Chapter Nine

Damon had departed the morning after our passionate night. Now, I faced a whole week without him beside me in bed, his comforting presence sorely missed. I longed for the feeling of his strong arms snuggled around me, his warm body radiating heat, and the delightful scent of mint and cinnamon that clung to him.

Over the past three months, he had been incredible. Never once did he pressure me into a physical relationship. He made it a point for us to share breakfast and dinner together, ensuring our connection went beyond the physical. And last night, he had taken me on our first official date, a memory that made me blush as I recalled the intimate moments we shared at the beach.

I rose from bed and began preparing for my training session, determined to keep my thoughts in check. As I slipped into a black training tank top, I heard three soft knocks on my door. Before I had a chance to respond, Alexandra Talbot, the woman I had initially mistaken for my servant upon my arrival here, entered. She was a witch and served as my protector, especially during Damon's extended absences.

"Would it be too much to wait for my invitation before barging in?" I chided her, giving her a pointed look. Alexandra met my gaze without a hint of emotion.

"It might," was her succinct reply. Alexandra, a tall, pale, strikingly beautiful woman with a slender figure, had long, cascading red curls. She made her way to the bed, placing a tray loaded with toast, eggs, and bacon on my sheets.

"Damon thought it would be best for you to have your meals in the bedroom while he's away," she informed me.

"I suppose he didn't want me to feel alone while he's gone," I remarked, sitting down on the bed and taking a bite of my toast.

"Your training this morning will be quite rigorous, so make sure to finish everything on that plate. I'll be waiting just outside your bedroom, so try not to take too much time. I have other matters to attend to," Alexandra stated before exiting my room and closing the door behind her.

I quickly devoured everything on my plate and then met Alexandra in the hallway outside our bedroom. A young servant girl, showing her respect through a subtle bow, took the tray from my hands and hurried off. Alexandra didn't utter a word but instead turned and walked toward the training grounds, and I followed suit.

"I'll return for you once your training is finished," she informed me before striding away in the opposite direction. During my initial weeks and months here, I had thought she despised me, so much so that I had even confronted her about it once.

Flashback

One morning, as Alexandra roughly brushed my hair, causing me to wince in pain, I couldn't help but grab my hair out of her grasp.

"Could you please brush my hair more gently? Is this how you usually treat those you assist?" I inquired, giving her a pointed look. In response, she abruptly slammed the brush onto the vanity table, spun my chair around, and grasped both chair handles, bending down to bring her face level with mine.

"I serve no one, least of all you," she snarled at me. Her statement left me baffled. She had been entering my room every morning, waking me up, and tending to my breakfast. She had been taking care of my every need, yet she wasn't a servant. She noticed my confusion, as my facial expressions clearly reflected my thoughts and emotions.

"The king requested that I stay close to you for your protection. So I posed as your servant initially, but I'm tired of that façade. I'm a witch, a very powerful one," she admitted, her words tinged with frustration.

"Then what's your issue with me? You hardly know me, and ever since we met, you've been consistently rude," I inquired. She released her grip on the chair handles, took a step back, and rolled her eyes.

"Do you think I have nothing better to do than wake you up every morning, ensure you eat, and escort you to the training grounds?" she retorted.

"Well, perhaps you should communicate that to Damon. I'm sure he can arrange for an actual servant to handle all the tasks you've been doing for me," I suggested.

"You should never refuse the king," she stated, her hand dismissively waving away our conversation.

"Please turn back around so I can finish tying your hair into a ponytail," she requested, taking hold of the brush once more.

Present Time

I remained in the same position Alexandra had left me in. Renin stood a few feet away, his arms folded.

"What's the matter?" I inquired.

"Drop down and give me fifty push-ups. That's how long you've been standing here, fifty seconds," Renin instructed. I mentally scolded myself for drifting into memories and promptly lowered myself onto my hands and feet. I began the push-ups, lowering my body close to the ground but not letting it touch the grass before pushing back up.

"You've just wasted fifty seconds of training," Renin chastised me, pacing back and forth in front of me with his arms crossed. Renin, as usual, remained shirtless; I'd never seen him wear a shirt.

"Focus!" he yelled, snapping me back to the present. Where was my mind today? I redoubled my efforts, pushing my body up and down until I completed all fifty push-ups. My arms burned with effort; push-ups were my least favorite exercise.

"Begin with some arm stretches, and then come over to me," Renin instructed firmly. I complied, starting with my left arm. I raised it toward the sky, then lowered it behind my back, keeping my elbow pointed upward and resting my hand on my back. Next, I raised my right arm and brought my hand toward my left elbow. I held my left elbow lightly, stretching it for about twenty seconds before switching to my right arm. After finishing those stretches, I brought my left arm across my chest, grasping it with my right arm and applying a gentle pressure. I held this stretch for twenty seconds before repeating it with my right arm.

Once I had completed all my arm stretches, I made my way over to where Renin stood. On the table before him lay an assortment of weapons, including swords, crossbows, gloves, and a punching pad. Sensing my presence behind him, Renin turned and handed me a pair of black boxing gloves.

"Put those on," he directed, sliding a punching pad onto each of his hands. He turned to face me. I swiftly pulled the gloves over my hands.

"Alright, now give me your strongest punch. Don't hold back," Renin instructed, assuming a fighting stance with both feet firmly planted. Rolling my shoulders back, I drew my right arm back and then threw a punch at the punching pad on Renin's left hand. An unseen force pushed Renin back slightly, causing his feet to slide a few inches. He quickly regained his footing and returned to his original position.

"Once more, and this time, no holding back, or I'll make you run ten laps," he warned sternly. I repeated the same motion as before but unleashed all my strength into the punch. As my fist struck Renin's punching pad for the second time, a powerful gust of wind surrounded us. Trees swayed vigorously, and Renin was propelled off his feet, soaring through the air until he crashed onto the table laden with weapons. He groaned, then struggled to stand upright. I hurried over to him, my voice filled with panic.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," I exclaimed.

"Don't apologize. I specifically told you not to hold back. I needed to assess your true strength now that your powers have surfaced," Renin explained, stretching his back by swaying his body from side to side.

"Let's go again," he declared. My jaw dropped in astonishment.

"I just sent you flying, and you want me to do it again?"

"Yes, how else are you going to learn to harness your power? Besides, I have a feeling there's more to your abilities than just launching people into the air with a punch," Renin stated firmly, grounding his feet into the earth.

***

An hour later, my face was drenched in sweat as I sent Renin into the air once more. This time, he landed on the grass on the opposite side of our training area, landing on his back in front of a group of werewolves who had returned from a hunting expedition in the woods.

They all gazed back at me with astonishment in their eyes. Renin dusted himself off and jogged back to where I stood.

"This is proving to be more challenging than I anticipated," he admitted. Over the past hour, we had been assessing my strength, exploring its limitations and reach. After concluding his analysis, Renin had attempted to teach me control, but I had yet to master it.

"You've trained for hours, and I've had my fill of being launched into the air. Let's call it a day. I'll see you back here tomorrow morning to resume where we left off," Renin suggested.

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Hastily, I grabbed my jacket and rushed back to our shared bedroom with Damon, eager for a refreshing shower. As I scrubbed away the day's sweat under the soothing stream of water, my friend Katarina reached out to me through our mental connection, inviting me for a shopping excursion at the city mall. Without hesitation, I accepted her invitation. I had been confined within the castle's walls for far too long and was craving some time outside.