Training

~Hannah~

“Mummy!”

Olivia squeals and runs into my arms. I scoop her closer and hold her tight, my emotions overflowing. I have been banned from picking her up from school but not waiting at the entrance for her to come home. The wait nearly drove me crazy. I hold her tight, tears streaming down my face. Liam will never separate me from my baby. I will never allow him. I keep mumbling to myself. 

“My love. How was school today?” I ask, managing to separate myself from her. 

“You are crying mummy? Did anyone hurt you? I will fight for you. My teacher said we will get our baby wolves soon.”

I can't help laughing. Olivia is too smart for her own good. Reason I try so hard to hide the dark side of my life from her. She could sniff the tiniest of things with her eyes closed. The healer that helped me give birth to her confirmed to me she'd have heightened senses at her development stage as her wolf will be very hyperactive. She always says she'll fight for me and I believe her wholly. To me, she's the breath of fresh air amidst my turbulent life. “No darling. Mummy is just so happy to see you back from school.”

She squints suspiciously at me, her tiny nose wrinkling. “And you have make-up again. People always put on make-up when they cry. Christine told me.”

“Ah–makeup.” I touch my face awkwardly. “Who's Christine?”

“My best friend.”

“Owww. My cutie pie has a best friend now? Wow. I baked your favorite. Wanna see?”

How she giggles makes me forget the day troubles and when I watch her eat the cookies I baked, my heart is full. 

Evening came faster than I expected. I already helped Olivia do her assignments and she's having her quiet time which she uses to draw paintings while she munch on snacks. While it's so peaceful watching her from the background, I decide to sneak away for a few minutes. My legs land me in the training center behind the main building. 

My legs slowly stop as I sight Nathan inside. Something kicks inside me. Another face that makes me forget my troubles. He looks upset as he punches the punching bag. Like he is trying to punch away his anger. He sees me and slows down. 

I try to flee. 

“Don't go.” He calls and my legs, on their own halt. I gulp and turn around. 

He is trying to come out but I stop him. “Wait there!” 

I enter the center to meet him. I don't know what Liam will do if he sees me talking to him. His trust issues and low self esteem has taken a huge leap so much he thinks I'm seducing any man I speak to.

The moment I step in and realize he's the only one inside, I quiver on the spot. Of course I knew the center is out of public use but still…fuvk.

My heart begins to drum. I feel my palm suddenly become clammy and I regret taking this unplanned walk. My body tightens when Nathan comes behind me. But he only retrieves one of the dumbbells and returns in front of the punching bag. Why is he acting like he doesn't see me? 

“Why are you here?” I finally ask. 

He glances at me as he adjusts his gloves. “This is a training center, Hannah.”

“Ah. Right.” My head is empty and my mouth drier. 

“Are you angry at me? About earlier?” 

“I have no right to be, Hannah. It's your choice and decision. I won't force you to do anything, Hannah.”

“Why do you keep calling me Hannah? It's annoying!” I flip. 

He looks at me. Our eyes meet and I am completely mortified. What the fuck! Is he supposed to call me darling or lover?

I quickly try to redeem my shattered pride. “I mean–you keep saying Hannah at the end of whatever you say and it's… uh, just…” I bit my lips. “All I'm saying is…have a nice time training. I have to go back inside now.” I turn to do what I do best—flee. 

But Nathan’s voice pushes me to a stop. “Hannah.”

I spin. “What? Hannah again—”

He marches forward. “Let’s train together.”

I blink. “Train together? Wh–why?”

He smiles. “Because it will be more fun and you will be stronger.”

My heart does a somersaulting flip. Gosh! His dimples showed just now. Fuvk. Those dimples that drive me nuts. “But it's all too sudden–”

“Coming from someone that broke up with me on a whim–” he pauses and exhales. “I'm sorry… I promise not to step out of line again. You can think about it and give me your answer.”

“When do you want the answer?” 

“Right now.”

“What? Right now?”

“Right now. Before the end of today. You can sit over there and mull over it.” He points me to the bench facing the punching bag but at a reasonable distance. 

“Watch me! See how fun it is to train and become strong.” He calls as he begins to punch again. 

I drew in a breath as I watch him. Three years ago, I made the decision that has brought me this far. The decision that turned my life upside down. Aside from my little bundle of joy, Olivia. I still remember the hurt in his eyes when I told him I had found my mate and it was his brother. It was even deeper when I chose Liam over him without thinking twice. 

Nathan was the perfect lover. He loved me to pieces. Sometimes when Liam hits me and I cry, it's not because it hurts so much but because I remember I used to have a man that worshiped me and the ground my legs walked. A man that knew how to make my insides giddy and my heart full. It makes me tear up and right now, watching him, knowing that I’ve lost him, imagining what could have been that never were, makes it all hard to take in. 

I look up right in time to see him approaching me. 

“Ready to give me your answer?” He asks, folding his arms across his chest. His muscles bulge. 

“You said before the end of today…”

“I can't wait. Tell me now, what's your answer?”

“I didn't even get the chance to think!”

He frowns. “Then what were you thinking about the entire time?”

Thinking about you…about us…“About…nothing. Why do I need to train, anyway? We don't have any wars to fight and I'd rather fight when I'm in my wolf form.” I grumble. 

“If you are weak in your human form, you will be weak in your wolf form too. When was the last time you went hunting or fought at all?” He inquires. 

“I can't even leave the house as I want, let alone fight or hunt. Besides, not many ladies hunt these days. The woods are filled with human hunters.”

“You train to be strong, Hannah,” he says firmly.

I look at him and it's almost as if I can read in between the lines here. He wants me to be strong to fight Liam? 

It's not that I have to become strong to fight Liam. Truth is, I don't want to fight Liam. I don't even want to fight back when he hits me. I just need to leave his side. Or maybe I don't need to anymore. I just need to see Nathan's face everyday and my life will have meaning again. 

“Fine. Let's do it. Make me strong.” 

“Good choice,” he says and his dimples appear as he smirks. 

He asks me to do freestyle stretching on the mat. 

“You are doing it the wrong way, ma’am,” he whines and comes over to show me how. 

I'm lying on the mat and he lies beside me. By my right and begin to show me. “Try to move your legs as if you are riding a bicycle but farther and tuck your hands under your head.” 

“Gotten.” I do as he said but I hear him sigh. 

“Not that way. Let me show you.”

He turns and props himself up and I happen to lean up at the same time. We are facing each other now. The closeness makes us pause, aware of the very tiny distance between us, between our lips. Our eyes meet and lock and I instantly realize we have been in this exact position before.