𝐉𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞 (DISCONTINUED)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 29

The ride home after that was filled with so much tension you could cut it with a knife. Alora cradled her bloody right fist in her lap, it was throbbing terribly. All she could do was keep her breathing even and avoid Tian's gaze. When he said that she would help with their plan to keep Tory in line, she never would've expected this. When they reached the house, she exited the car quickly and practically ran inside to lock herself inside of her bathroom. Tian didn't attempt to stop her, in fact, he didn't say anything. Alora got into the shower, cringing as the warm water ran over her knuckles.

She had no idea how to treat this level of injury. She knew she would have to let him take care of it so it wouldn't get infected; he knew that too. He was probably downstairs in the dining room with his med kit waiting for her right now. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes. She thought of her life before Sensei Kim and Sensei Sanchez took hold of her and dug their claws into her back. Now they just threw her wherever they wanted like she was a puppet. Even now, he had set a perfect trap for her. She stared at her reflection on the glass door; it seemed eerily symbolic and nostalgic.

After a long while, she begrudgingly turned the water off, turning her hand over to inspect it carefully. She sighed again as she forced herself to get dressed and go downstairs and just like she had predicted, there he was. He was watching some movie and he hadn't acknowledged her yet even though she was sure he knew she was there.

"Fix it so I can go to bed," she said firmly, leaving no room for argument. She set her bruised hand on the table, staring blankly at the wall ahead. That's where her gaze stayed for the entire time as he disinfected it, applied cream to it, and then bandaged it. Once he was done, she moved to leave but he stopped her.

"Alora." She froze and turned back to face him with a bored look. "Look, I'm not going to apologize because I'm not sorry. What happened tonight was a security measure. It was to make sure that our best fighters know where their loyalties lie."

"My loyalties?" she asked lowly. "My loyalties? I gave up everything to be here! Everyone! Just so I could get my hand fractured in return? So I could get more scars and bruises than everybody else! Just so I'd feel like I belonged somewhere!" she shook her head, scoffing. "Sometimes I wonder why I even..." she trailed off mumbling, turning to walk away.

Tian slammed his hands on the table, standing up. "This is the exact kind of dangerous thinking that we're trying to stop," he walked up to her, looking down on her. She tried to take a step back but he just took another step closer. "You wonder why you what? Why you're at here instead of off with those pathetic people you call your friends? You're here because you're great and they're not. You can be what they never could. We could make you the greatest thing karate has ever seen."

Alora stared back up at him, concealing her fear with anger. She knew what this man was capable of and she also didn't doubt he wouldn't hesitate to "handle" her, daughter or not. She knew what kind of people he and Senseis Kim and Silver were. There used to be a time when she would've done anything they asked, no matter the consequences. She still would, and that thought alone scared her.

"Cobra Kai is what's good for you. And you know that," he said, still staring her down with his hard and unforgiving gaze.

Alora met his eyes for a moment before hesitantly directing her eyes downward. "Of course, Sensei."

He took hold of her shoulders gently and hooked a curved finger under her chin to make her look up at him. "You're my daughter. Born with my blood and my anger. And nothing will change that. Understood?"

Alora nodded quickly. Her resolve dissipated as she stared into the eyes of her father—her sensei, her rise, and her fall. "Yes...Father."