Blessed By The Moon

Chapter 35

The training grounds were alive with movement, grunts of exertion, the clash of bodies against dirt, the sharp crack of fists meeting flesh. Warriors circled each other in sparring rings, their footwork practiced, their strikes calculated. The scent of sweat and earth filled the air, mingling with the cool bite of the morning breeze. Our healers on call, of course, we want them to train, not to damage each other before the upcoming war,

They were better than I thought they were.

I walked the perimeter, observing, taking note of stances, technique, weaknesses. Some were improving faster than others, but all of them, my pack, were pushing beyond their limits. The progress they had made in the past days was something to be proud of. I was proud.

Then I saw Axe.

He stood in the center of the largest sparring ring, shirtless, his body slick with sweat, muscles tense as he faced off against Dean, one of our stronger warriors. Dean lunged, fast and aggressive, but Axe dodged easily, his movements fluid, controlled. A shift of weight, a well-placed step, and suddenly, he was behind him.

Axe struck before Dean could recover, hooking an arm around his opponent's throat in a clean, effortless motion. Dean struggled, but only for a moment before tapping out.

I exhaled, forcing my gaze away from Axe's bare chest, from the way his muscles flexed as he released Dean and clapped him on the shoulder.

Not the time. Not the place.

"Luna!" One of the younger warriors, Sam, called out, rubbing the back of his neck. "Any advice?"

I snapped out of it, stepping closer to where he stood with his sparring partner. "Depends. What's your biggest problem?"

"My footwork," he admitted. "I feel too slow."

"Show me."

He hesitated before throwing a punch. I dodged easily, sidestepping him with minimal effort. He tried again, but his movements were predictable, his stance too rigid.

"You're leading too much with your right," I pointed out. "You telegraph every move before you make it."

Sam exhaled sharply. "Yeah. I feel like I keep doing that."

"Then stop over thinking and start reacting." I tapped my temple. "Fighting isn't just about strength, it's about instinct. The second you stop anticipating and just move, you'll be faster. Again."

This time, he came at me more naturally, his movements less stiff. I dodged but had to shift my weight slightly more than before.

"Better," I murmured, stepping back. "Keep drilling it."

A deep chuckle cut through the air, and I turned to find Axe watching me.

"That was adorable," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.

I narrowed my eyes. "What was?"

"You, getting all serious. Looking hot while giving orders." He smirked. "Should've known you'd get off on bossing other people around."

I crossed my arms, unimpressed. "I boss you around too."

"And it's my favorite part of the day," he shot back, golden eyes glinting.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "If you're done flirting, maybe you can focus on training."

Axe tsked, shaking his head. "You were staring at me first, sweetheart. No shame in admitting it."

I huffed, turning away before he got under my skin any more than he already had. "I was actually checking your technique, you could use some work to be honest, I expected better from an Alpha."