Chapter 3 The Beast in Me

~ Lena ~

I used to think that the rush of adrenaline was the most terrifying feeling a person could ever face.

But I was mistaken.

What's truly frightening is the craving for it.

There I was, standing in the middle of the stone circle, battered, breathless, and shaking-but not from exhaustion. It was the energy surging through me, the way the phantom stirred with every move I made. It was hungry again. Not for blood this time.

But for dominance.

"You're still thinking like a human," Selene snarled, prowling around me like a predator. "Lower your stance one more time, and I'll knock your teeth out."

"Got it," I said.

Sweat dripped down my back. My hands were scraped from grappling, and my ribs ached from the last throw she had executed. It was day two of training-or maybe day three. Time had blurred into a haze, marked only by blood and bruises.

"Again," she ordered.

I lunged at her.

Bad choice.

She spun around, grabbed my arm, and twisted it until I hit the ground hard enough to see stars. The air whooshed out of my lungs.

"Stop charging in like a linebacker," she snapped. "You're not about raw strength. You're surgical. Quick. Your real power lies in precision."

I groaned and rolled onto my side. "My strength is like a cursed phantom spirit that takes over my mind."

"Then stop fighting it."

"I don't trust it."

She reached out her hand to me, but I didn't take it. I pushed myself up instead.

"Good," she said. "Never trust your power. Learn to control it."

I was about to say something when the atmosphere shifted. Every hair on my arms stood on end.

Kieran.

I couldn't see him, but I could feel him there-watching.

As always.

Selene glanced toward the trees. "He's fixated on you."

"He doesn't trust me."

"Same thing," she said, tossing me a bottle of water. "In his world, fixation equals trust. He wouldn't be watching if he thought you were worthless."

"Reassuring," I replied dryly.

"You want real reassurance?" Selene asked, leaning in closer. "Don't confuse desire with safety. He's an Alpha. His instincts aren't just protective-they're possessive. The moment you become a threat, he'll either trap you... or claim you for himself."

I swallowed hard.

That warning came too late.

I could still feel his kiss burned into my lips. The way his hand gripped my waist as if I belonged to him. And the worst part? I let it happen.

That night haunted me more than the visions ever did.

Because it didn't feel like surrender.

It felt like coming home.

"Take five," Selene said, turning away. "You're not much use to me if you faint during the fight."

I sank onto a mossy rock and tilted my face up to the treetops, letting the breeze cool the heat on my skin.

That's when he spoke.

"You've let your guard down."

I didn't need to look. His voice slithered through the shadows like smoke.

"Are you going to jump from trees every time I train?"

Kieran stepped into the clearing, shirtless, of course.

"Maybe," he said with a hint of amusement. "You seem stronger today."

"Or maybe Selene's just holding back."

He took a step closer.

Too close.

The air between us felt charged, thick with tension and heat.

"Do you really understand what phantom magic is?" he asked.

"Something dark that haunted me as a child?"

His jaw tightened. "Not dark. Just wild. Untamed. That's why your visions come with pain-because the phantom doesn't trust you yet."

"And how do I earn its trust?"

He studied me, his eyes growing darker. "By embracing the beast within you."

The way he said it sent a shiver racing down my spine.

"I'm not a wolf," I whispered.

"No," he agreed. "But you're not entirely human anymore either."

I stood up. "You talk as if you know what's happening to me."

"I can sense what's happening to you."

Kieran reached out, his fingers brushing the spot on my neck where he had bitten me. His touch ignited a fire beneath my shirt.

"The bond," he said softly. "It's deepening."

"I didn't ask for this."

"No," he replied gently. "But it's yours now."

His hand moved lower-just a feather-light touch against my collarbone-and I should have pushed him away. Every instinct screamed at me to flee.

But I stayed put.

I leaned in closer.

Just as our lips were about to meet-

"Are you two going to kiss all day or actually get some training done?"

Selene, of course.

I jumped back like I'd been zapped. Kieran, on the other hand, didn't flinch.

Selene strode into the ring, clearly enjoying the chance to break up our moment. "If you're done gazing at each other, we've got a problem."

Kieran shifted his posture, instantly switching to Alpha mode. "What kind of problem?"

Selene's expression turned serious. "The Bloodclaw Pack sent a scout into our territory last night. I tracked him to the border, but he didn't come back."

"You took him out?" I asked, my heart racing.

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I just left him unconscious, with a nice little tooth-shaped warning carved into his thigh."

Kieran muttered a curse under his breath. "We're running out of time."

"What's the Bloodclaw Pack?" I asked, a knot of fear tightening in my chest.

Selene answered, "They're the reason this whole mountain is buzzing with tension. A bunch of power-hungry idiots who think Kieran's too 'soft' to lead anymore."

"Soft?" I exclaimed, taken aback. "They've met him?"

Kieran ignored our chatter and began pacing around the ring, his eyes blazing with determination.

"They won't wait for the Blood Moon," he said. "They'll strike early if they think I'm distracted."

"With me," I whispered.

He came to a stop.

"I'm not a weakness," I asserted, lifting my chin defiantly.

His gaze was locked onto mine. "No. You're a weapon I haven't figured out how to wield yet."

The impact of his words hit me harder than I expected.

Selene clapped her hands once. "Alright then, let's sharpen her up before your enemies get the chance."

______

That night, I found myself dreaming of fire again.

The phantom showed me another vision-but this time, I wasn't just a bystander.

I was inside the body of something wild.

I sprinted through the forest on all fours, the scent of blood thick in the air. I heard cries. A body fell. Then I turned my head-and there I was.

Standing over the chaos.

Laughing.

I jolted awake with a scream.

Kieran was already there, crouched at the edge of the bed, shirtless and partially transformed-his eyes glowing, fangs on display.

"Lena," he said urgently, gripping my shoulders. "It's just a dream."

"No," I gasped, pushing him away. "It's a warning."

He pulled back but stayed close.

"What did you see?"

I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"I killed someone," I whispered. "No-I reveled in it. I was... lost."

Kieran stayed silent for what felt like an eternity.

Then he said, "That's not your future. It's your fear."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've seen what the phantom does to those who give in," he replied. "It feeds on fear. If you want to make it through, you need to show it something stronger."

"Like what?"

"Me."

His voice dropped to a low growl.

I glanced up.

He was looking at me like I was either prey or salvation. Maybe both.

"Kieran-"

"I can anchor you," he said. "But I need you to trust me."

"I don't even trust myself."

"Then let me show you how."

He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my neck.

"If the phantom tries to take you," he whispered, "let it come. I'll be right here-every single time it does."

The room pulsed with tension.

And heat.

My fingers tightened around the sheets.

"Kiss me," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

And he did.

Hard. Deep. Like it was a matter of survival.

This wasn't soft or gentle.

This was raw.

The kind of kiss that took over, consuming you, intertwining your soul with heat and desire.

He pulled me into his lap, hands roaming beneath my shirt, his mouth trailing down my throat. I could feel his heartbeat resonating through every part of me. Fast. Possessive.

Alive.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless, his eyes were wild like a wolf's.

"Tell me to stop," he said, his voice rough.

I didn't say a word.

He laid me back on the mattress, his lips finding mine once more-

But then there was a loud knock on the door.

It was Selene. "Put your dicks away. We've got company."

Kieran swore and pulled back.

I sat up, my heart still racing.

"What now?" I asked.

Selene's tone was serious. "That unconscious scout? He just turned up dead."