Page 66 of The Moonborn's Curse

The room fell quiet.

For once, Seren didn't stay silent.

She turned her head slowly, eyes cold. "You're no great prize, Hagan. Believe me, no one's asking."

The table froze. Even Draken blinked. It was the first time that Seren had spoken directly to Hagan.

Hagan stared at her like he'd never seen her before. Then, without a word, he walked out.

The sun was high when Seren dropped Clio to the mat. They had become regular sparring partners.

They didn't speak, hadn't ever been friends, but there was a kind of mutual rhythm between them now. An understanding formed through bruises and breathless dodges.

Silently, Seren offered her a hand up. Clio took it.

They were not friends, but they tolerated each other.

Then Garrik's voice rang out. "Next pairing... Dain. With Seren."

A ripple passed through the circle.

Dain's grin was smug. But it didn't last.

Within seconds, he launched forward, his movements tight and practised. He opened with a teep kick, the ball of his foot striking Seren's abdomen, pushing her back. Before she could recover, he followed with a swift roundhouse kick, aimed at her side — she blocked it, barely.

Seren gritted her teeth and circled, light on her feet. But Dain wasn't done. He feinted with another teep, then came in with a sharp elbow strike, nearly clipping her jaw.

He was stronger, yes — and trained.

He was also the future Fang, the one meant to stand at Hagan's side.

But Seren was holding her ground, reading him, countering with smaller, tighter moves — knees into his thigh, subtle clinches that made him grunt.

When she countered with a particularly painful roundhouse kick that nicked his lip, he lost control.

His aura flared, and his wolf surfaced. His next elbow came with too much power, eyes briefly glowing, breath snarling.

Garrik's voice cracked through the yard

"Pull it back, Dain. Or you will be off training for a month."

Dain pulled away, panting, scowling.

Reluctantly, he reined himself in.

But now he was rattled.

Seren's chest rose and fell quickly, sweat slick on her skin. She saw her chance—

And she took it.

She slid in under a wild hook and slammed her knee into his gut, twisting at the same time to hook his leg and drop him flat to the mat. Quick as lightning, she pulled him into a headlock.

The yard went silent.

Dain wheezed, stunned on his back.

She had won.

---