Chapter 4 The Awakening

As soon as Lily's scent returned, an odd warmth blossomed inside her chest.

It began subtly, like a flickering ember, but it soon spread, igniting something deep within her and burning through her veins.

More vigilant than ever, her wolf stirred. She appeared to be stuck in a drab fog of weakness and rejection, as though she had been sleepwalking for years.

Now, though? She felt alive now. Every movement, sound, and breath around her felt more acute. The feeling overwhelmed her, and she gasped, clutching her chest.

"What is going on with me?" Kieran watched her from a few feet away, his face unreadable. His sharp features appeared even more menacing due to the shadows cast across his face by the glow from the enchanted runes.

"You sense it, do you not?" He spoke in a smooth, too-calm voice. Lily breathed in quick, irregular bursts.

"How do you feel?" Kieran approached her slowly as something she could not quite place caused his dark eyes to flicker. "Your strength." She scowled.

"I have no authority." Kieran chuckled softly and shook his head, seemingly amused. "They intended for you to think that."

Lily tensed. "Who are they?" With his eyes still fixed on her, he cocked his head slightly.

"Those who were afraid of what you could become." She felt a chill go down her back. That was nonsensical. All she was was an Omega. An outsider.

A mate who was turned down.

How could she have been feared? Suppressing the growing anxiety that was tearing at her chest, she shook her head.

"No. That is not feasible. I have been weak all my life. Kieran's eyebrows arched.

"Is that correct?" Then he was on the move. He was a few feet away one moment, and then directly in front of her the next.

His hand sprang out before Lily could react, its fingers closing around her throat with enough firmness to make a point without causing pain. Her whole body stiffened.

The instinct took over. Her wolf rushed forward before she had a chance to consider it.

Kieran flew backwards as a sudden shockwave of energy burst from her body.

He grunted as he collided with a tree, but he was not upset when he looked up at her.

He was grinning. Lily staggered back and looked down at her hands, stunned.

Their trembling was due to the sheer force that had just exploded from within her, not fear.

"What was that, exactly?" She muttered. Dusting off his jacket, Kieran pushed himself off the ground. "They attempted to bury that power within you, little wolf." Lily gave a headshake.

"No. That is not feasible. I- Kieran cut in, his grin growing, "You sent me flying without even shifting." "Weak Omegas do not experience that.

"Her heart was racing. No. No, this is not possible. Lily was all she was. The girl who got thrown out. It was the unwanted girl.

The girl who had been trying to prove herself all her life. However... She flexed her fingers and glanced down at her hands once more. She still felt warm inside her chest.

If anything, it felt more powerful now, alive, pulsing, like a dam had finally shattered.

Is it possible? Had she always been something more? Kieran kept a close eye on her, his laughter turning to something more sombre.

"I informed you. You were never typical. They took something else from you in addition to your scent.

Your actual character.

You must learn to control it now that it has returned. Lily took a deep breath. "And you believe you can instruct me?" Kieran grinned.

"I am sure I can." She paused.

She still harboured misgivings about him.

The part that had experienced that power surge, however, knew he was correct.

She had to know what was going on with her. The truth had to be told to her. She inhaled deeply and looked at Kieran with renewed resolve.

"Then demonstrate for me." A Few Hours Later As Kieran guided Lily farther into the forest, past the luminous runes and through the thick, towering trees, the night grew longer.

The crunch of leaves beneath their feet was the only sound they heard as they walked for a while.

Lily's thoughts continued to race. She kept thinking about what had happened back there, the force that had exploded out of her, and Kieran's way of staring at her as if she were something more.

Was she? Is she more than just an Omega who has been rejected? At last, Kieran came to a stop close to a remote clearing where a tiny stream ran beneath the moon's silvery rays.

His expression was unreadable as he turned to face her.

He declared, "This is where we start." Lily crossed her arms. "And what precisely am I meant to do?" Kieran grinned. "You tell me." She scowled.

"What?" He waved them away. "Close your eyes. Pay attention. Feel. After a moment of hesitation, Lily closed her eyes.

For a few seconds, the only sounds she could hear were the rustle of leaves in the wind and the distant sound of the stream. However, after that... She sensed it.

the air's energy. the earth's pulse under her feet. The night itself appeared to be alive. Her wolf shifted. Something cried out to her from within.

Although it was not chaotic, the warmth in her chest spread once more. It was controlled and steady. Kieran had a low, nearly hypnotic voice. "There."

Do not you sense it now? Slowly, Lily opened her eyes.

Everything appeared more streamlined. The trees. The stars.

Kieran himself appeared more distinct, as though she had previously been viewing the world through hazy glass that had suddenly cleared.

"I do," she acknowledged.

Kieran smiled. "All right. That is only the start. Lily's heart raced with anticipation.

She was not just getting by for the first time in her life. She was waking up.

And who had attempted to rob her of that? They would later come to regret it.