Frostfall woke under a pale, brittle dawn — the sky streaked with frost-bitten pink and steel-gray clouds. The fortress was quieter than usual, as if every wolf inside held its breath after the shadow's advance. Even the wind seemed reluctant to cross the borders.
Aria stood in the center of the training hall — a large circular chamber with stone floors, reinforced walls, and carved wolf totems watching silently from above.
Ronan stood a few paces in front of her, arms crossed, posture solid and commanding.
For the first time, he wasn't simply comforting her.
Or shielding her.
Or arguing with the council on her behalf.
He was her trainer.
Her Alpha.
And the shift in his presence sent a shiver through her.
"Lesson one," he said, voice low and steady. "Power is instinct. If instinct controls you, you are a danger. If you control instinct, you are a weapon."
Aria inhaled shakily. "That doesn't sound very comforting."
"It's not meant to be comforting," Ronan replied. "It's meant to prepare you."
She nodded.
"Your wrist," Ronan said. "Show me."
She lifted her arm. The mark pulsed softly beneath her skin, glowing faintly with an inner silver light.
Ronan stepped closer — just close enough that she felt the heat of him.
"Your power responds to emotion," he murmured. "Fear makes it spike. Calm keeps it dormant. Focus guides it."
Aria's breath trembled. "I don't know how to focus something I don't understand."
"That's why I'm here."
She swallowed.
Ronan lifted her chin gently, forcing her to meet his eyes.
"Whatever happens in this room stays between us," he said. "If you lose control, if your power surges… I will not let you fall."
Her heart fluttered.
She nodded.
Ronan released her and stepped back.
"Good. Then let's begin."
⸻
Learning Control
Ronan lifted a small wooden training block from the floor and placed it ten feet in front of her.
"This is your first target."
Aria frowned. "You want me to… break it?"
"No," Ronan said. "I want you to move it."
Aria blinked. "Move it how?"
"With your power."
"I don't even know how to activate it."
"You do," Ronan said calmly. "You've already done it twice. When the Devourer touched the border. And during the council chamber."
Aria winced remembering the blinding silver light shooting from her wrist.
"Those were accidents," she whispered.
Ronan shook his head. "No. They were instinctive responses to threat. You reacted before thinking. Now, you must learn to react with intention."
Aria exhaled slowly. "Okay… how do I start?"
"Close your eyes."
She did.
"Breathe."
She inhaled.
"Feel your pulse."
She felt the faint rhythm in her wrist, syncing with something deeper — a slow, ancient drumbeat beneath her skin.
"Now," Ronan said softly, "think of the block. Imagine it as an extension of your energy."
Aria pictured the wooden block in the darkness of her mind.
"Good," Ronan murmured. "Now reach for it."
"How?" Aria whispered. "I can't touch it from here."
"You don't need hands," Ronan said. "The Moonborn were said to fight with will alone."
Aria bit her lip, focusing harder.
"Don't force it," Ronan added. "Let it respond to you."
A faint warmth spread from her wrist up her arm.
Aria gasped. "I feel something—"
"Let it flow," Ronan said.
The warmth intensified… building… rising—
Her eyes shot open as a burst of silver light erupted from her wrist.
The block rattled violently—
jumping a full foot across the floor.
Aria stumbled back. "Did I—did I do that?"
Ronan smiled — the smallest, rarest smile she'd ever seen from him.
"Yes," he said. "You did."
Aria laughed breathlessly, a mixture of shock and pride. "Oh my god — Ronan, I moved it!"
"You did," he acknowledged. "But that was raw power. Uncontrolled. Let's try for precision."
Aria straightened, determination replacing her fear.
"Again," Ronan said.
She closed her eyes once more.
Warmth surged again, but this time she focused it—guided it—
and sent it toward the block.
The block slid another few inches.
Not violently.
Not chaotically.
Just… moved.
Aria opened her eyes.
"I did it," she whispered.
Ronan nodded with approval. "Better."
Aria smiled. "Ronan… I'm actually learning."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You are. Faster than I expected."
Her cheeks warmed at his praise.
But before she could speak, the training hall doors swung open.
Of course.
Lyra.
She strode in, arms crossed, expression sharp enough to cut stone.
"Is this wise?" she demanded.
Ronan didn't even turn. "Leave."
"No," Lyra snapped. "You're training her in secret while the entire fortress fears her awakening. The council has a right to know what she can do."
Aria's stomach twisted.
Ronan turned slowly, eyes narrowing. "You have no place here."
Lyra scoffed. "I have every place here. I've stood beside you for years—"
"And I told you," Ronan interrupted coldly, "your place is outside the decisions involving Aria."
Aria winced.
Lyra's jaw clenched. "So it's true. The bond has consumed your judgment."
Ronan growled low. "The bond is not your concern."
Lyra stepped closer, ignoring Aria entirely. "You're endangering all of us by feeding her power instead of containing it."
Aria's heart pounded. "I don't want to endanger anyone."
Lyra finally turned her sharp gaze on Aria. "You already do."
Ronan stepped forward. "Enough."
Lyra pointed at Aria's glowing mark. "Look at her, Ronan! She can't control that. She's a bomb waiting to explode."
Aria flinched hard.
Ronan's voice became lethal. "Say one more word against her, and I will remove you from this hall myself."
Lyra's eyes filled with something like hurt—but also bitter jealousy.
"You changed," she whispered. "The moment this human girl arrived, you changed."
Ronan didn't respond.
Not because he agreed.
But because the bond pulled — tension, protectiveness, instinct swirling around him.
Lyra shook her head. "Fine. But when she loses control, and Frostfall falls with her, remember this moment."
She spun on her heel and stormed out.
The hall fell silent.
Aria's chest tightened painfully. "She's right."
Ronan turned sharply. "No. She's frightened. Fear makes people cruel."
"But what if she's right?" Aria whispered. "What if I hurt someone? What if I can't control this?"
Ronan stepped closer, lifting her chin gently.
"You moved a block across the room today. Not because you were scared. Because you were focused."
His voice softened.
"You are not a threat, Aria. You're potential."
Her heart fluttered.
But then—
A sudden pulse shot through her wrist.
Hard.
Hot.
Unsteady.
Aria gasped.
"Ronan—something's wrong—"
Her knees buckled. Ronan caught her instantly.
Her wrist erupted in blinding silver light.
The block across the room shattered into pieces.
The floor cracked beneath her feet.
Ronan shielded her with his body, holding her tight.
"Aria! Stay with me!"
She cried out, clutching her glowing wrist. "It burns—!"
Ronan pressed his forehead to hers. "Breathe. Don't let it take over—"
"I can't—"
"Yes, you can."
The light flared—
blinding—
wild—
unstoppable—
Then—
BOOM.
A shockwave exploded outward, sending dust and shards of stone flying across the hall.
When the light faded—
Aria collapsed.
Ronan caught her in his arms, cradling her against his chest.
Her breathing was shallow. Her eyes half-open.
"Ronan…" she whispered weakly.
He brushed hair from her face, voice trembling for the first time.
"I'm here. I'm right here."
She blinked slowly. "What… happened?"
"You entered the next stage," Ronan said. "Your power surged without warning."
Her mark dimmed slowly — instead of bright silver, it now glowed warm and steady.
Different.
Stronger.
Ronan lifted her fully into his arms.
"Training is done for today," he murmured. "Your awakening is accelerating faster than prophecy predicted."
Aria rested her head against his chest.
"Ronan," she whispered, "I'm scared."
He held her tighter, voice soft but fierce.
"I know. But you're not doing this alone."
Her eyelids fluttered.
"Promise?" she whispered.
He pressed his cheek to her hair.
"I swear it."
Her mark pulsed once — warm, gentle.
As if accepting the vow.