Found by the Lycan King by Natalie Winter

Chapter 104 The next day started for me early in the morning. My internal clock seemed to have been waiting for the first rays of the sun to show up. Having found Thunder, I felt a renewed confidence in myself. And training myself well to not let her down as well as myself was the next step to calling myself a true werewolf. So I hurriedly pushed the sheets aside and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower. The warm water rejuvenated my senses, but as soon as I picked the shower gel, I sneezed. “I forgot about that,” I mumbled to myself and grabbed the soap bar with the least scent. Thunder did not throw a remark at me about it. Maybe she wanted to rest some more. It was odd, yet satisfying, to hear her voice in my head. Her presence was comforting and somehow I felt myself restlessly alive. Guess, that is what all the hype about finding a wolf was. Smiling happily to myself, I stepped out of my room while wrapping a towel around my body and went towards the wardrobe. Pulling out track pants, a sports bra, and a tee, I put it on, pulled my hair in a ponytail, and put on the shoes before heading out towards the mansion grounds. The air was slightly chilly so I was glad that I had the tee to protect my skin. The first light of dawn kissed the grounds, painting the world in hues of soft pink and gold. The world seemed to awaken with me, and a profound connection to the natural beauty surrounding the Lycan mansion filled me. The training grounds, usually tranquil in the early hours, now held the promise of action and growth. My eyes sparkled with curiosity as I looked at a rose blooming on one of the plants. Even from this distance, I could count the exact number of petals, and see the soft and varying shades of red and pink along with the fine dust of pollens in the center. Rose. That word brought forth a memory that I chuckled at and prepared to exercise: I hoped Elijah would show up soon because I was dying to train with him. And it was too early to text him, so I decided to do some stretching and maybe he would show up by the time I was done. And as if on cue, after ten minutes, I saw him walk outside the main door carrying a water bottle and a towel in his hand. "Good morning, Miss Early Bird" I smiled back at him. “Morning Mister Gamma” He put the bottle and towel on the side and walked up to me. “Mister Gamma? Ooh, I like it.” I cracked my knuckles as he asked, "Ready to make today count?” I grinned, feeling the warmth of his positive energy. “Absolutely. Let's get started.” “So, what do you want to do?” He asked, and I grinned, “I want to learn how to fight.”

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. 8 Elijah cocked an eyebrow but did not object to it. I worried he would say I was rushing things, and that I had to get used to shifting first, but he simply nodded his head. "Great. Try attacking me then” Under the canvas of the morning sky, our dynamic training session began. Elijah, with his years of experience, transformed into a patient mentor, guiding me through the intricacies of combat. Earlier, I had only focused on training and improving my stamina, but it would be of no use if I did not know how to throw a punch or defend myself. Pack wars and fights were second nature to werewolves, and I was done being the weak wolfless girl. Now, I wanted to become a warrior, a useful soldier in the pack. And Elijah was more than happy to help me achieve that goal. He offered tips and tricks, correcting my posture and demonstrating techniques to conserve stamina "Zenovia,"” he called, gently stopping me mid-swing, “you're leaning too far forward. It exposes your flank. Keep your weight centered, like this.” Elijah demonstrated the adjustment, his movements precise and fluid. “Feel the balance. Now, try it,” he encouraged. I mimicked the correction, but a wave of self-consciousness washed over me. “Am I doing it right?” I asked, a hint of uncertainty in my voice. Elijah’s warm gaze met mine. “You're getting there, Zenovia. It's a process. Keep practicing, and it'll become second nature.” As we continued, Elijah guided me through refining my footwork. “Your steps are too wide; it leaves you off-balance. Try a shorter stride and pivot your back foot like this. It'll give you better control and agility.” With each new correction, I couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. Elijah’s patience, however, was unwavering. He would demonstrate the movement, his gestures graceful, and then guide me through the steps. "Watch my footwork,” he said, executing a series of precise steps. “See how I shift my weight? It's all about maintaining balance and control.” I mirrored his movements, trying to capture the finesse he effortlessly displayed. Elijah’s watchful eyes caught any nuance that needed adjustment. “Good, Zenovia. You're catching on quickly. It's like a dance, each step intentional and purposeful.” As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting a warm glow on my sweating body, I found comfort in Elijah’s guidance. Minutes turned into hours, and I was panting and sweating as Elijah taught me some cool moves. It was hard and my breathing would get labored occasionally but he would offer me short breaks, inquire if I was really not feeling down, and start again. I was learning, but I was still not fast. I had to be quick enough to attack him and so far, the only time 1 got to hit him in any way was when he let me. “Relax, it is still your first day. You don't have to rush” Elijah ruffled my hair and offered me a towel after I could not take it anymore and my knees buckled under my weight. He was quick to break my fall and steady me. “It has been hours since we started. Now go, get some rest,” Elijah advised, and I let him guide me to one of the benches to sit. I took a sip from the battle as he tightened the laces of his shoes. “Are you not done yet?” I asked. He had been teaching me for hours as well. He should be feeling just a little tired, if not completely exhausted, like me. "Oh. Nope, not yet” He smiled while wiping his head with the towel. When you first learned to train...how long did it take for you to...do everything?” I asked, not sure how to put it across. Elijah looked up at the sky, thinking about an answer. “Not sure. Maybe a week or two?" he shrugged but my mouth fell open. “JUST a week?” Elijah chuckled. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everybody's pace is different. You will get there.” He said reassuringly, but I felt the pressure building on me. I stayed mum, and he noticed that, so he came to sit beside me. “Zen, you think a lot. Just believe in yourself and your wolf.” “It doesn’t work that way” A curt voice snapped my attention away from Elijah. And I should not have turned so fast to look at the person walking towards us. Just why did he have to look so annoyingly handsome 24/7? I tried my best to appear unbothered as Elijah turned around to greet the Lycan King. “Good morning King” Callahan smiled at him, not even bothering to look at me. He was wearing grey pants and a black shirt and that dark color made the golden color of his eyes pop out even further. “Believing in just her wolf won't win her any battles. Working hard on controlling her wolf and not letting doubts invade her mind will be the way to do it” He said without as much as casting a sideways glance at me. “Is he always this flippant or today is some special day?” Thunder yawned in my head and I could not help but notice the timing of her arrival. All this time, she never spoke a word as I trained and sweated gallons. But the moment he arrived, she decided to show up as well. “Nah, he mostly reserves his special tongue. Especially for me,” I said, not realizing that I had said it out aloud. Or that he had heard it. Shit. Author's note: Hello lovelies, due to the festive season, updates will be slow in the coming week. But, I will try to update whenever I can.