Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Tatiana:

The sun barely peeked over the horizon, casting a golden hue over the training grounds. My muscles already burned, my breathing was uneven, and my hands stung from gripping the rough stone wall. But no matter how many times I tried, I couldn’t climb it.

To say that I did not expect any of what I was going throughwould not be a lie. To say that I did not expect to be dealing with something like this was not going to be a lie. And to say that I did not expect this pack to be the way that it was would not be a lie.

But right now is not the time for me to be asking questions or for me to be wondering. The stupid stone wall is one that I couldn't climb. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't.

I gritted my teeth, adjusting my grip. Come on, Tatiana. Just a little higher.

How the hell was it possible for everyone to know how to do it and yet I couldn't find it in myself to know how to climb twosteps without falling? Even the idea made me rate, but I knew that I had no reason to actually be angry about it. I was never trained to not like them, at least.

I pushed off the ground again, forcing my arms to lift my weight, but my foot slipped against the uneven surface, and before I could catch myself, I fell.

Hard.

I hit the dirt with a frustrated growl, biting back the urge to curse. I was exhausted, my body sore from drills, and this was just the beginning.

It was just morning and yet I had managed to fall more times than I thought that I could.

I was making a fool out of myself. These pack members were watching. Neither one of them approached me, but to my surprise, neither one of them seemed to mock me. It was as if they were wondering how I was going to manage things, or maybe they were just curious about who I was. When would the mocking come? Now that was not something that I knew.

A deep chuckle rumbled behind me. “That was painful to watch.A little too painful to watch.”

I whipped my head around, finding Kieran standing there, arms crossed, amusement dancing in his dark gold eyes. He had his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at me. He was leaning against one of the trees, his eyes studying me for a few moments before he pushed away from it.

I scowled. “Then don’t watch. I believe that you have other things to take care of rather than just watching me.”

He smirked, strolling forward. “Can’t help it, little wolf. You’re making this too entertaining. I believe that you're giving us a show, but then again, I don't think that you're intending to do so.”

I turned back to the wall, ignoring him. I don’t need his help. I can do this myself. I don't need their help. I was not going to ask for it. And if he wanted to watch then he could watch all he wanted. I did not care.

I exhaled and leapt up again, gripping the edge, pulling myself up an inch, only for my arms to shake violently. I wasn’t strong enough.

I slipped again.

But before I could hit the ground, strong hands caught me.

Kieran’s hands.

One arm wrapped securely around my waist, the other steadying my wrist, keeping me from falling. My breath hitched at the sudden contact, at the warmth radiating from him.

And then I felt it.

A spark.

It rushed through my skin, spreading like wildfire, something I didn’t understand but couldn’t ignore.

I tensed, trying to pull away, but he didn’t let go. His grip wasn’t rough, wasn’t demanding.

It was not what I expected.

It was gentle.

“Relax,” he murmured, his voice close, low, smooth. Calm. Not the voice of someone proving a point, but of someone who actually wanted to help. “You're too tensed up.”

I swallowed hard. Why wasn’t he moving away? Why wasn’t I?

“Your arms are too stiff,” he continued, adjusting his grip. “You’re fighting the climb instead of working with it. If you keep going on like this, you're going to end up hurting yourself even more than you've already done for the past hour.”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. My body was too aware of his.

His tone was not mocking, he was not trying to throw anything at me. He was not trying to show me that I was weak. He was simply willing to guide me. And if he's been watching me since the very beginning, he was not mocking me for not knowing how to do the basics that I knew any of their pack members could.

“Here,” Kieran said, his breath grazing my ear. “Let me show you. It's very easy, you just need to learn the right method.”

He didn’t pull back. He didn’t care that the other rogues were watching, that some of them had stopped training to stare at us.

Unlike Elijah, he wasn’t afraid to be seen helping me. He wasn’t ashamed to be near me. He wasn't even trying to prove to me that I was less than he was. He was simply helping me out. He was simply guiding me.

Slowly, his hands guided my movements, adjusting my footing, positioning my arms the right way. His touch was assured, firm, but never forceful. It was as if he was just showing me that he was around, that he would be willing to hold me if I fell. That he would ground me if I needed something to hold on to.

“Try again,” he said, his voice softer now. “You can do it yourself.”

I hesitated, but for some reason, I trusted him.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed up, this time with his support.

And finally, I didn’t fall.