The Trial She Faces

Chapter 15

It was not until the next morning when Eve fully regained consciousness. It was later than she usually woke, but it was clear that her body and mind needed time to recover from the previous day's ordeal.

Sitting up rapidly with shock, Eve fell out of bed whilst hurrying to get her training clothes on. She ran down the hall and into the kitchen where Curtis stood at the stove preparing breakfast. He turned to face her as she flew through to the back door before stopping.

'What are you doing?' Eve said.

'Making breakfast. What are you doing?' Curtis replied as he corked his head to the side.

'Going outside to train. I slept late, I thought you would have been outside training already,' Eve stated confused.

'Training? No, not today. You should rest today. It was a long day yesterday and you deserve a break,' Curtis replied as he turned back to the food he was cooking.

'A break? I don't need a break. If anything, yesterday proves that I need to train even harder. It proves that I need to get stronger in order to not succumb to the mate bond. I need to train,' Eve said.

'I understand how you're felling. How about we make a deal? Sit down and have breakfast now. Later we shift and go for a nice run. I know it has to a long while since you have stretched out your wolf's legs.' Curtis tried to make a bargain.

'No. We train now like every other day since I have come here,' Eve put her foot down denying Curtis any wiggle room.

'Okay. Okay. But if you feel anything wrong, you have to tell me straight away and the training stops. Any pain, any feeling sick and training is over,' Curtis said giving in to her demands and switching off the stove. He turned and walked to the door following Eve.

'Can we... can we still shift and go for a run later?' Eve hesitantly questioned as she slowed, and Curtis walked past her.

'Yeah, I suppose it would be good for both of us,' Curtis replied.

Eve made her way over to stand in front of the tree.

'Not today. Something different. I know you do not want to take it easy. Trust me we won't,' Curtis interrupted her and motioned for her to stand in front of him.

'Hit me,' he said.

'What?' Eve scrunched up her face at him.

'You heard me,' Curtis said with a serious tone.

After hesitating momentarily, Eve threw a hard punch towards Curtis' torso. It was strong and fast just like every other punch she had thrown at the tree over the last few weeks. It was a punch that would have undoubtedly shook the tree.

Curtis stepped forward and to the side, catching Eve's fist under his arm, utilising her momentum, Curtis stepped back pulling Eve forward along with him effectively disrupting her balance. He released her stepped back again. Curtis stood unshaken, ready for the next attack.

'Again,' he said waiting for Eve to make a move.

'What are we doing? Why are we doing this?' Eve questioned Curtis as she moved backward and moving her feet to the position Curtis had first showed her the day that he started training her.

'Fighting. This is what you have been building you strength for is it not. So you are able to defend yourself. Now throw a punch,' Curtis said.

Eve nodded curtly and proceeded to throw another punch, careful not to step into the same trap. This continued for the next hour, Eve attacking but never able to land a punch. She never repeated the same mistake, but Curtis seemed to be able to see every flaw in her movements. And there sure was a lot of flaws.