Bound to the Bar. Crowned as the Moon Dance Queen Chapter 07

Bound to the Bar. Crowned as the Moon Dance Queen Chapter 07

“Maren! Congratulations! You’ve improved so much these past few months-you’ve earned this spot.

“And there’s this raw, hungry edge to you that none of the other students have.”

I didn’t remember how I got off the stage through all the applause.

All I knew was that after that, I trained day and night like crazy.

The routine I chose was Breakthrough-a brutally challenging dance that required me to lay the contra between confinement and freedom completely bare.

Mrs. Odette told me, “You need to weave your own story into this.

“The ache of being trapped, the release after you break free-you have to show all of that through your

body.

“Remember-dance is a language. You speak with your body.”

I got it.

This wasn’t just dance-it was me, right now.

I’d once been trapped by the rigid rules of gymnastics, trapped by a so-called relationship I never asked fo

Now it was my time to break out of the cocoon and become the butterfly.

On the night of the recital, I spotted a familiar face in the crowd that I didn’t expect to see.

Rhys was there.

A few guys from the old gymnastics team were with him.

I took a deep breath and didn’t let them throw me off my game.

The music started.

I became that butterfly trapped in its cocoon, fighting for my life on that stage.

Every twist, every thrash was a goodbye to the old me.

When I finally “broke through” and spread my “wings”, the whole theater went dead quiet.

Then the place erupted into thunderous applause.

“Oh my god, that was like the Moon Goddess herself descended! When she spread her wings I swear I felt divine light!”

“It looks like she was reborn right there, that was insane!”

“Right? And she started from zero. I’m calling it-she’s tny goddess now!”

When I stood up to bow, saw Rhys’ eyes glistening red.

And sitting right next to him? It was Delia.

Wasn’t she expelled? Why was she here?

After the show, Rhys waited for me backstage.

“Maren…” His voice cracked. “You danced so beautifully. I swear, I never knew you could be this incredibl

I glanced at him flatly. “Thanks.”

“I… I need to talk to you,” Rhys said.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

I turned to leave, and he reached for me again out of panic.

This time I dodged, not letting him touch my wrist.

The scar there had faded, but the memory never would.

“Maren, just listen to me,” he pleaded urgently. “I’ve regretted what happened that night every single day.

“I already told Delia straight, it’s over between us. It was never going to work.

“See? I brought her here today so I could say it to your face, clear as day.”

Delia tugged at his sleeve next to him, all teary and wronged. “Rhys…”

He wrenched his arm away from her. “Don’t touch me! I told you a hundred times, we’re done!”

Watching them go at it, I suddenly found the whole thing ridiculous.

“Rhys,” I said. “You still don’t get it, do you?

“This isn’t about Delia. It’s about you.

“It’s your dismissiveness, your indifference, your casual ‘whatever’ attitude. You treated my wolf and out mate bond like it was some toy to play with.

“No matter who else was in the picture, as long as you stayed you, the ending would’ve been exactly the

same.”

“What makes you think you can talk like that?” Delia snapped, finally snapping “You learned a tew dance

moves and suddenly you’re a swan, huh?

“Don’t you forget, you’re still just the girl who got strung up on that high bar-

Smack!

I slapped her right across the face.

“You… you actually hit me?” Delia clutched her cheek, staring at me like she couldn’t believe it.

“Exactly what you deserved,” I said coldly. “This is payback for the humiliation you put me through that

night.

“If you ever so much as mention that night in front of me again, I’ll take this to the pack court and file formal charges for bullying.

“I have all the photos and videos saved as evidence.

“From now on, we’re square. No more debt between us.”

Rhy’s finally snapped out of his shock. “Maren! How could you hit her?”

“And you.” I turned and slapped Rhys too, hard.

“Rhys, do you know what I was thinking that night?

“I was thinking-if I could go back in time, I would never have met you.”

I laughed a cold, sharp laugh, pushed past them, and walked out.

Delia’s sobs and Rhys’ shouts echoed behind me, but I didn’t look back.

In that moment, I felt lighter than I ever had in my entire life.

I was finally free from that heavy, rotten past I’d been carrying

From this second on, the name Maren belonged only to me.

In my sophomore year, my dance career finally took off.

Claire Bennett, the world-famous Moon Dance master, came to our campus for a workshop and caught my performance by chance.

dancers don’t have.”

Claire patted my shoulder.

“Kid, would you like to my student and train with me?”