CHAPTER 5: THE AWAKENING

It was a tense walk as we headed back to the cabin. Ronan remained ahead with his shoulders tight and fists clenched. He also seemed buried in his thoughts. I followed him as I maintained the silence between us, with my thoughts like a storm of unease and confusion. All that echoed in my head was the words of the rogue; she's entirely something else.

As I pondered on the words, I felt even more lost. What did that mean anyway?

The moon had already shifted by the time we arrived at the clearing, it cast spooky shadows across the ground. I felt a tingle on my skin as though something inside me was boiling beneath the surface, trying to manifest.

Ronan pushed open the cabin door and without a word or even looking at me, stepped inside. I hesitated a while before going in. He was standing beside the fireplace and staring into the flames with an unreadable expression.

"We will train tomorrow so you need to rest". He finally said in a tight voice.

"You are avoiding my question". I said as I crossed my arms.

He ran his hands through his thick dark hair and sighed. "Yes, I am avoiding your question because you are not quite ready for the answers".

Anger rose in my chest. "Make me ready then".

He locked his silver eyes unto mine and said, "Do you think I don't want to? Do you think I don't have my questions about all these? Lena, you weren't supposed to survive that bite. Nobody does, but you somehow managed to. And that is a mystery to even me".

The truth of his statement settled in my gut like a stone. I had been wondering the same thing. Why hadn't I died that night, why and how did my body accept this change when it wasn't supposed to?

"So, what does this mean now, what does it make me?". I whispered, staring deeply into his eyes as if to search for the answer.

Ronan clenched his jaw. "I don't know for now, but I promise we are going to find out".

A shiver ran down my spine, but it wasn't fear, just anxiety.

I was awakened the next morning by the sound of footsteps outside. The sun was barely up and the sky was a deep purple color, lined with gold. I sat up and stretched my limbs, they felt stronger now, more than ever. I felt refreshed.

Ronan was shirtless, standing near the tree line, the muscles on his back flexed as he moved through a series of patterns which looked like he was attacking and blocking. His control was stable, his moves were graceful, his stance was firm and his attack was lethal.

As I stepped outside, I shivered slightly as my skin was kissed by the cold morning breeze. I wasn't sure if he had seen me watching him.

"Hey, over here". He called out without looking at me. So, he must have noticed me; I thought to myself.

"Bossy much". I said as I rolled my eyes. But I obeyed.

I caught a smirk on his face as he said, "you will surely thank me later".

We trained hard for the next two hours, I was pushed harder than I imagined possible. Combat, drills, ability trainings. Every time I felt I would snap; my body would prove me wrong. My ability to endure was growing, and my strength was increasing rapidly.

But something still didn't feel right, I still felt a power within me, waiting to be harnessed, but I didn't know how to connect with it. For a moment I got carried away by my thoughts and Ronan noticed.

"Stop holding back!". He shouted.

"But I am trying hard". I frowned.

"You are not; you are scared". He said and stepped closer with his gaze so intense and fixed on me.

He was right, I swallowed hard as I tried to figure out what to do.

Exhaling sharply, he said, "attack me".

"What?" I hesitated for a moment.

"I need you to fight me".

"That is a bad idea," I scoffed.

"You are scared, aren't you?". He smiled.

That was it. I lunged at him with a growl.

The few seconds that followed were blurry. He managed to dodge all my attacks effortlessly; he stepped aside with every kick and swing I took. This made me feel weak, I knew I wasn't weak and my frustration grew.

Something snapped inside me, a rush of energy spread through my veins, and all of a sudden, I was hunting, not just moving. My visions became sharpened, my muscles twisted. Faster than before, I lashed out but this time I was connected.

He grunted in pain, stumbling back as my fist hit him hard on the ribs.

I froze instantly.

There was a tickle of blood from his lips, he grinned as he wiped it with the back of his hands. "You are getting somewhere now".

My breath ragged as I looked down at my shaky hands. The power was there, it was real. And I was starting to master it.

I couldn't sleep that night. I was restless, there was a strange energy vibrating under my skin. I listened to the howling of the wind outside as I paced around the small cabin. The woods were calling to me, it was alive. But I didn't understand why.

I took a deep breath and stepped outside, the breeze bit at my skin. As I looked up and saw the moon hanging heavily in the sky, something in me awakened. My pulse became quickened and my breathing faster. The pain hit again.

A burning heat erupted in my chest, spreading outside like wildfire. I felt faint and gasped as my knees weakened. My vision blurred as the world around me rotated. The heavy pounding of my heartbeat sounded in my ears.

I was shifting, I fell on my fours and my long fingers dug into the dirt. My bones stretched and ached. Panic overwhelmed my mind. But amidst the fear, there was something else that took over. An ancient force so powerful, and it whispered to me; let go, and I obeyed.

Something was different this time, as my skin vibrated with the shift, a glow surfaced on my forearm. It was a symbol. Mysterious and ancient, shining with a silvery glow. It seemed as though the moon itself had marked me.

Ronan and the others stared in amazement and fear. I heard someone say "What could she be?"

As the pack watched, Elder Markus stepped forward, "behold, the mark of the moon bound" he whispered. "This is the awakening of the prophecy".

Suddenly, it was all over.

My breath ragged, my limbs trembled as I stood. The world was different now, sharper and clearer. I could hear the rustling of dry leaves miles away from here, even the heartbeat of a rabbit hidden deep in the brush.

I cautiously stepped forward as the power coursed through me. And I ran, testing my strength.

As I sped through the trees, faster than I ever imagined possible, the wind howled past me. The night welcomed me, wrapping me in its shadows. For the first time since my entire life turned upside down, since I got bitten, since the rogue, I felt freedom.