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They were glowing.
Letting my wolf take over must have made them glow.
I began to pant, my heart pounding so hard it echoed in my ears.
I wanted to hit Bethany again-harder-but before I could move, Naria grabbed my hand and rushed me toward the school toilet.
Inside, I stumbled to the mirror.
My eyes stared back at me, still glowing... but what scared me even more was the color.
Silver.
Bright, unfamiliar, almost alive.
"Okay, Nyra, you have to control yourself. Take a deep breath, okay?" Naria's voice broke through the buzzing in my head.
I tried. I sucked in a shaky breath, but it didn't help.
I kept panting, my chest tightening, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
Fear clawed up my throat, mixing with the burning anger I couldn't seem to swallow.
"Naria... I can't," I gasped, my voice trembling.
"Think of something good," she said quickly, her hands gripping my shoulders.
"Like a good memory. Focus on those, Nyra."
I squeezed my eyes shut, desperate to find something.
Anything.
Then it came-
My father.
That day he shifted into his massive wolf and let me climb onto his back.
I was seven years old, my laughter filling the woods as he raced through the trees, the wind in my hair, the world blurring around us.
His wolf felt strong, safe... unstoppable.
I clung to that memory, holding onto it like a lifeline.
Slowly, the pounding in my chest eased.
My breathing evened out.
When I opened my eyes again, the silver glow had faded.
My reflection looked back at me-normal.
I was back in control.
I spent the rest of the day avoiding Bethany.
I knew her too well-she would want revenge, and it wasn't going to be pretty.
Everyone at school was already talking about it, whispering about how Bethany Grey got knocked out by a "weakling" like me.
I hid myself away, skipping classes, keeping my head down.
When the final bell rang, the guys and I made a run for it.
We were just about to hop on our bicycles when our nightmare appeared.
Bethany.
Her face was still red from the punch earlier.
She stormed toward us, her voice low and dangerous-like a predator ready to pounce.
"Hey, you think this is over, huh?" she growled.
"Today, I wasn't ready. But by the next full moon, let's see who's really the strongest-and who's the weakling."
Bethany had just challenged me to a fight.
A real one.
"Bethany, I didn't mean to hurt you, okay?" I said quickly, stepping back.
"You can hit me back if you want-but I'm not going to fight you."
I turned, trying to leave.
"Bethany, just go. You got smashed by a weakling!" Naria teased, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Jade burst into laughter beside her.
Their laughter echoed through the crowd.
Bethany's face twisted with rage, and then she said the words that made the entire school ground freeze.
"I, Bethany Grey, daughter of Brandon Grey, challenge Nyra Black, daughter of Amos Black, to a Luna Kai at the next full moon!"
My stomach dropped.
A Luna Kai.
It was a sacred battle between two werewolves-a fight to prove strength or to dethrone an Alpha.
The loser would be cursed by the Moon Goddess for six moons, unable to shift, their wolf trapped inside.
No one had called for a Luna Kai in years.
The moment the words left her mouth, the air shifted.
The laughter died.
Whispers rushed through the crowd like wildfire.
"Do you really think she'll accept?"
"She hasn't even shifted yet. How can she win?"
"A Luna Kai... against Bethany?"
Their words hit me harder than any punch could.
Their stares told me exactly what they thought-
That I was weak.
That I should run.
That I didn't belong.
My best friends stood frozen, shaking their heads, silently begging me to say no.
But deep inside me, something burned hotter than fear.
I wasn't about to end my final year of high school hiding in the shadows like a scared little cat.
I stepped forward, my voice steady.
"I accept your challenge, Bethany Grey."
Here's your full cleaned-up and emotional final part of Chapter 7, keeping your voice but making it smoother, more natural, and powerful:
After accepting the challenge, the guys and I headed to my house for our science project.
The project had been given to us last week, and we had planned to finally finish it today.
Mom wasn't home.
She had gone to the Luna House to assist with some things, while my brother Aran-like always-was busy being the Alpha.
Thankfully, Mom had prepared food for us before she left: meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
We ate quickly, laughing a little to shake off the nerves, then did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen.
Mom hated coming back to a messy house.
Once everything was clean, we headed to my bedroom.
But the second we sat down, I noticed it-
Their faces.
They weren't joking around like usual.
Their faces looked pale and tense, worry written all over them.
I tried to lighten the mood.
"So... do you guys think I'm going to win this?" I said, grinning a little.
But they just looked at me, silent and pale.
"You accepted a Luna Kai," Jade said, almost whispering.
"And you haven't even shifted yet.
And of all people-Bethany! We have no idea how strong she really is."
"Just the other day," Naria jumped in, "I was wrestling with her during gym class, and she threw me down so many times.
And that was without even using her wolf powers!"
I sighed, trying to make them understand.
"I know she's strong.
But I can't let her keep calling me weak.
I have to show everyone that I'm not.
And if a Luna Kai is the way to prove it, then I'm going to do it."
They still didn't look convinced.
I leaned forward, desperate for their support.
"And remember today?
I punched her straight to the floor-and I haven't even shifted yet!
That was just my wolf, guys.
Imagine what I can do after my first shift!"
Their faces softened a little.
Jade cracked a tiny smile.
Naria let out a small, shaky laugh.
"Okay," Naria said slowly. "Let's hope you actually turn this full moon..."
Then she trailed off, her expression darkening again.
"But something was wrong," she added, glancing at Jade.
"Your eyes," Jade said carefully.
"The color. It wasn't blue."
I frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Your eyes, Nyra," Jade said.
"They were silver.
Every werewolf in Oakland has blue eyes.
It's what defines our bloodline."
"If your eyes are silver... it only means one thing," Naria finished quietly.
The room fell into a heavy, crushing silence.
None of us wanted to say it out loud.
But the truth was there, hanging between us.
If my eyes weren't blue...
It meant I wasn't truly Oakland blood.
But that couldn't be possible.
Could it?
Before any of us could say another word, a loud knock echoed from downstairs.
Someone was at the door.
I jumped up, heart racing, and hurried downstairs.
When I opened the door-
My heart almost stopped.
It was the Alpha.
His eyes were burning with fury.
"What were you thinking, Nyra Black?" he growled.
"Accepting a Luna Kai?"