Chapter 88: Real Training (II)
Rosalie:
The lesson continued for nearly another hour.
Escaping wrist grabs.
Breaking someone’s balance.
Using an opponent’s momentum against them.
Simple movements.
Practical movements.
Lethal movements if executed correctly. Or at least... they would have been lethal if I hadn’t kept making mistakes.
By the end of the session, I honestly couldn’t tell whether I was sweating because of the physical exertion or because every few minutes one of the two impossibly handsome Alphas had to step close enough to adjust my posture again.
Sometimes it was Eiden. Sometimes Zaiden.
Neither lingered unnecessarily. Neither crossed any boundaries. Both treated me exactly like a student. Which somehow made everything even worse. Because if they had been teasing me, at least I could have blamed them.
Instead, the only traitor here was my own heart.
When Eiden finally announced that training was over for the day, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding before collapsing onto a nearby fallen tree trunk.
My t-shirt clung uncomfortably to my back. Loose strands of hair stuck to my damp forehead. My breathing remained uneven. And my heart... well... my heart wasn’t calming down anytime soon.
Across from me stood the two men responsible for my current condition.
Not a single strand of silver hair had escaped Eiden’s neat ponytail. Zaiden looked every bit as composed as when we had started. Neither appeared remotely tired. Neither had even broken a sweat. They looked less like two Alphas who had just completed a morning training session and more like two men who had simply taken a leisurely stroll through the forest.
Meanwhile...
I was beginning to suspect the real purpose of today’s lesson hadn’t been combat training at all.
It had been testing just how much chaos two dangerously attractive mates could cause with nothing more than a few innocent touches.
As usual, once the morning training came to an end, one of Zaiden’s black sedans was already waiting outside Eiden’s house. I had learned on the very first day that neither Zaiden nor Eiden planned to personally drop me off at my house every morning.
At first, I had wondered why. But after giving it some thought, I realized just how considerate they had been from the very beginning. Shadow Creek wasn’t a large town. If either Alpha started appearing outside my little house every dawn, the rumors would spread before breakfast - not only throughout Shadow Creek but eventually across the entire Nightfang Rogue Pack. People adored both of them, especially Eiden. The last thing I wanted was to become the center of unnecessary gossip before I had even figured out my own feelings.
So, every morning, it was Mr. Wilson who drove me. The middle-aged man had become such a familiar face over the past week that greeting each other had turned into a routine.
"Good morning, Miss Rosalie," he said politely as he opened the rear door for me.
"Good morning, Mr. Wilson," I replied with a grateful smile before settling into the comfortable seat.
The drive back was always peaceful. Mr. Wilson wasn’t the type to force conversation, yet if I asked him anything, he answered kindly. It reminded me of how everyone around Zaiden somehow reflected pieces of the Rogue Alpha’s personality - calm, efficient, respectful, and never unnecessarily intrusive.
By the time the car stopped outside my little house, the streets had already begun waking up. A few neighbors watered their gardens while others prepared to leave for work, completely unaware that I had just returned from nearly two hours of training in the woods outside Eiden’s home.
I thanked Mr. Wilson before hurrying inside. My morning routine had become almost mechanical over the past eight days.
First came a quick shower to wash away the sweat and forest dust. Then I changed into fresh clothes suitable for the bookstore, carefully drying my hair while mentally planning everything I wanted to accomplish today.
Before leaving, I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a large glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. The cool sweetness instantly refreshed me after the demanding training session. While finishing the last sip, I quickly prepared a simple sandwich with vegetables, cheese, and leftover grilled chicken from the previous evening.
There was no time to sit down for breakfast anymore. Instead, I wrapped the sandwich in paper, grabbed my bag, locked the front door behind me, and stepped outside.
The bookstore stood only a few steps away, its familiar wooden sign gently swaying in the soft morning breeze. I couldn’t help slowing down for a second just to look at it.
A week ago, I had walked through those doors wondering whether I would be able to save this place. Now... despite knowing there was still an incredibly long journey ahead, I no longer felt quite so uncertain.
Just like Monday evening, yesterday nearly two dozen people had stopped by as well because of Eiden’s post. They had laughed, taken photographs, posted them online, and happily sipped iced lemon tea while sitting at the table where Eiden had spent his afternoon reading. It had created wonderful publicity, yet once the excitement settled, I had to admit a small truth to myself. Not one of those visitors had become a true customer. They came for Eiden. They left with photographs. The books had remained untouched.
Surprisingly, instead of discouraging me, that realization only fueled my determination further. Marketing had done its job. Now it was my turn to do mine.
Unlocking the front door, I stepped inside and was immediately greeted by the comforting scent of polished wood, paper, and ink. Morning sunlight streamed through the huge glass windows, illuminating the neatly arranged bookshelves and the little reading corner upstairs. Everything looked exactly as I had left it the previous evening. Quiet. Peaceful. Full of possibilities. I smiled to myself as I switched on the lights and set my half-finished sandwich beside the reception desk.
"Alright," I murmured softly to the empty bookstore, already rolling up my sleeves. "Let’s find you some real readers today."
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