I clenched my fists and fought to keep my breathing steady. My wolf snarled inside me, ready to pounce at any moment. Liam was trying to provoke me, and it was getting harder and harder to ignore him.
“Shut up!” The quaking began again, and this time it was stronger as I fought to control my emotions.
“Ah, there it is,” Liam said, his smirk widening. “That famous temper. Ty told me you were a bit of a hothead, but I didn’t think it would be so easy to get under your skin.”
“Ty said what?” I blazed with anger, and I took a step toward Liam, my wolf urging me forward. The ground shook even more violently, and I briefly wondered if it was possible for it to become a full-blown earthquake.
“Easy now.” Liam held up his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t want to lose control, do we?”
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to take a step back, trying to remember the techniques I’d learned in anger management classes years ago. Breathe in, count to ten, breathe out. Focus on something calming, like the way the sunlight filtered through the trees, forming dappled patterns on the ground.
“Is this what it takes to protect your family?” Liam snapped. “You’re going to have to do a lot better than that if you want to stand a chance against your enemies.”
“Stop it,” I snarled, my control slipping away once more. Then in the midst of my anger, I remembered something else from those classes: that I had the power to choose how I reacted to situations. I could allow Liam’s words to affect me, or I could make the choice that they didn’t matter.
I closed myself off, blocking out Liam’s taunts, and I imagined myself standing beside Ty, surrounded by our loved ones—the very people I was fighting to protect. A peaceful stillness settled within me, and my wolf settled down, appeased for the moment.
When I turned, Liam looked surprised. “Well, well,” he said grudgingly. “Maybe there’s hope for you yet.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” I glared at him. Despite my annoyance, a small spark of pride flickered within me. I’d regained control over my emotions. It was a minor victory, but itwas a start. With Liam’s relentless training, I hoped I would only grow stronger.
It had been a long day. The cold of the morning had given way to the warmer afternoon sun as I stood on the uneven ground and faced Liam, my heart pounding. Sweat tracked down my back, making my clothes stick to my skin. Despite how much he’d already pushed me today, we were far from done.
Liam cracked his knuckles and gave me a sly grin. “Let’s find out if you’ve been paying attention.” He shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, ready to spring into action at any moment.
“Bring it on,” I said under my breath, steeling myself for whatever he had planned next. My muscles tensed, coiling like a spring, and I focused all my attention on him.
“Picture this.” Liam’s manner was smooth and mocking. “Someone has your precious family cornered. Poor Rory and Scott, they’re terrified and helpless, completely at the mercy of their captor.”
Anger flared within me, and my wolf snarled in response. I clenched my fists as I tried to keep control.
“Imagine Ty, beaten and bloody.” Liam’s face twisted into a cruel, sinister smile of satisfaction. “What would you do?”
“Stop it!” I shouted, rage boiling over. There was a brief movement of the ground beneath our feet, but I reined it in before it could escalate.
“Good.” Liam nodded approvingly. “You managed to control it this time. You need to be prepared for situations like these. Your enemies will use anything they can against you, especially your loved ones.”
Swallowing hard, I nodded. “I just can’t bear the thought of something happening to them.”
“Which is exactly why you need to learn control.” Liam was more serious now. “I know I am repeating myself, but if you can’tkeep your emotions in check? You’ll be more of a danger to them than anyone else.”
My wolf’s agitation and anger still simmered beneath the surface. She didn’t like what he was saying.
Listen, I spoke silently, reaching out to her through our connection.We have to stay in control. Losing ourselves to emotions will only put our loved ones in danger.
My wolf hesitated, her growls echoing through my mind. Gradually, she understood what I was saying, and like flipping a switch, she calmed right down.
“Good job.” Liam’s lips lifted into a small smile. “That right there… that’s what I want. You have powerful instincts, but you can’t let them overwhelm you.”
“Thank you,” I said, still catching my breath from the emotional rollercoaster Liam had just put me through.
“Let’s call it a day,” he said. “You’ve made progress, but remember, this is just the beginning.”
“Right.” As I nodded, a mix of relief and resolve had me straightening my spine.
“Good. Go clean up and get some rest,” Liam said. “We’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I watched him walk away before heading inside to find Ty.
