I glanced over at him, watching his wolf moving gracefully and effortlessly through the undergrowth, and felt an upsurge of gratitude. He had been honest with me about his regrets and fears, and in doing so, he had shown me that even the strongest leaders have their weaknesses. It was a lesson I would carry with me in the coming war.
As we returned to the house, we slowed to a trot, panting, and exhilarated from the run. My muscles thrummed with energy, and my mind was clearer than it had been in days. We paused for a moment, catching our breath before shifting back into our human forms, with the cool air now biting against our bare skin.
“Thank you, Dad.” I was raw with emotion. “For everything.”
Dominic looked over at me, filled with pride and love, and placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re my son, Ty. I’ll always be there for you, no matter what.”
117
LIZA
Apeculiar heaviness weighed down my steps as I approached Liam. When I finally reached him, I discovered he was not alone. A man stood beside my brother, who was as tall as he was wide—that is to say he was massive. He had to be at least six foot six, with broad shoulders that stretched the fabric of his shirt. His eyes were cold and calculating as he sized me up like a predator would its prey.
“Who’s this?” I asked, trying to sound calm as I gestured at the stranger. My pulse quickened, and an uneasy sensation settled in the pit of my stomach. This was not part of our usual training routine.
“Meet your sparring partner for today,” Liam said, inclining his head at the hulking man.
“Are you serious?” I raised an eyebrow at my brother, trying to gauge whether he was joking. There was no way this guy was supposed to be my sparring partner. He looked like he could crush me with one hand. “Does Ty know about this?”
Liam’s smirk told me all I needed to know—Ty had absolutely no idea about any of it. I’d learned enough about my older brother to understand that if there was even the slightest chancethat Ty would get in the way of his training methods, he just wouldn’t tell him. Better to ask forgiveness and all that shit. If Ty knew anything about this, it wouldn’t be happening. But Liam seemed to relish pushing boundaries and testing limits, especially when it came to me.
I squared off against the mountain if a man, his muscular frame towering over me like an imposing shadow. I felt a fleeting flicker of unease as I stared up at him, but I quickly pushed it aside. I’d faced greater challenges before. I could handle this.
“Ready, little girl?” The gravelly timbre of the stranger’s voice turned my blood to ice.
Swallowing hard, I bobbed my head in confirmation. “Whenever you are.” I tried to inject some confidence into my tone, though it wasn’t entirely convincing, but it would have to do.
Without warning, the man lunged, his movements swift, powerful, and surprisingly graceful for his size. Caught off-guard, I barely managed to dodge out of the way, the air rushing past me as his fist connected with nothing but empty space. My heart hammered as it hit me that he wasn’t holding anything back. He was coming at me like he really wanted to hurt me.
“Keep moving,” Liam called from the sidelines, offering no assistance beyond his verbal encouragement.
I gritted my teeth. I didn’t need a goddamn cheerleader. I needed my brother to step in and put a stop to this madness.
But Liam remained steadfast, observing the fight with an intensity that told me he wasn’t going to interfere. I had to find a way to stand my ground, to prove to him, and myself, that I was trained to handle whatever was thrown at me, including this giant of a man who wanted to hurt me.
“Think, Liza, think,” I said under my breath as I dodged another blow, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. My opponent was relentless, his attacks growing moreaggressive with each passing second. I had to find a weakness—something to exploit and turn the tide in my favor.
As I ducked and weaved, I tried to remember everything Liam had taught me: how to read an opponent’s body language, how to predict their next move, how to counterattack with precision and force. It wasn’t easy, especially with adrenaline thrumming through my veins, and fear gnawing at the edges of my focus. But if I wanted to survive this, I had to dig deep and call upon every ounce of strength and skill I possessed.
My muscles ached, and my breath came in ragged gasps, but I couldn’t afford to falter now. Sweat dripped down my forehead, the saltiness stinging my eyes, and the scent of nature mixed with blood permeated my senses.
“During a battle, there won’t always be protection for you,” Liam said from the sidelines. He was barely audible over the sounds of our grueling fight. “Worst-case scenario, we are all fighting off someone else, leaving you unprotected. What will you do to stay alive?”
I gritted my teeth as adrenaline surged through my veins, and I dodged another blow. Every inch of the man radiated menace. The heat of his anger felt like the embers of a dying fire threatening to roar back to life at any moment.
My heart pounded as Liam’s words sunk in. Therewouldbe times when I’d have to face danger alone without the protection of my family. The thought terrified me, but it also fueled my need to master my abilities.
“Focus!” Liam’s presence was reassuring, even if he was encouraging the mountain man to maim me. “Remember what I’ve taught you.”
I centered myself, calling upon the magic within me, and recalling the countless hours Liam and I had spent training. He had shown me how to channel my power, how to cause earthquakes and paralyze others with just a flick of my wrist. Ithadn’t been easy, but I had come a long way since those first shaky attempts.
Drawing upon those lessons, I expertly evaded the man’s attacks, then waited for the perfect moment to strike. When it came, I didn’t hesitate.
“Gotcha,” I cried, thrusting my hand forward and directing my magic at the man. He froze mid-lunge, and I pumped my fist into the air. “I did it!”.
“Good,” Liam praised. “Now, finish it.”
A strange, frenzied sensation coursed through me. It was like a bloodlust had taken hold of my very being, and I reveled in it. The man beneath me looked terrified, his eyes darting around frantically. His pulse pounded against the tip of my finger, my claw a hair’s breadth away. Just one swift slice and I’d end him. The thought was intoxicating, and for a moment, I forgot that this was only a sparring match.
