Chapter 196

Lila’s POV Xander was in the arena when I arrived Wednesday evening.

I watched him from the doorway, without him noticing me, as he used a sword to attack a dummy he had set up. It didn’t take long for the dummy to be a crumbled mess on the arena grounds.

Xander paused and he turned to me.

“Stand over here,” he ordered, pointing to an unoccupied spot in the middle of the arena.

I frowned, annoyed by the order, but I did as he asked. As I walked toward the center of the arena, I couldn’t help but glance over at his belongings that were scattered across the ground in the corner.

I knew that somewhere in there was the proof I needed to get rid of Xander once and for all. But my attention was brought back to him as his body blocked my view. He was rummaging through his backpack for a second before he came across what he was looking for.

He pulled out a shaker bottle with a white liquid inside of it. It almost looked like milk.

“Drink this, ”He ordered, handing me the shaker.

“What is it?” I asked, furrowing my brows together.

“It’s a protein shake that’ll help make you stronger,” he answered. “I have powder mix for you and you can keep this shaker. Two tablespoons and 16 oz of water every morning.”

“Are you making everybody in class drink this?” I asked; I couldn’t hide the confusion on my face.

“No,” he answered simply. “Not everybody in the class is personally training with me. If you want your reputation to perceive you then I suggest you do as I say and drink this.”

I stared at his serious expression for a moment longer before taking the shaker from his hands. He watched me intently as I brought it to my lips. It didn’t smell like anything I had ever smelled before. I didn’t particularly like the scent, but he was watching me closely and persistent that I drink it.

Categories Search...

So, I took a sip and instantly gagged on the flavor alone. At least at first, it was just the flavor that made me gag, but then I felt the burning sensation deep in my throat that made me nearly drop the shaker on the ground.

I stumbled backward as it felt like my lips and throat were on fire.

“Don’t be so dramatic,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. “Keep drinking it.”

‘It burns,” I complained, shaking my head and attempting to hand it back to him.

His lips pressed firmly in a thin line, and he glared at me.

“Drink it.”

My frown only deepened, and I brought it to my lips. As the liquid went down my throat, the burn sensation continued, but then it lightened and felt almost manageable. But I felt gross once the entire shaker was empty.

“We are going to be working on body language today,” Xander said, taking a step away from me.

“When in a battle with a real opponent, you’re going to need to be one step ahead of them so you can deflect their attacks. To be one step ahead of them, you’ll base your judgment on their body language.”

“Okay?” I said, a little uncertainty in my tone.

“Let me show you what I mean by that. Hit me.”

I stared at him for a moment, unsure if should make a move or not, but his unmoving and waiting body told me to do it.

I clenched my fists and went to hit him square in the face, but just as it did before, my fist hit nothing, but air, and I nearly tumbled to the ground.

“Your eyes are fixed on the spot you want to hit,” he explained, holding his hands behind his back. “Your fists are clenched so I know what part of your body you’re going to use. From the movement of your feet, I know exactly when you’re going to attack. Dodging your attacks is easy.”

“So, how do I make it, so you don’t know when and how I’m going to attack?” I asked, narrowing my eyes to him.

I swear I thought I saw a hint of a smile decorating his lips.

“Now, you are asking the right questions,” he said, analyzing me. “You look your opponent in the eyes when you fight. You keep that eye contact until they are on the ground and unable to fight any longer.

Never stick with the same attack. Switch it up and confuse them; use your feet once in a while.”

I went to kick him but he swept my foot out from under me and I fell to the ground with a hard thud!

Pain shot through my body as I stared up at him; he placed his foot on my stomach and applied a small amount of pressure, just enough to keep me pinned.

“Move my foot,” he ordered.

I grabbed his ankle and attempted to move him, but he was too strong and for some reason, my body felt a bit weak.

He smirked down at me as I struggled beneath him.

“You have a lot to learn,” he murmured, applying more pressure to my stomach and making me gasp as I struggled to breathe.

He was insane; he was purposely trying to hurt me. I was sure of it now.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, still trying and failing to get his foot off me.

He lowered himself toward me and I saw the grin that appeared on his face.

“To prove that you are weak,” he said in a low and threatening tone that sent a chill throughout my body.

Xander calling me weak was my last straw. I was furious and I was beginning g to see red.

I growled through my teeth, feeling my wolf at the edge. She wanted to shift and tear him apart, but I wouldn’t let her.

I struggled again, and grabbed his ankle with even more force, trying everything I could to get him away from me. Just when I was about to scream out for him to get off me, the door of the arena swung open and he quickly took his foot off my body.

I took a greedy breath of air, realizing I hadn’t been breathing while his foot was on me. I was in a daze and my body hardly wanted to hold up my weight. I lay limp on the ground, attempting to catch my breath.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. I’ve been looking for Lila and—”

Brody’s voice trailed off as he spotted me on the ground.

“Goddess...” Brody said, rushing toward me. “Lila, are you okay?”

I sat up, trying to wrap my head around what had just happened.

“Brody?” I said, fixing my eyes on his concerned face. “What are you doing here?”

“I was looking all over for you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something... Rachel told me you were here. Why are you on the ground?”

“I was training and then...” my voice trailed off as I met Xanders’ eyes.

He squared his shoulders and turned away from me.

“Your lessons are finished for today. You are dismissed.”

I furrowed my brows at him but Brody’s hands on my arm, helping me to my feet, averted my attention.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back to your dorm,” Brody offered. I managed to give him a head nod as we turned toward the arena doors. But not before I stole another glance at Xander’s belongings.

“Whatever answers I seek, I knew were somewhere in his things. I was determined more than anything to find what he was hiding.

Brody kept his arm draped through mine until we got outside.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, giving me a concerned frown.

I nodded.

“I’m fine. I just fell,” I reassured him.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you since you’ve returned. I’m just not exactly sure how...” Brody said, he had stopped walking, and I froze at the worry in his tone.

I frowned at him.

“You can talk to me about anything, Brody,” I said, giving him a kind smile. “Whatever it is... you can tell me.”

I placed a hand on his arm and met his eyes.

He opened his mouth to speak, but we were interrupted by Rachel who approached us suddenly.

“Lila! We were just coming to grab you,” she said with a bright smile.

I realized quickly she wasn’t alone; Becca wasn’t far behind her and behind Becca was Rachel’s father.

What was he doing on campus right now?”

“My father is back for a visit,” Rachel said kindly. “He wants to take us to dinner this evening! You in?”