Rise of the Assassin Luna

The forest became Serena's sanctuary; a place where she could shed the dead weight of her rejection and train without the prying eyes of her pack mates.

For months, she came here night after night, working herself to the bone with the determination to build a new life outside of the constraints of the Bloodfang Pack's expectations.

If she couldn't rely on her wolf to protect her, she would rely on herself. Her mind, her body, and the fire that burned bright in her soul.

She could not allow herself to be limited by the standards set by people who only care about wolves. Those standards do not apply to her. She refused to let them.

Serena's body ached from the fatigue of the endless drills: running sprints, climbing and running on trees, practicing hand-to-hand combat against the wooden makeshift dummies she had made, and learning to wield knives.

She didn't have a coach or mentor, only herself and the determination to grow stronger. Every cut and bruise became a badge of honor. The pain of training was easier to bear than the ache left by Kai's rejection and her parents' disappointment.

The eastern sky was painted with the soft glow of early dawn when Serena completed her final set of practice exercises.

She doubled over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Her muscles were screaming in protest. Sweat dripped down her face to her slender collarbone, but she still smiled, just a little.

Every drop of sweat brought her closer to the day she'd venture out on her own without fear.

She had stopped training with the pack members a few months ago. The fights with them no longer challenged her.

Most of them were weaker than her, even with their wolves present.

The next night, Serena decided to venture further beyond the Bloodfang borders, driven by the urge to test herself.

She could never really determine her limits while practicing with lifeless objects. She needed living targets to estimate the extent of her growth and her shortcomings. It was the only way to improve.

It might be more dangerous, deadly even, but it was the only way.

Rogue wolves had grown bolder in the recent months and even though the pack elders had given warnings for everyone to stay within the safety of their territory, Serena welcomed the danger. If the pack wouldn't protect her, then she'd learn to protect herself.

She needed to find the rogues now. They would be her whetstone. Her gauging scale.

As she progressed deeper into the forest, she could feel tension building up, and the refreshing scent of pine trees and damp earth clung to Serena's skin as she sprinted through the forest.

Her breaths carefully controlled as her heart pounded with adrenaline. Tonight was different. She wasn't just training; she was hunting.

Rumors of rogue sightings near the Bloodfang Pack's borders had spread to the pack over the past few days.

It was the reason the elders had warned them to stay within the borders of the pack territory.

Even though the pack warriors remained on the alert, no one believed that a rogue would be stupid enough to come too close.

Serena knew better. Rogues were desperate and unpredictable. And that was exactly why she was out here, moving silently through the shadows with daggers strapped to her thighs and others held between the palms of her hands.

Her parents had told her to stay within their compound. They had always underestimated her.

Seeing her as a weakling; a shame to their legacy. Serena no longer cared about gaining their approval.

Serena had been waiting for this moment for a long time. A chance for her to prove to herself that she was more than just the weak girl everyone thought she was.

A twig snapped in the distance, the sound subtle but distinct.

Serena's body stilled, every muscle tensing up as she stopped to scan the forest.

Her senses had sharpened from the months of sneaking through these woods while training. She could feel the presence of a wolf nearby. Lurking just beyond the tree line.

Then she saw him.

A massive rogue with a hulking frame that was covered in scars. His eyes glowed a sickly yellow in the moonlight.

He moved with the heavy gait of someone accustomed to violence, his sharp claws already extended glinting with the sharpness of a knife.

He sniffed the air, catching Serena's scent, then a low growl rumbled from his chest.

Serena didn't wait for him to make the first move. She moved and launched herself at him. Her daggers flashing in the light of the shining moon.

The rogue lunged towards her with deadly speed, his claws slicing through the air. Serena ducked and rolled to the side with the fluid movements of a fighter.

She felt the air rush past her side as the rogue's claws grazed her arm. The sheer force of that strike sent a jolt of force towards her, sending her tumbling back a few steps. Yet, the danger did not deter her, instead, it ignited her instinct to fight back.

As the rogue turned to strike again, she dodged to the left as if she had expected his next move.

The rogue swiped at her once more, but this time she slipped under his arm, as fast as a shadow. Even Serena was shocked by her performance.

Her heart raced with the thrill of the battle as she pivoted herself and plunged her dagger into his side. She felt the blade sink deep into his muscles.

The rogue howled in pain, but Serena refused to give him a chance to recover.

With a swift kick to the back of his knee, she brought him down to his knees. At the same time, her body coiled with the practiced agility of a predator to avoid the claw he had extended.

She moved to the front again and kicked him in the chest, which brought the rogue crashing to the ground.

He twisted on the ground, snarling with his claws swiping wildly. Serena danced out of reach as the adrenaline rush heightening her senses.

She could feel the night air against her skin and the energy thrumming through her veins.

"You're slow," she taunted.

The rogue got up again and swiped his right claw at her, aiming for the neck.

Serena dodged just in time, dropping low as the rogue barreled past her. She rolled back to her feet in one fluid motion; getting ready to strike again.

She jumped up and kicked her right foot out with every ounce of strength she had, her foot connected with the side of the rogue's head. The impact knocked him off balance.

The rogue staggered back, and Serena seized the moment as she darted forward. She slashed her dagger across his throat in one clean motion.

Blood sprayed out, warm and thick, but she remained completely unfazed.

The rogue clutched his throat as panic finally flashed in the depths of his eyes. Serena pressed her advantage and closed the distance between them.

The rogue looked at her with fierce eyes as it followed her movements with its eyes.

Suddenly, with a fierce roar, the rogue pounced on her once more, claws directly aimed at her chest.

Serena dropped low, dodging his attack and at the same time sweeping her leg around to trip him. The rogue went down, crashing hard against the forest floor.

Blood was still spilling out of his neck. Even with the self-healing abilities of werewolves, he was in serious trouble.

With a predator's stance, Serena stood over him with poised daggers.

"Goodbye," she whispered, bending down and plunging both daggers into his chest with all her strength.

The rogue no longer had the strength to fight. It had lost too much blood and broken some bones. It was impossible to hold on.

It gasped with stifled breath, in too much pain to howl. His eyes widened with the shock of dying at the hands of a wolfless girl as his life drained away.

The forest suddenly fell silent; the only sound there was the heavy breathing of Serena after a tough first battle. Serena stepped back as she stared at her first kill.

The weight of what she'd just done finally settled in slowly, like the creeping cold of the night.

This was her first blood.

The reality of her killing someone for the first time finally set in. However, she had her own plans.

And this was only the beginning.

The scent of blood would attract other predators, she knew she couldn't stay here long. Wiping her daggers on the rogue's shirt, her heart was still racing as she assessed her injuries.

The claw mark left on her arm wasn't deep, but it stung like hell. She ripped a strip of cloth from her shirt and wrapped it around the wound, tying it tight.

Most of the adrenaline had worn off by the time Serena reached the edge of the Bloodfang compound.

Her limbs felt heavy, and the wound on her arm throbbed painfully. Yet, she couldn't care less.

Serena slipped back into her room and collapsed onto her bed. The exhaustion of the night taking over. But beneath that fatigue was a fierce and unrelenting determination.

Her hunt had begun.

Serena closed her eyes, a small but satisfied smile playing at her lips.

The Bloodfang Pack might still see her as a failure. But soon, they would learn what true strength was.

She wasn't just a girl without a wolf.

She was a fighter. And she wasn't afraid to draw the first blood.

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