CHALLENGE

Diana p.o.v

That howling was the most satisfying thing I had done over the past week. I felt like all the burden on my shoulders lifted, and my first gaze after the howling was the beautiful full moon. Just like the silent top of the hill, I felt like my mind was at peace as if the Moon Goddess herself was gazing down upon me.

I exhale gently before turning around to see if Noah was around. He indeed was, gazing up towards me in a form of his wolf. The wind blew through his red, fiery fur and he looked as beautiful as depicted in the book about the Sinclair bloodline.

Carefully, I took my steps toward him while he stood awaits. Seeing him in our wolf form was more irresistible. I needed to be by his side, grazing my fur against his.

Once I reached his side, I gingerly poked my nose underneath his jaw first, before I threw myself onto his strong and broad wolf muscles, nestling between his neck and jaw. I sensed his comforting growl when he replied with the same gesture. At this moment, I felt like my heart and soul swaying with most adoration with another in total bliss.

After a moment of cuddling, I left his side signaling him I would like to do something else. He just gazed at me expectantly, telling me I could lead the way. Afterward, I began to run across the field while he followed closely behind.

I missed this magical feeling in a wolf form; where the strength we had lost going through the week just resurge back within us with just breathing of fresh air. The running made me feel ecstatic and if I did not know better, I would like to stay in this form forever.

After playing around together with Noah, I thought it was time to go back. It was a public space we were not supposed to use and would be embarrassing if we got caught. I signaled Noah that we should return and went back to the forest where my clothes were.

I reverted to my human form and quickly wear my clothes back. My hair was put into a messy ponytail before I went to find Noah. It took me a while until I saw Noah coming out from behind a huge tree, halfway putting on his shirt. I pursed my lips at the sight, hiding the blush that was creeping onto my cheeks.

When he saw me, a huge smile spread on his lips. It made me smile as well seeing him that happy.

He approached me, and his arm naturally wrapped around my waist before planting a peck on my forehead. Strangely, I felt as natural as well.

"That was incredible, sweetheart." His voice sounded whisper next to my ear. All I could do was gaze up toward him, not knowing how to express my happiness as he did.

On our way back to the hospital, he kept holding my hand and carefully guiding me out of the forest. He continued to glance over my steps and I admired his concern over me.

"Everything will be alright, right ?" I asked him, walking side by side next to the hospital building. He nodded, squeezing our hand that was intertwined with each other.

We reached the room and opened the door from the outside, and were greeted with an unexpected view.

Ethan was on top of Amelia on the bed, and they both were in the heat of kisses. Both of them turned to look at us when we walked in. While Ethan scrambled himself off of the bed, fixing his shirt, I turned to look at Noah what I had just witnessed was embarrassing. Though what I saw on Noah's face was amusement rather than embarrassment.

"Not in the hospital, you two !" He raised his voice playfully, and I pinched his arm for being so casual about it. He yelped a pain and looked down at me, rubbing the spot.

"H-Hey, welcome back !" Amelia welcomed us, her face was flushed red. I slowly walked through the room to the other side of the bed to be by Amelia's side. Ignoring the awkwardness, I went to grab her hand and squeezed it.

"You're going to be alright ?" I asked her, and she gave me a gentle smile, replying to the squeezes.

"Thank you so much, Diana. I don't know how to repay you." She was looking up at me, then I saw her eyes moving down a little towards my shoulder and her face changed immediately.

"How did you bring me to the hospital ?" She suddenly asked, and I looked at the shoulder where the blood was. It was covered underneath my hair earlier but now I put my hair out, and it became visible. I did not remember it was there until Amelia mentioned it.

"I carried you here." I told her simply, and I saw her face change as her eyes glistened with tears, looking up at me in amazement.

"You're truly my hero !" she suddenly lunged me into a hug, and I was surprised. I had never received this kind of attention, so it was a bit awkward to pat her on the back. When I looked over at Noah, he was smiling at me proudly.

We bid them goodbyes before we left the hospital and returned back to school. Ethan will be with Amelia so it will be alright.

Walking down the sidewalk, our hands tied together. The road was quite empty since it was overnight. The atmosphere made the journey back to the school even more memorable; just him and me.

He sent me back first to the girl's dormitory. We exchanged smiles while our eyes were still attached, feeling reluctant to let go. I still want to be by him and in his warmth, but we have school tomorrow. It was especially important since we were going to start drafting for the main event of the Swords Championship.

"Are you not letting go ?" He suddenly asked, and I looked down at our hands. I shook my head.

"Who's the baby now ?"

He said with his smile, pulling me closer to him before he held one of my cheeks and left a chaste kiss on my lips. The action sent butterflies to my stomach. Even just for a moment, and I was already addicted to the warmth of his lips against mine, so I tiptoed to kiss him longer.

It seemed he was surprised since he did not reply instantly, but I felt his hands become firm around my cheeks as he began to move his lips. My hands held onto his shirt as I tried to maintain the distance between our lips.

It was such an innocent kiss with no tongue involved. The way he kissed me as if I was a fragile item he needed to tend carefully. It was the cherry on top after such a wonderful night with him.

-

I am in my sports attire when I arrived at the field. Other students that are qualified were already there, chatting with their friends. As usual, I would be the only one standing alone while waiting for Noah. I was fine nonetheless, but the stares coming from some students irked me.

"So she's the one who abuses her chance."

"She clearly did it because she was feeling inferior to Ariana. She's from an unknown family after all." The girl started to laugh.

"Look at her, standing alone. Deserved." My eyes immediately caught the one that said it, and oh how the fear in their eyes feeds to my satisfaction. Perhaps she never thought I would dare to look her in the eye. She said it loud enough for me to hear it, I thought she was asking for it.

"Hey..." An unfamiliar voice greeted me, and I turned around to see a girl, a brunette with black pair of eyes. She was tall and looked athletic. Once she noticed she caught my attention, a confident smile formed on her lips.

"Diana Danielle, right ? I'm Penelope Eilhart." She offered her hand, and I was skeptical about whether to accept her hand or not. The people around me seemed not too fond of me after the spar with the Hayes.

"I've heard of what they said about you, and I know that Ariana is behind it all." She clarified in a whisper her reason for befriending me, and I see no reason to reject her handshake. I replied with her smile and took it.

"A lot of people adore her for being the future princess, and I know her since she was in diapers. If you ask me how I feel; may the Moon Goddess save us all in the future." She joked, and I just listened to it with an amused smile. She had a fun personality. The freckles on her spread like glitters under the morning sun.

"Hey, Penny." My ears perked up at that familiar deep voice and we both turned around to see Noah walking toward us. My smile spread hugely at the sight of him, and it did the same to him once our eyes met.

"Hey Noah, it's been a while." Penelope said with such a reminiscing tone. It seemed it had been a while for these two as they made the shoulder bump as guys would.

"Didn't see you during the qualification day." Noah remarked, and she grinned sheepishly.

"Something came up at home, you know my family. I had to beg Ms. Sutton to enter this preliminary exam for the championship. So now I have a side chore to take her trash out every morning on my way to school for a month."

Noah's smiles looked bigger and happier while talking to Penelope, in a good way. Compare to him being with Ethan and the others, it seemed he had missed his old friend as well. I wonder why they were separated.

"Why are you with Diana ?" Noah asked her, and she looked down at me.

"Ariana has something against her, making her look bad to her friends. Rumors spread, and now she's on the bad side in people's conversations. As always, I always take the side of the victims." Penelope explained as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a side hug. The action took me by surprise, but I smiled nonetheless even though it came out awkwardly.

Noah quickly pulled me from Penelope, carefully not to make it too obvious so she won't offend. He knew I was not fond of such energized personality.

"Thank you, Penny." His thanks distracted Penelope from what happened, looking at us back and forth.

"You guys are a thing ?" She asked, shamelessly pointing at us with her finger.

"She's my mate." Noah said, moving his hand on my back while introducing me. I smiled shyly at Penelope, my stomach filled with fireworks when his hand ghosted behind me.

"Ah... Ahhh I see why now." Penelope laughed at her own thoughts, "Ariana doesn't like you now, I get it." She said, referring to Noah. He just smiled at the fact, not feeling offended by it.

"But there's no reason for her to attack Diana. I'm sensing there's something happening between you two I don't know." I pursed my lips as I looked up at Noah, avoiding her suspicious eyes.

Talk of the devil, Ariana was walking toward us with a girl I did not know and Eden Gardner. Seeing Ariana made my heart boil, but I calmed myself thinking it did not matter.

"Well, well. Look who shamelessly walked by after almost being thrown out of the class. You should thank me for it." Her arrogant voice bleeds my ears, but what she said confused me. She laughed.

"If it wasn't for me, Mr. Brown would've made sure you won't make it in this school. I'm nice, I know." Her personality was grating on my sanity.

"I would love to be anywhere but here, Ariana. But duty calls." I stared into her brown eyes while I replied with a touch of sarcasm. Her nose picked up as she was amused by my courage, looking down at me like I am below her.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. I was simply being nice to you before." Her demeanor changed, but it amused me more seeing this side of her. A smile formed on my lips.

"Oh ho ? Entertain me then."

We continued to stare into each other, and I am more excited to receive a challenge she owes me.