a werewolf.”
My heart thuds heavily in my chest. Despite my attempt to hide it, Sebastian has struck right where it hurts.
“So what if I am?” I retort stubbornly, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice. “We all have our weaknesses. Even you.”
His smirk fades into a scowl.
“You’re right,” he admits grudgingly, his gaze dropping to his shoes. “But at least I don’t parade around pretending to be something I’m not.”
“What do you mean?”
“That you’re as good as a human.”
Sebastian spits on my shoe, but that isn’t what gets to me. It’s his words that make it feel as if I’ve been slapped right across my face, and for a moment, I’m lost for words.
However, I quickly collect myself. After all, we are not mates anymore; his opinion doesn’t matter to me.
“I’m not a human,” I growl back while glaring daggers into his eyes. “Yes, my wolf might not have awakened, but trust me, she will awaken, and once she does, you will be sorry that you ever underestimated me because I intend to become the strongest Luna this pack has ever seen. And when that day comes, you will think twice about belittling me.”
“You?” He scoffs to ridicule me, but his eyes, they hold a different kind of emotion: a deep fear of me becoming stronger than
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Chapter 24
him.
“Yes, me,” I push back my shoulders and lift my head higher. “Just because you don’t see the warrior in me doesn’t mean she’s not there. I’ve been training day and night in the garden on my own and with the help of Lucian’s butlers, mastering combat techniques, learning how to strategize, and most importantly, becoming emotionally strong.”
“Emotionally strong?” He sneers. “You? You can’t even look at yourself in the mirror without breaking down.”
His words sting and I inhale sharply. He is right. My reflection has been a constant reminder of the person I used to be before I met Lucian, a weak girl I neither recognize nor want to be anymore.
But still, Sebastian’s words won’t deter me.
“I’m getting there, Sebastian,” I tell him. “I’m not the same terrified girl you left behind at the altar.”
For a moment, there is silence between us. His eyes bore into mine, searching for any signs of weakness. But all he finds is strength and determination. My resolve may still be fragile, but it’s unyielding.
I feel like I’ve won this fight and turn around with my nose held high. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”
“Where? Off to play with Lucian’s toy soldiers?”
His mockery follows me as I keep my back straight, ensuring no tremor betrays my emotions.
“Actually, yes,” I toss over my shoulder without losing stride. “You might want to try it sometime. Maybe you would be able to beat me if you spent more time training and less time nursing your overinflated ego.”
I hear him growl low behind me, but I don’t stop. If anything, my pace quickens because I definitely won this argument, and that feels so fucking good.
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