Chapter 157: A Wolf’s Training
Chapter 157: A Wolf’s Training
(Celeste’s POV)
Alexander stood before me in the pack house’s private training grounds, his expression as
unreadable as ever. He extended the silver dagger toward me, the intricate carvings on its hilt
gleaming under the dimming afternoon light.
I didn’t reach for it. My silver–scarred wolf stirred uneasily within me, her emotions conflicted.
“You’ll need protection,” Alexander said quietly, his deep voice barely masking his concern. The rogue wolves are brutal.”
I stared at the weapon, its blade reflecting fragments of sunlight. It was the same
moon–blessed dagger I had admired long ago during my time as the beloved Winters
daughter. Back then, I begged him to give it to me. He had refused, claiming it was too
dangerous.
And now, he offered it to me freely. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
”
“No.” My voice cut through the tension like ice. I turned away from the dagger, as well as the
memories it evoked. “It’s too obvious. They’ll search me thoroughly. A weapon like that will
only provoke them.”
Alexander’s white wolf let out a soft, low whine. His grip on the dagger tightened for a moment
before he reluctantly withdrew it.
“What will you use then?” he asked. His gaze followed as I pulled something small from my
pocket.
A delicate silver–tipped hairpin rested in my palm.
“This,” I said simply, turning it over in my fingers. “It’s less conspicuous but just as lethal if the
need arises.”
Recognition flickered in his ice–blue eyes. He remembered the hairpin. I had worn it before,
during one of the many Winter Pack ceremonies when we were younger. His white wolf stilled,
as if caught between nostalgia and indignation.
“It’s practical.” I answered his unspoken doubts. “And it won’t immediately mark me as a threat.”
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Alexander’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. His wolf’s disappointment was almost tangible, but I forced myself to look away. There wasn’t time for sentimentality.
“Let’s begin,” he said at last, stepping toward the open area of the training grounds. His voice had shifted into a tone of calm authority, the tone of a warrior.
I squared my shoulders and followed.
The lingering effects of the wolfsbane poisoning made each step heavier than I wanted to admit. My silver–scarred wolf still felt sluggish, her normally sharp reflexes duller than they
should be.
Still, I refused to show weakness.
Alexander had already positioned himself in a combat–ready stance. His movements were
deliberate, calculated. He gestured for me to stand opposite him.
“The first rule when facing multiple opponents,” he began, his eyes locking onto mine, “is to
never let them surround you.”
He demonstrated a series of quick, precise steps, moving fluidly in a near–perfect circle to
avoid imaginary attackers. Despite the tense atmosphere, I couldn’t help but appreciate the
sheer skill in his every motion.
“Your size is an advantage,” he continued as his movements slowed to a halt. “You’re smaller
and faster than most wolves. That can work in your favor.”
I nodded, already mirroring the steps he had shown me. My legs protested, but I pushed
through the discomfort. My weakened state wasn’t going to hold me back.
“You’re too tense.” Alexander’s comment jolted me from my focus. He stepped close, adjusting
my stance slightly with firm but careful hands. “Relax. Let your wolf guide you.”
I inhaled sharply, the proximity setting my wolf on edge. But his advice was sound.
I nodded again, this time more focused.
We repeated the sequence several times. Alexander didn’t hold back in his corrections,
occasionally stepping forward to demonstrate where I faltered.
“The rogue wolves won’t wait for you to gain confidence,” he warned. “Strike fast and don’t
hesitate.”
I shot him a sharp glare. “I know.”
But
my
wolf betrayed me. During one of the more complex sequences, I stumbled. My balance
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Chapter 157: A Wolf’s Training
wavered dangerously until Alexander caught me.
His hands gripped my arms firmly, steadying me before I could fall completely.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause.
The heat of his hands against my skin made my wolf stir uncomfortably. His white wolf, on
the other hand, surged forward with protective instincts.
Our eyes met, and I froze. There was an unbearable intensity in his gaze that set my heart.
racing against my will.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
I broke the connection first, shoving him away hard enough to make him take a step back.
“Don’t,” I snapped, my voice cold as steel. My wolf retreated defensively, her silver–scarred
form coiling inward like a wounded serpent.
Alexander didn’t respond. He adjusted his stance and looked away, his jaw tightening in
restraint.
“Again,” I demanded.
But before we could continue, familiar scents reached us.
Victoria and Scarlett approached, their presence immediately adding tension to the already
stifling atmosphere.
“Celeste!” Victoria’s voice was filled with worry as she hurried toward me, her wolf radiating
maternal distress. “You shouldn’t be training in your condition!”
I wiped the sweat from my brow and turned to face her. “I’m fine.”
Her concern seemed genuine. Perhaps it was. But I wasn’t in the mood to decipher her
motives.
“She has to be prepared,” Alexander interjected, his tone firm. “The rogue wolves won’t show
mercy, not for her injuries.”
Victoria’s wolf whimpered audibly.
“I know, but…” Her voice wavered as she looked at me, then at Alexander. Guilt flickered briefly
across her face.
Scarlett stepped closer too, her emerald eyes already brimming with perfectly timed tears.
“Don’t worry, Mother,” Scarlett said soothingly, placing a hand on Victoria’s shoulder. ”
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Alexander knows what he’s doing. Celeste couldn’t ask for better preparation.”
The words felt practiced, like lines from a script designed to win approval.
I ignored her completely, turning back to Alexander. “Let’s continue.”
He hesitated for a second but nodded, quickly demonstrating the next sequence.
For the next few minutes, I focused entirely on the training. Scarlett and Victoria faded into the background as I channeled every ounce of strength I had left into mastering the movements.
But my body betrayed me again.
During a particularly complicated turn, my weakened legs buckled. Alexander’s arms caught
me instantly, his white wolf reacting faster than I could counteract.
The sensation of being surrounded by his strength, both physical and otherwise, hit me like a
blow. My wolf froze inside me, caught off guard by the familiarity of the moment.
I wrenched away before the connection could deepen.
“Stop.” The word came out harsher than I intended, but I didn’t care. “That’s enough for now.”
Victoria rushed forward, clearly relieved. “Yes, you need rest. You’re still recovering from…”
Her voice trailed off, but we both knew what she meant.
I seized the excuse, gathering my composure quickly. “You’re right. I need to be at my best for
tonight.”
As I made my way toward Victoria, I caught Scarlett watching us. Her emerald eyes glistened
not just with tears, but with jealousy and something else. Calculation.
Back in my quarters, Nina’s gentle hands eased the tension in my shoulders. The familiar
comfort of her presence was like balm to my frayed nerves.
“You’re too tense, she remarked softly, her voice filled with concern. “More than usual. What’s going on?“.
–
I said nothing. Explaining tonight’s exchange felt like admitting defeat.
Scarlett’s voice broke the silence.
“She’s going to meet the rogue wolves tonight,” Scarlett offered casually from the doorway. “To
exchange herself for Marcus.”
I turned slowly, fixing her with the full weight of my icy glare.
Nina froze, her silver–gray wolf practically roaring with protective fury.
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“What rogue wolves?” she demanded. “What does Marcus have to do with this? And why
would you risk yourself for that monster after everything he’s done?”
Her words sliced through the room, demanding answers I couldn’t give.
Before I could respond, Scarlett spoke once more. “The family is waiting for her now.”
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