As the night settled in, warriors moved swiftly to prepare the arena for the final event of the day. They already knew what was to come, and long wooden poles were carried into the makeshift battlefield, each topped with a torch soaked in oil.Though these were modern days, tradition was never forgotten. They secured the poles into the ground, spacing them evenly around the circular arena. Sparks flew as one of the warriors lit the first torch, and soon, the entire circle was ablaze.With the preparations complete, the warriors went back to where each of them stood or sat earlier, leaving the stage set for the battle everyone had been waiting for. It was not news that Kira was going to be fighting today, the rumors had somehow spread so fast within the pack. Nothing to hide anymore. Kira herself was already dressed for a fight from the beginning, knowing fully well how it would go, so she doesn't have to change. Plus, she was quite comfortable in what she was putting on.Once the to
Kira lay on the ground, her chest pressed against the dirt. She tried taking deep breaths, and each breath she took was a struggle that sent sharp pain through her ribs."F*ck," she said to herself but inwardly. She was even surprised she was able to still think. Blood dripped slowly from her split lip, pooling at the corner of her mouth and staining the ground beneath her. She remained on the ground, arms sprawled out beside her and unmoving, except for her chest rising. This was definitely not what she had envisioned. Kira squeezed her eyes shut, and tightened her lips as if trying to hold back from crying out in pain. She already felt embarrassed and defeated, that would just make her feel much worse.She let out a soft groan, her voice low and filled with hurt. Her fingers twitched slightly as she tried to see if she could get up on her hand at least, but she didn't have much strength to push herself up. She didn't have any strength at all, and she hated how weak she felt.Wo
Elara, seated near her sons, was already worried about Kira, her concern showing all over her face. She shifted in her seat, leaning in slightly as her gaze moved from the battlefield to her sons.Leaning closer to Bryan, she lowered her voice to a whisper, not wanting others to overhear. "Will you intervene and call off the fight? It is not looking good for Kira," she said, her tone filled with worry.She looked back at the field, seeing how Kira was held like a rag doll by that hair and her hands tightened slightly in her lap, "It really is not looking good, Bryan."Without turning his head, Bryan answered in a low voice, that was very much calm. "It is not supposed to look good. It is a fair fight, Mother. No one leaves until one has submitted or been knocked out. And from the looks of things, neither has happened yet.""But Kira is down," Elara pressed, her voice dropping even lower and sounding more urgent. "This would save her from much more embarrassment or pain," she added, he
Kira's cold gaze locked onto Tahila's, her lips parted slowly as if she was savoring the power in her words. Her eyes bore into Tahila's and the crowd held its breath, every eye on the two women.Before Tahila could react, Kira tightened her grip on Tahila's fist, her fingers locking firmly around it and as Tahila tried to pull away, Kira held her fist tighter, her grip stronger than ever.Unexpectedly, Kira then pushed Tahila off her with so much force that Tahila was sent flying to the other side of the field. Tahila's body slammed into the ground, dirt kicked up around her as she skidded to a halt.Kira got up slowly, placing one hand firmly on the ground before pushing herself up to her knees. Her other hand followed, steadying herself as she rose. Soon, her posture was straightened, her shoulders back and her chin lifted."Go, Luna!" Kira heard someone yell, their voice breaking through the noise of pack members talking, gasping, murmuring and so on.Another gasped, "This has got
The field, which was once silent, now roared with cheers as everyone clapped and cheered for Kira. The battle had indeed taken an unexpected turn.Kira slowly rose to her feet, brushed her hands together to clear the dirt before tilting her head to the side. Though she had won as Tahila had ended up unconscious, it was not over yet.She walked forward calmly toward Tahila, who lay unmoving on the ground. She stopped a few feet away from Tahila, looking at Tahila as so many thoughts crossed her mind. She then turned her head slightly toward a group of warriors who were standing nearby."Bring me a bucket of water," she ordered, her voice cutting through the cheers.The cheers started to falter as confusion swept through the crowd. The warrior who Kira had ordered didn't hesitate for a split second before he rushed to fulfill her command."What is happening?" Orion asked his sons, his curiosity at its peak.Bryan and Aiden exchanged knowing glances before turning to their father with id
Tahila knelt straight on the ground, her head lowered as she steadied herself, ready to face whatever punishment she would get for her actions.Without hesitation, Kira closed the distance between them. She stopped in front of Tahila, reached down and gripped Tahila's chin tightly, forcing Tahila's head up.Tahila flinched slightly, but did not resist. She may have had so much pride earlier, but at that moment, she was more worried about her life. She continued to stare into Kira's cold, angry eyes, not averting her gaze."You don't fight back now, do you?" Kira asked, her tone icy as she tightened her grip on Tahila's chin, making it clear who held the power."I am not the same Kira Valen you know or have heard of whatsoever," Kira declared, her voice low and filled with authority as her fingers pressed harder into Tahila's jaw. She was going to make sure every word sunk in. "You will respect me and keep my family's name out of your mouth. I demand respect, and I will get it."Then s
Kira bit down on her bottom lip, stifling the laugh that threatened to spill out. "Of course, he was," she thought sarcastically. Her eyes remained closed, and her face didn't betray how she felt inside although, the corners of her mouth almost did as it kept twitching upward."I swear, you enjoy this way too much," Bryan muttered, letting out an exaggerated sigh while shaking his head as he worked on her foot.Without opening her eyes, her lips curled into a soft smile. "Of course I do," she said, feeling victorious and her voice lilting with an amusement that was barely concealed. "I have got two strong Alphas as my personal masseurs. Who wouldn't enjoy this? I could get used to this."Bryan groaned, running a hand down his face dramatically. "You make us sound like servants," he muttered, though there was a smile on his face."Yeah," Aiden agreed with Bryan, grumbling from behind her as his thumbs pressed a little more firmly into her shoulders in playful revenge. "Servants get pa
Kira was standing by the bed, slipping into her silky nightdress when Bryan and Aiden rushed into the room, water dripping everywhere as they hurriedly moved towards her. They froze in their tracks momentarily, their gazes on her and how her nightdress clung to her curves.Noticing them, Kira raised a brow as she glanced at them. "You both better not be dripping water all over the floor," she said, crossing her arms.Caught off guard, Bryan and Aiden looked at each other sheepishly before turning and going back to the bathroom without a word. They muttered something under their breaths as they grabbed towels to dry off.Kira shook her head, laughing softly as she got on the bed. "Am I raising grown children now?" She asked herself, finding Bryan and Aiden's behaviors funny.Moments later, Bryan and Aiden returned. They had dried up and were now dressed in only loose night shorts. They found Kira already lying in bed on her back and her head on the soft pillow with her eyes closed as i
The first boutique Elara and Kira had gone to was a cozy one in a quiet spot tucked between two larger stores. It was the kind that smelled of fresh clothes, freshly printed tags and soft perfumes. It wasn't too big, but it was a lovely place to shop in.Elara was currently admiring a dress she had found, twirling in front of a mirror, while Kira, who had gotten most of what she wanted from the boutique, carefully folded the items into their shopping bags.As they rounded up, they made their way to the door, their hands full of what they had bought. Taking a deep breath, Kira let the outside air clear her head—the gentle breeze needed.She was about to close the boutique door behind her when something, or rather someone, caught her eye.She noticed that it didn't sit right with her and that someone was watching them, but she didn't let it show and pretended to know.She remained calm, not bothered, and was simply observant of the person watching them as she dropped the bags into the
Kira, who was already done with her meal and was taking the last bite, paused, her expression shifting."He's dead," she said, setting her fork down."But how?" Aiden inquired. "He was old but didn't seem like someone who could be easily killed.""Well, he was killed. Easily," Kira chuckled sadly and then went on to tell them everything from when she first met Baba Razz to how he died, how he was nice to her, and his role in her meeting the elves."I felt strangely comfortable around him," she admitted. "I'm not sure how to explain it, but I don't know. His death was painful, and I did blame myself, but I knew he wouldn't want me to do that, so… yeah.""I'm sorry," Aiden muttered as he and Bryan leaned in on each side and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head."May his soul rest in peace," Elara added quietly. "And I'm sure he will be very proud of who you are today."Blowing Elara a kiss, Kira agreed and decided to change the topic, not wanting their happy moments to be sour.
Stepping out of the room after getting dressed, Kira felt very comfortable in the oversized clothes Bryan had given her.She had also noticed the difference in the clothes—how the shirt smelled like Bryan, while the shorts were definitely Aiden's.She wondered if they had debated over if she would wear Bryan's clothes or Aiden's before coming to the conclusion of mixing them and giving it to her.The thought was so funny that she couldn't help but giggle as she made her way down the stairs, her hair packed in a messy bun."Sorry for keeping you all waiting," she said when she walked into the dining room, everyone already in their seats waiting for her."Oh, nonsense, sweetheart," Elara said, waving for her to join them. "It's completely fine.""Yeah, it's not like we were starving or anything," Aiden added with a smile.Bryan gave him a look and just smiled while shaking his head before turning back to Kira. "Come on, sit. Quit acting like a stranger.""I am not acting like a stranger
Kira, Bryan, and Aiden walked through the pack lands, accessing the pack to ensure that everyone was safe and everything was still intact or not too bad. It had been years since she had set foot around the pack, and as they moved, they could hear the whispers from the pack members. Elders, warriors, and even children stared at her in surprise before approaching."Luna Kira, child, how have you been?" An elderly woman with gray hair that was braided neatly asked, placing a gentle hand on Kira's arm. "It is so good to see you again.""I'm very well, thank you," Kira answered while smiling, her tone soft and warm. "And how about you? How have you been holding up? Are you okay?""Yes. Yes," the woman answered, smiling back at Kira as she patted Kira's arm. "And we thank Goddess for you coming today. Everyone has heard of how you helped. We are truly grateful, Luna.""Oh, please, you don't have to thank me. It is my duty as Luna," Kira said sincerely and rubbed the old woman's hand. "Take
As the elves disappeared into the portal, Kira turned to face Bryan, Aiden, and Ryker, giving them a small smile. She was going to miss El'fiannor, Lythari, the friends she had made, the trees, every single thing, but she was also happy to be back home."So...this is Kai, my horse," she announced as if she was introducing an old friend. "Say hi," she urged them."Oh yes, hi," Bryan said quickly, laughing softly right after. "Hi Kai, very fitting name," Aiden added, laughing as well. "You suit... your rider too."Ryker, however, eyed the horse, thinking about something. "Well, he will need a proper home," he said. "I'll take him to his new place. There's a building we can turn into a stable for him.""That sounds perfect," Kira accepted and extended the reins to Ryker, who took them with ease before leading the horse away.Watching as Ryker left, Aiden turned back to Kira with a warm, eager expression. "Come on," he said, "I'm sure Mum and Dad would be very happy to see you.""As w
At her words, Bryan chuckled breathlessly with a mix of disbelief as he ran a hand through his hair, his eyes showing all the emotions that his lips couldn't tell.He felt like he could finally breathe properly by just staring at her, while Aiden, on the other hand, laughed softly and shook his head, not sure of what to say to that."You-" he started, but stopped and exhaled before stepping forward and pulling her into a tight hug. The emotions were just too much to put into words, and there were so many things to ask, so many things to say, to tell, but for now, just hugging each other was enough.Aiden's hand cradled the back of her head as he tightened the hug, his fingers threading through her hair softly despite the armor she was wearing.He buried his face into the curve of her neck, breathing her in, as if inhaling her scent was going to soothe something inside him, which it absolutely did, bringing him great comfort and peace.Smiling widely, Kira melted into him as she close
Bringing her hands down with her palms open, Kira released the blazing light, expanding it outward toward them.The vampires closest to her didn't have the time or opportunity to run, as the moment the light touched them, they caught fire.They had thought their rings would protect them, but the rings did nothing, their screams filling the air as their bodies burned to ash within seconds.The ones further back tried to escape, but both Kira and the magic she channeled were quick, the light spreading like a wave as it covered the battlefield and set every vampire on fire.Kira was careful not to let it harm any of her people, allowing the light to go only for the vampires, and soon, all that remained was ash.The battlefield itself had become silent except for the crackling of burning vampires, but it wasn't completely silent, and all the vampires that were rushing in from the border as reinforcement were all wiped out.Behind Kira, the elven and werewolf warriors continued fighting wi
Hearing the words that had come out of the warrior's mouth, Bryan and Aiden froze immediately, shock taking over as their minds struggled to process what they had just heard.Every shout and every fight around them faded as their eyes found her. Their breath hitched as they watched her atop a black warhorse, cutting through vampires with deadly and precise strikes—the woman they had never thought they would see again…here.Bryan and Aiden watched her and her every move like they were seeing a ghost. It was too hard to believe that she was here, their Kira, and as the fighting continued, neither of them could move nor blink.They thought that if they did, she might disappear, but when they finally blinked, they noticed…She was real.She…she was real.Aiden, too focused on Kira, had not noticed that a vampire was creeping up behind him.The vampire had seen how distracted he was and raised his sharp, curved dagger, ready to stab Aiden from behind, but unknown to the vampire, Kira, de
Fire erupted from the vampire's skin, consuming him in a blaze. He had no time to reach for his ring, a scream rippling from his throat as the fire engulfed him alive.He tried to stop himself from burning by turning around and around, thrashing as if that would help him in any way, but all it did was nothing, his screams faltering and suddenly being replaced by the crackle of his burning flesh.In an instant, the vampire's body fell to the ground, but the fire didn't stop. It went on, burning and burning until what was left was a pile of ash and charred bone, the smell of burning flesh filling the air.Feeling satisfied with the outcome, the warrior moved on to the next vampire in sight, going for the hand with a ring on it.Soon, the battlefield was littered with more bodies and blood, the werewolves using all they could, in whatever form, to cut through the hands of the vampires where they had their rings on or to pull it off using their tactics, turning the vampires into burning