<div>


    “Noah!” Clara’s voice cut through the turmoil, sharp and commanding. Her ice-blue eyes, slitted like a predator’s, locked onto him as she sprinted across the field. The other wolves around them were either frozen in fear or growling low, their instincts triggered by the overwhelming pheromones.


    “You don’t have to hold it alone,” she shot back, stepping closer despite the warning in his tone. Her hand reached out, cautious but firm, and her fingers brushed against his arm. The contact was electric, a spark that seemed to momentarily ground him.


    “You won’t,” she interrupted, her voice softening. Her gaze never wavered, steady and unyielding. “I’ve seen you fight harder battles than this. You’re stronger than your bloodline, Noah. You’re stronger than your fear.”


    Clara stepped closer again, this time not stopping until she was within arm’s reach. Her hand lifted, fingers brushing against the side of his face, just below the edge of his wolf ear. “Breathe,” she whispered. “Just breathe with me.”


    A small smile tugged at Clara’s lips. “Luckily, you’ll never have to find out.”


    “And you’re always so stubborn,” she shot back, her tone teasing. But her hand lingered on his face, her thumb tracing a faint line along his jaw.


    But before their lips could meet, a loud crash echoed from across the training ground, jolting them both back to reality. Clara stepped back, her cheeks flushed, and Noah cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair.


    Noah nodded, though his eyes still held hers for a moment longer. “Yeah,” he murmured. “But later… we’re not done talking about this.”


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    As they turned to address the chaos around them, the unspoken promise hung in the air, a spark of something undeniable that neither of them could ignore.


    His eyes, usually a calm shade of hazel, now burned with a dangerous crimson hue, the blood moon’s power threatening to consume him. Clara’s fingers twitched as she summoned the ice core’s energy, a frosty blue light emanating from her palm. "I can’t lose you to this," she murmured, her voice laced with desperation.


    "Trust me," she said firmly, her eyes locking onto his. The ice-blue energy wrapped around him like a cocoon, the frost spreading across his skin in delicate patterns. Noah’s breathing began to slow, the crimson in his eyes flickering as the icy power fought against the chaos within him.


    Clara managed a small smile, though her forehead was beaded with sweat. "It’s working," she said, relief flooding her voice. "Just hold on a little longer."


    "Someone has to," she replied with a teasing smirk, though her eyes betrayed her exhaustion. "You’re not exactly low-maintenance."


    Clara’s hand lingered on his forehead, the ice core’s energy still flowing steadily. "You owe me more than you can count," she said, her voice softening. "But I’m not keeping score."


    Clara’s breath caught at his words, her heart skipping a beat. She pulled her hand away slowly, the frost receding from his skin. "You won’t have to find out," she said, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest.


    Clara looked away first, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "You should rest," she said, her tone practical but gentle. "The blood moon’s power takes a toll."


    Clara hesitated, then nodded, sitting down beside him. "I’ll be here," she said softly, her hand resting on the floor just inches from his. Their fingers didn’t touch, but the proximity was enough to send a quiet warmth through them both.