The Lycan's Hidden Flame

Elsa

The days in Kieran's castle blurred together. Everything felt heavy, like I was walking through fog, trapped between two worlds. There was the one where I was just Elsa, the girl who had fled her uncle's nightmare only to find herself caught in a much darker web. And then there was the world of wolves and prophecies, where I was something more—something I didn't yet understand, and frankly, didn't want to.

But here I was, in the heart of Kieran's world, where nothing was simple. Where every step I took, I felt eyes on me—watching, judging, waiting for me to fail. The pack's warriors had made it clear I was nothing but an outsider, someone to be tolerated but never fully accepted. Still, I couldn't shake the sense that they were waiting for something—something that had to do with me.

The only person who ever seemed to pay me any attention was Garrick.

I found him in the training yard one morning, his tall, broad figure moving effortlessly through the exercises. The sound of fists meeting bags echoed across the yard as he went through his drills. I had been trying to avoid being alone with him, but today, there was no way around it.

"You're still here," I said, stepping forward, not sure what to expect from him.

Garrick paused, wiping sweat from his brow, and gave me a long look. "I was waiting for you to show up. We've got a lot to work on."

"Work on?" I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. "I thought you were here to teach me how to defend myself."

"That's exactly it." He gestured to the punching bag, his tone serious. "Let's see what you've got."

I wanted to argue, wanted to lash out at him for the way the pack had treated me, but there was something in Garrick's eyes that kept me from doing so. Maybe it was the way he didn't treat me like a child, or like someone they were just biding their time with. His gaze was steady, and though I didn't know him well, there was a sense of...respect? Or maybe that was just my hope projecting itself.

I squared my shoulders and stepped toward the bag. "Fine. But don't expect any miracles."

He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "I'm not expecting anything, Elsa. Just show me you can handle yourself."

I took a deep breath and swung. My first hit was weak—just a light tap, barely a flick of the wrist. Garrick's expression didn't change, but I saw the hint of disappointment. I hated that. I hated how much I wanted to impress him, even though I knew I shouldn't.

"Try again," he said, his voice softer this time, but still firm. "Use your legs more. Your hips. You need to put more power behind it."

I gritted my teeth and tried again. This time, I focused, using my legs and twisting my hips the way I'd seen him do. The punch landed harder, making the bag swing back. It wasn't perfect, but it felt right—stronger. And it felt like a step in the right direction.

Garrick nodded approvingly. "Better. Again."

We spent hours like that—punching, kicking, moving, until the sun was starting to dip low in the sky, casting long shadows over the training yard. My muscles were sore, my body tired, but there was something satisfying about it.

When I finally stopped, panting and drenched in sweat, Garrick gave me an appraising glance. "You're a quick learner."

I wiped my brow with the back of my hand, looking up at him. "I've had to be."

His gaze softened for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a professional smile. "We'll need to work on your speed, your footwork. But you're not bad."

"Not bad?" I said with a smirk. "Is that your way of saying I'm not terrible?"

He gave a small laugh. "Something like that."

But my mind wasn't on the training anymore. It was on something else. Something—or rather, someone.

Kieran had been watching from the edge of the yard for the last half hour, his dark eyes fixed on me. He hadn't moved. He didn't speak. He just watched, like a shadow in the background. His presence felt suffocating, but there was something else there too. Something I couldn't quite place.

I glanced at him, feeling the weight of his gaze like an invisible hand around my throat. It made my heart beat faster, my skin tingle in ways I didn't understand.

"Does he always watch you like that?" I muttered, frustrated.

Garrick's jaw tightened for a moment, but then he sighed. "It's not that simple."

I frowned. "What's not?"

"You need to understand something about Kieran. About all of this." He gestured to the training yard, to the castle, to the pack. "Kieran's not just the Alpha of this pack. He's… more than that. And he's struggling with something."

"Struggling with what?" I pressed, stepping closer, trying to ignore the burn in my muscles. "Struggling with me?"

Garrick hesitated for a long moment, his eyes flicking over to Kieran. "In a way. But not for the reasons you think."

I didn't have time to ask him what he meant. The moment was broken by a sharp command from Kieran.

"Garrick, that's enough."

I stiffened at his voice, feeling the familiar mix of anger and something deeper welling up inside me. Without a word, Garrick stepped aside, and Kieran crossed the yard toward me, his presence larger than life, suffocating.

"You're getting stronger." Kieran's voice was cool, but there was an edge to it I didn't like.

I didn't respond immediately, instead eyeing him with a defiance that surprised even me. "I'm not doing this for you."

"I didn't think you were," Kieran said, his voice quiet, but there was a weight behind it. "But it doesn't change the fact that you're in danger. I'm the only one who can protect you."

I shook my head, frustration mounting. "Then why do you keep pushing me away? Why do you act like I don't matter?"

His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought I saw something in them—something raw, something painful. But it was gone before I could analyze it.

"You don't understand," Kieran growled low, his voice rough with something I couldn't identify. "You're not just anyone, Elsa. You're... the one."

My heart stilled at his words, but before I could ask him what he meant, something inside me twisted—pain, sharp and sudden, right in the center of my chest. I gasped, clutching at the sudden ache.

And that's when I heard it. A voice, dark and soothing, whispering in the back of my mind.

Let go. Let go, Elsa. It's time.

My breath hitched. The pain intensified, radiating outward, and I staggered, my vision going black at the edges.

"Elsa!" Kieran's voice pierced through the fog of pain, but his words didn't reach me.

The ground beneath my feet tilted as the darkness closed in.

And then I knew.

Something was changing inside me. Something that I couldn't stop.