urrounded by humans Easy

Ub – Mon, 14 001

bChapter /bb50 /b

It’s been three weeks since 1 first stepped onto the training grounds with trembling knees and aching doubt.

Three weeks since I gasped for breally, unsure if my legs could carry me through one morep, one more push–up, one more round of sparring under Audrey’s sharp eyes and sharper tongue.

And bnow/b?

Now Irun.

racross the field, hair loose in the wind, boots pounding the earth with a rhythm that feels… free. Fast, Alive.

I’m not the strongest. Not yet. But bI’m /bbetter–stronger than I’ve ever been. More than ever believed I could bej

“Amazing, El!” Audrey shouted this morning after our thirdp around thepound’s outer ring. Her hands rested on her hips, breath slightly short but ?yes bright. “You’re fast–crazy fast. I thought I was the fastest in the pack.”

Iughed, breathless and giddy, my cheeks fushed from more than the running “I thought I was bslow/b.”

“You were,” she said with a wink. “But not anymore

Even Francesco, who had insisted on watching every session for thest week, couldn’t hide his pride. He stood at the edge of the field, arms folded, jaw rxed, his dark eyes never straying from me. When I stumbled toward him at the end of our drills, he always caught me in his arms, holding me like something precious but powerful

And every time, without fail, he would murmur into my hair, “I’m proud of you, amore mio.

bAnd /boh, how I lived for those words.

He didn’t coddle me. Not anymore. He encouraged. He protectedb, /byes–but not like before. Not in a way that smothered. He gave me space to grow, fight to fall and rise again.

He bsaw /bme not bas /bsomething to shield–but as something rising

And I knew he felt it too–the shift. Not just in my speed or stamina or how quickly I could disarm Jonathan now in a sparring bmatch/b. But in my energy

Something inside me had changed.

Mika

My wolf stirred more than ever these past few nights. Sometimes, I’d be brushing my teeth or sketching in themon room, and I’d feel her–a soft nudge in the back of my mind. A quiet hum of breath against my spirit.

I’m here, she’d whisper. Finally.

I remembered her eyes–crystal bblue /blike the winter skies back in ckpine. I remembered the two times I had secretly shifted when I still lived there, long before rejection crushed my world. The first time, I’d nearly fainted. The second, I hid under the old bridge near the woods for hours, too afraid to shift back until the moon dipped low and the bpain /bbfaded/b.

Mika had told me once, before beverything /bshattered: You’re special. You carry more than a wolf.

And then Ruben rejected me

Everything everything–broke

But now…

11:07 Mora

Chapter 50:

bNow/bb, /bsomething inside the was being rebuilt,

1 could feel it in the way the earth responded to my steps. The way my instincts sharpened. How could sense Francesco before taki

room, or feel a lie under someone’s tongue like a wrong note in a song.

Even my skin glowed a little wanner under the moon.

I wasn’t just recovering, I was awakening

The wind was softer today, almostry as it swept across the hills beyond the training rounds. I sat on the grass, legs stretched out, sketchbook open beside me, though I hadn’t drawn a single line.

The Tuscanndscape spranded ahead–golden hills, olive groves, vineyards tangled in green. I stared at it, yes unfocused, heart full.

Tomorrow, I thought, school starts again.

Myst semester. Graduation was so close, I could practically feel the cap on my ?

yhead.

I never thought I’d make it this far.

I’de to Italy broken–heart aching, soul shattered, hiding behind books and paint and silence. I had dragged my pain with me like luggage I didn’t knew how to unpack,

But now?

Helt different. I was different.

I was no longer the girl who cried under the full moon, begging her wolf to speak to her

I was bing someone now. Someone whole

Footsteps approached behind me–steady, deliberate

I didn’t turn. I didn’t need to.

know it’s you,” I mumsured with a smile.

A low chuckle

Heavy boots stopped beside me, and then the grass dipped slightly as Francesco sat down. He didn’t bsay /banything at first–he just pulled me bclose /buntil i leaned naturally into his side, my head resting against his shoulder. bHis /barm wrapped around my back, warm and steady.

For a while, we just watched the wind move through the trees.

Then he asked, “Why so serious, Amore Luna!”

I smiled into his shirt, wrapping one arm around his waist. “Because I’m happy”

I tilted my head up to look at him “Truly Deeply, Happier than I thought I could be again.”

He studied my face, then lifted his hand to cup mycheek, his thumb brushing lightly under my eye.

“There’s no need to thank bme/bb,/bb” /bhe said gently. “‘s an honor to have you in my life”

His voice, raw and real, wrapped around me like silk.

“bAnd /byou’re right” he added after a beat, his gaze drifting out across the field, “Knowing you’re stronger it puts me at ease.”

beamed, pressing a kiss to bhis /bjaw. “Soo? bYou /bdon’t bhave /bto worry all the time.”

He chuckled, low and warm” will always worry, amore’s in the job description”

Trolled my eyes, nudging him yfully know. But you know what I mean.

“I do, my Luna, “he said, vorce tott but fem.

After a pause,

, he asked, “Tomorrow’s the beginning of your final semester. How does it feel

Let out a long, thoughtful sigh. “Surreal, Like it flew by. But I’m happy. Really happy”

He nodded. “Keep your beyes /bopen. Stay aware?

“will” promised “always do now”

He kissed the top of my head. “That’s my pl

The next morning arrived with golden light and the faint scent of coffee from the manor kitchen.

Audrey stood by the car with that confident smirk

weighed nothing

wore so well, dark sunsses hiding her watchful eyes. She tossed my bag into the back seat like t

“Ready to take on the world, graduate to be?” she asked.

*ALIT ever be,” I grinned, smoothing the front of my jacket.

Joshua and Jeremy were already waiting in the ck SUV a few paces behind us–my shadow guardsb, /bas they’d been nicknamed. Always nearby. Always

QUIEL

Together, bwe /bmade our bway /binto the city.

The moment I stepped onto campus grounds, Tfalt it—ayes on me.”

But it wasn’t fear this time. Orpity. It wasn’t even distance.

It was recognition.??

Warm greetings. Familiar smiles. Human ssmates waved as I passed, asking how my break had been. A fewplimented my new haircut. Someone even offered me a pastry from the little café stand

It was… normal

And I didn’t shrick from it

Jose, Katrina, and Ang were already lounging on the dorm steps when I approached. They looked up, -eyed and dramatic bas /balways

“Ell” Ang squealed, “Where have you been? bYou’ve /bbeen ghosting us!”

Katrina grinned. “bWe /bbwere /babout to file a missing persons report”

Josejust smirked. “You look different Glowing. Like someone’s been working out…or

L.. or making out.

I burst intoughter, cheeks pink, i missed you bguys/b”

We hugged, joked, and made our way to ss. It felt like the best kind of homing

Even if they didn’t know the whole truth–about who I bwas /bbnow/bb, /bwhat I was bing they still saw me. And somehow, that was enough.

Later that afternoon, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirrored ss outside the art building.

11:07

Mon, 14 Jul

Hair tied in a high ponytail Light jacket Combat bootsy

And for the first time. I didn’t look away.

This is whom.now

cand muddy from morning drill Confidence in my stride. Fite in my eyes

Not just a student. Not just a werewell. Not just someone’s fated mate.

But a survivor.

Afighter.

Aluna

And this?

This was only the beginning.