The next morning, sunlight filtered through the thin veil of clouds above Moon Treasure Pack, casting a soft golden hue across the village paths. Eila awoke with the knowledge that both Leonard and Nina were preoccupied with official duties—Nina with council records and Leonard handling a border dispute on behalf of the Alpha. Leonard had informed her while dropping her off to her house last night.
It meant one thing.
Combat training. With Lukas and Zois.
Her body still ached faintly from yesterday's fire practice, but she welcomed the soreness. It meant she was growing stronger.
Inside her house, joy practically danced in the air.
The moment she reached the breakfast table Meera ran up to her, eyes wide with excitement. "He's leaving in two weeks, Eila! For the gamma training camp!"
Michael sat at the table, looking a little too smug with his arms crossed and his new leather sheath—housing his father's sword—strapped proudly across his back. His wolf, Sam, had already begun influencing him subtly. He stood straighter, spoke more confidently, and his once-playful attitude had settled into something sharp and assured.
Eila smiled and ruffled his hair, even as he protested. "You're still my little brother," she teased.
Their parents stood nearby, beaming with pride. Their father's arm was loosely slung around their mother's waist, and their eyes sparkled in ways Eila hadn't seen in years.
Eila hesitated a moment before asking, "Those… black spots I saw before. On your arms. They're gone now, but what were they?"
The mood quieted just slightly.
Her mother's smile didn't waver, but her voice grew gentler. "Some things are better left forgotten, child. They were just remnants of the curse. But your healing banished them. That's what matters."
Her father added quickly, "We're healthy. Whole. Let the past rest, sweetheart."
Eila studied them both, her instincts tingling, but she didn't press. Not today. Not when the household was so full of joy.
The talk shifted back to Michael—his new duties, the hefty monthly stipend he would earn during the five-month program, and how a portion of it would finally bring relief to their household.
They would no longer have to ration coins, sell keepsakes, or stretch meals to fill too many bellies.
Even Jean and Jake were talking about what sweets they'd ask for next week, and Meera had a dreamy look in her eyes. "I can't wait to get my wolf. I want one as beautiful as Emma's hair."
Eila laughed, kissing her on the forehead. "Yours will be perfect. Just like you."
By late morning, she left for the infirmary. The healers greeted her warmly—Rosalie still watchful but slightly more approving after Eila's efforts to balance magic with herbal methods.
She treated a sprained shoulder, helped an elder with breathing issues, and assisted a healer during a difficult bandaging process. Her stamina had increased noticeably. Nina's training and the raw practice were working.
By the time the sun hovered over the treetops, Lukas and Zois were waiting for her on the eastern training grounds—an area less crowded, bordered by forest, and shielded by rune-wards for privacy.
Both wore sleeveless tunics, their muscular arms glistening with faint sweat. Eila's heart skipped. Focus, she reminded herself sternly.
Zois tossed her a training dagger. "Let's see what you remember from the basics."
"And what you've forgotten," Lukas added with a grin.
They started slow—stances, footwork, posture. The brothers moved like mirrored shadows, switching roles as attacker and defender with graceful precision.
Eila matched them move for move, but it wasn't easy.
Zois would test her balance with sudden feints, while Lukas forced her into tight angles with complex footwork. They pushed her hard, correcting her form with brief touches, murmured guidance, and the occasional teasing smirk.
"You're not just a healer," Lukas said. "You're a warrior in the making."
"You'll need to be," Zois added, serious now. "If Jeremy appears again, next time might not be a dream."
By the end of the two-hour session, she was drenched in sweat, her muscles screaming in protest, but her eyes burned with determination.
Zois offered her a water flask, and Lukas threw an arm around her shoulder.
"Tomorrow, we teach you how to fight dirty," Lukas said with a wink.
"And how to win against someone twice your size," Zois added.
Eila laughed breathlessly. "You mean like both of you?"
They shared a grin. Exactly