Awakening The Silver Wolf

RAVENNA POV

"Today we're training in sword fighting," Mia said as we both picked our swords from the weapon table. 

"Yes, master," I teased with a small grin. 

Mia rolled her eyes and took a fighting stance. "I don't even know why you need me to train you. Seriously, I think you're better than I am." 

I rolled my shoulders. "I'm not. Now enough talking, let's fight." 

"With pleasure." 

With a swift motion, Mia charged forward, her blade aimed at my shoulder. I sidestepped, the steel glinting as I raised my sword to parry the blow. 

The two of us exchanged a series of strikes, each movement precise and practiced.

I spun low, aiming for Mia's legs, but Mia jumped, landing gracefully and countering with a quick thrust. I deflected it, our swords ringing out with every clash. We moved like a well-rehearsed dance, the rhythm of our duel captivating.

"This is boring," Mia grumbled. 

And then she feinted left, then lunged right, pushing me to the edge of my guard. With a quick flick of my wrist, I blocked the strike and countered with a swift swipe aimed at Mia's midsection. Mia narrowly avoided it, rolling away and coming back to her feet with a grin.

"Okay! Nice move! But I've got more where that came from!" Mia called, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

We continued our sparring, the sounds of our swords cutting through the air and the thrill of competition fueling our spirits.

"Damn," Mia breathed. "I need a break." 

"I need more than a break." I walked under the shed in the field and filled a plastic cup with water. I repeated this three times before I was satisfied. 

"We're not done though," Mia said with a grin as she drank from her flask. 

I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and returned her smile. "Oh, not even close." 

My bones were aching, my clothes were soaking with sweat but I still wasn't done. I love the adrenaline that comes from training. The rushing and pumping of my blood. It silences everything else in my head. 

And thank fuck that Mia was the same as well. So I had somebody to match my energy. 

A prickling sensation on the back of my neck made me turn. My heart lurched as I met a pair of mismatched eyes. 

It has been two days since I've seen Darius. After that day in the hall where I made a fool of myself. I've avoided them like how one avoids a disease. 

I still wanted to smash my head on the nearest wall every time I remembered how I cried in front of him. How he had seen me vulnerable. But hey, we all have our moments, right? 

But that wasn't what really bothered me. What bothered me with the pained look in his eyes, how he had flinched, how he apologized, and how he had held my hand gently. 

I traced my wrist absentmindedly, still feeling where he had touched me. 

I looked away from his eyes and walked out of the shed, trying to put as much space between us as possible. I didn't understand this feeling but I hated it. 

"It's the full moon tomorrow," Mia said, bringing me back to the present. 

"Is it?" 

Mia nodded. "Yeah," she answered, looking a little nervous. "You know what wolves do in full moons, right?" 

I tried not to roll my eyes. "Of course I do, Mia. Even though I'm not a wolf I was born into a wolf family." 

In the full moon, wolves gather to run and sing under the moon in the forest. 

I used to follow my parents every full moon. I would ride on their backs or sometimes run alongside them. But when Mother had died Father forbid me from joining the pack. 

I was heartbroken, really. 

I had loved running with the pack and had loved signing with them. It made me feel like I was part of the pack even though I didn't have a wolf. Even though I felt… human. 

What am I saying? I am human. No wolf meant I was human. 

"Right," Mia said, fidgeting with the hems of her shirt. "So… uhm… I was just wondering if you would… ehn… like to join me tomorrow. I know you can't shift but it would mean a lot to me if you could run with me tomorrow."

I turned to her, feeling my heart racing. "You're serious?" I asked, my voice a whisper. 

Mia still wasn't looking at me. "Yeah, I am. But it's okay if you—" 

I hugged her. Tight. My throat was tight with emotion. 

"Of course, I would like to join you," I said. "You don't know how much this means to me." 

Mia released a breath and hugged me back. "Me too." 

"But would Darius allow it?" I asked as I pulled away from her. 

She nodded. "He will. He allows anybody to run during the full moon. Wolf or human." 

"Okay." 

***

Under the glow of the full moon, the night was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and the distant calls of nature. The pack gathered at the edge of the forest, their anticipation palpable. One by one, they shifted, sleek fur replacing human skin, and soon the air was filled with the powerful presence of wolves.

Mia, her coat a rich auburn, bounded close to me. 

She rubbed her soft fur into my leg and I couldn't help it. I bent down and scratched behind her ear, loving the way Mia panted with her tongue out and eyes closed. 

"Well, aren't you beautiful," I whispered to her. She opened her eyes and they were bright with what I assumed was a smile. 

She left my side and walked towards the rest of the pack and I followed. Mia kept her distance from the pack though. 

And now I understood why she had wanted me to come. Even with her being in her wolf form she was still seen as an outcast. 

My heart clenched at the sight of the other wolves snapping and snarling at her when she came too close. 

My eyes sting when I hear Mia whine, the sound low and sorrowful. 

"Hey," I said as I walked to her. "Hey, I'm here." 

I snatched under her jaw and the smile returned to her eyes. She licked my nose with her hot tongue and I giggled as I cleaned her off. 

"Ew. None of that." 

We raced through the underbrush, the thrill of freedom coursing through me as we sprinted side by side. The exhilaration of the night pulsed in my veins, and when the pack howled and sang, I joined them. 

Mia slowed, her ears perked, and I followed suit. Emerging from the shadows, a massive wolf stepped into the moonlight.

Even in his wolf form I still knew it was him. If his size hadn't given him away then his eyes would have. 

Darius, his form towering over me, moved with a confident grace. His fur was a deep black, glistening under the moonlight, and his mismatched eyes held an intensity that was impossible to ignore. He looked like he belonged to the night itself. 

The moment Mia saw him she ran towards him. 

I watched in awe and shock as Darius licked the top of Mia's head. Other wolves joined as well and Darius did the same to all of them. 

The love they had for him was… shocking.

Darius let out a powerful howl and the pack responded, their voices intertwining in a symphony that echoed through the forest, celebrating their strength under the full moon.

And then Darius' eyes fell on me. At that moment two things happened at once. 

My chest—the place where the lightning had struck and left a scar—tingled. It has never done that before. 

And then I felt a presence within me.