I left my room after a while.
I had accepted that training would be good for me.
At least, I wouldn’t be idle.
I wore the only thing I had that was similar to a vest and went to the training ground.
The training ground felt different when I arrived.
The warriors were already gathered and had started their drills.
I was not a spectator today but rather I would be fighting inside.
I felt it immediately.
The way conversations quieted, not completely but enough to be noticed.
I felt their eyes on me and I turned.
Not all at once, but gradually.
They were watching her.
Of course they were.
I felt a presence beside me and Carina smiled at me.
“You actually came.
I didn’t think you would” she murmured.
“Yes, I had to.
You were speaking the truth” I replied quietly.
Because if I didn’t, if I hesitated and let myself feel everything pressing down on me…I might run and I refused to run.
At least not today or in front of them.
My gaze lifted and I looked at the field.
The warriors who didn’t care about my existence were already training—sparring, shifting, and moving with that same terrifying grace I had noticed before.
Strength lived here and power thrived here in this field.
I also wanted to move with such strength and stability.
I wanted to stand out just like everyone else.
I may not be a wolf but I’d learn to be strong.
“Try not to react” Carina whispered interrupting my thoughts.
“To what?” Before she could answer, someone approached.
The walking step is confident and dangerous.
I didn’t have to turn to know who it was.
Still…I did.
Elke stopped a few steps away, her arms loosely crossed and eyes already assessing me.
The cold look in her eyes didn’t faze me because I was used to it now.
“So….” Elke said slowly.
“You are the one to be trained” I straightened instinctively.
Of all the warriors he could think of, why did he have to choose Elke?
Didn’t he know how much she hated me?
“Y-yes.
I hope you treat me well” I said with a smile.
She scoffed.
“As if anything good would ever come out of training a human” she muttered but I heard her clearly.
“I’m right here.” Elke’s gaze flicked over to me.
“I can see that and I don’t care” she spat.
The hatred in her voice could not be hidden.
I saw movements with my side eye, and a few warriors nearby shifted closer.
I don’t know if it was to listen to us or not.
“What exactly am I supposed to do with you?” Elke continued, circling me slowly.
The movement made me tense.
“To teach me everything you know” I said, my voice steadier than how I felt.
Elke paused, then laughed out loud.
“Teach you everything I know?” she repeated.
“You can barely stand without looking like you might fall over.” Heat rushed to my face.
“I’m not weak” “No?
Then show me” Elke tilted her head.
I hesitated and that was all it took for her to conclude.
Elke smirked.
“That’s what I thought.” A few chuckles followed.
My jaw tightened and I clenched my hands into fists.
Not again, not this time.
“You said I’m here to train.
So train me” I said.
Elke looked at me, her gaze lingered this time.
As if trying to decide whether I was serious or just being foolish.
“Fine” she said finally.
She stepped back slightly, gesturing to the open space.
“Come here” I swallowed and then moved forward.
My pulse quickened and my senses were on alert.
I had never fought or trained for strength.
All my life, I watched the wolves train but humans were not allowed to.
I finally stopped at where she pointed.
Elke didn’t take a stance, she just stood there.
“That’s it?” I asked.
“That’s more than enough for you.
At least you can obey instructions” I exhaled slowly trying to hold my anger.
“Okay.” “Hit me” Elke said.
Hit her?
Was this part of the training too?
My hand shivered at my side.
I didn’t know how to start.
But standing still wasn’t an option.
So, I moved clumsily.
I lunged forward at her but never made any contact.
Elke stepped aside effortlessly and I stumbled.
My balance is thrown.
Before I could recover— I felt a push on my shoulder.
It was so hard that I found myself on the ground instantly.
The ground knocked the breath from my lungs and pain shot through my side.
Laughter followed.
It was very loud.
I lay there for a second, stunned and humiliated.
My chest burned.
This was Elke’s plan all along.
To humiliate me.
Get up, the voice in my head spoke fast.
Don’t stay down.
I pushed myself up, ignoring the sting in my palms and the pain at my side.
“I wasn’t ready” I said.
Elke raised a brow and her lips quirked.
“You lunged at me” “That’s not the same thing,” Elke smirked.
“Again.” I didn’t hesitate this time.
I moved faster but less hesitantly.
Elke blocked me easily and caught my wrist.
She twisted it and I gasped.
Then, she pushed me harder to the ground again.
The impact rattled my bones.
“That’s pathetic” someone muttered nearby.
“She won’t last a day” “Why is she even here?” I heard it all.
The whispers and the laugh and something inside me twisted.
But I refused to give up.
I pushed myself up again, slower this time.
My body was aching but I was determined to get a hit.
“I said again” Elke watched me.
Amusement flickered in her expression.
“Fine.
Whatever you want” her blogs dropped with sarcasm.
This time, Elke didn’t wait.
She moved first and she was too fast for me to catch up to.
A strike to my side but not enough to send me stumbling.
I tried to steady myself but she hit me again.
My legs gave out and I dropped again.
Pain loomed across my ribs and my vision blurred.
“Is that how you want to learn?
You’re not even trying” Elke said.
“I am” I snapped.
“Then try harder” “I don’t know how!” The words burst out in frustration.
She wasn’t even trying to teach me, she was only showing me how good she is.
“That’s the problem” Elke said coldly.
My chest rose and my hands trembled.
My entire body screamed at me to stop, to quit but I refused to listen.
Because quitting meant proving them right.
I was tired of being exactly what they expected.
I pushed myself up again.
My legs were unsteady and my breathing rough.
“Again” the words were quiet.
This time when Elke moved, I didn’t lunge blindly.
I watched just for a second and when the strike came, I moved.
It was not perfect but it was enough to avoid a full impact.
Murmurs spread through the watching wolves.
Elke’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Better” she said but it sounded forced.
Then, she struck again when I was not watching and I couldn’t dodge it.
The hit landed but I didn’t fall fully.
My palms hit the ground.
My breath came in sharply and pain burned through my muscles.
My ribs, my arms everything hurt but I was not tired.
If Elke was going to be my teacher, I had to prove to her that I wasn’t going to give up easily.
“That’s enough” A commanding voice cut through the tension.
I turned my head slightly and I saw him.
Cassian stepped forward, his gaze sharp as it moved between them.
Elke straightened.
“She’s training” “This is not a way to train” Cassian corrected.
“She asked for it” Cassian’s eyes flicked to me, taking in my state.
I tried to straighten and not slack so he sees nothing is wrong.
He turned back to Elke.
“She’s not a warrior.” “Not yet but that’s what she’s training to be.
Isn’t it?” “No.
She’s training to be Luna” The moment Cassian said that, Elke’s expression changed completely.
“What?” “Which means you don’t get to train her like that?” Elke crossed her arms in annoyance.
“And you think she’ll survive if I go easy on her?” “No” Cassian didn’t hesitate.
“But there’s a difference between training and proving a point.” Their gazes locked.
A quiet challenge passed between them.
I watched the interaction and couldn’t place my hand on what exactly was wrong.
It seemed like they hated each other.
Elke exhaled sharply stepping back.
“Fine.” She gestured toward me.
“Train her then.” Cassian didn’t respond to that.
He stepped closer instead.
Stopping a short distance from me.
“Can you stand?” he asked.
I nodded even though it wasn’t entirely true.
“I’m fine” “You’re not, you shouldn’t have agreed to fight Elke” he said calmly.
“I thought it was part of my training” “Good thing you are still standing” His tone wasn’t mocking and didn’t hold any pity.
It was an acknowledgement and that mattered to me more than anything.
“Again?” I asked.
Cassian studied me.
Then nodded once.
“Again.” When I moved, he didn’t knock me down immediately.
He corrected me and adjusted my stance.
He taught me some positions before he stopped.
“That’s enough for today.
Go and rest” I nodded.
“Thank you.
You’ll be my teacher now?” “If you want” I nodded and smiled.
“I would love that” We heard an annoyed grunt and turned to see Elke walking out angrily from the field.