Olivia’s POV
“That’s it! Be more in tune! Take in your surroundings!”
Sephora was on the ground and was watching me dart past the trees on full sprint. The wind was whipping through my fur. My nose and senses were sharper than ever.
My eyes darted around the forest. I was able to evade obstacles in the forest in my wolf form.
The bond between Nima and me grew stronger every day. She was still sassy and sharp-tongued, but she had toned it down a bit.
“One more lap, and then we can call it a day!” Sephora called out to me.
I braced myself and ran as fast as I could. My paws gripped the soil and dug deep as I sprinted.
The wind felt fresher than before. I felt free and strong. I had felt like I could…
Crack!
I tried my best to stop before the tree fell in my path. I wasn’t fast enough, and I tripped. I was sent flying into the air. I lost focus and shifted back into my human form while I was in mid-air. My eyes were wide open in fear.
I was going to fall to the ground. My baby…
I felt someone grab me and I was finally no longer falling through the air.
I looked up and saw Sephora holding me in her jaws. I could feel how fast her heart was racing as she gently put me down on the ground.
She shifted back into her human form. Her chest was still heaving.
“You have made a lot of progress, Olivia. But you need to be more careful. I think we’re done for the day. You should rest and get cleaned up.”
I couldn’t refuse. I could still see the fear in Sephora’s eyes as she took me back home. Andre wouldn’t have taken it lightly if anything had happened to me, and it would all be her fault, not mine.
I had to be more careful, but I still beamed. I had made a lot of progress, and I could feel how much stronger I had gotten.
******************************************************
“Alright. I need you to focus, Olivia. Don’t break concentration.”
I was sitting in the kitchen with Alvida. My eyes were focused on a guard that stood at the sink doing the dishes.
His eyes were a chalky white, and he did the job absent-mindedly.
Alvida, Sephora and Pierre watched me as I controlled him. It took a toll on my body. I could feel beads of sweat form on my forehead. It was tiring. I gripped the chair as I tried to concentrate.
“A little longer. You have to concentrate. Channel your energy bit by bit. Don’t give up.”
Alvida encouraged me, and I continued to do my best. My body was aching, and my head felt like it was going to split open.
The guard continued to wash, and everyone watched him eagerly.
“Enough.”
Alvida gave the signal and I stopped. As soon as I did, I felt lightheaded and faint. The room around me brgan to spin and I pushed myself deeper into my seat.
“I… I’m fine,” I said breathlessly as Sephora rushed to my side to try and help me.
I gently pushed her hand away and took some deep breaths, trying my best to dispel the throbbing headache that was threatening to make my head explode.
“Get her some water.”
Pierre was already on top of it and he handed me a glass of refreshing water. I drank deeply, and I felt my energy coming back in tiny packet amounts.
The guard I had controlled looked at the spotless sink in disbelief. He had volunteered, but now he looked utterly confused and scared as his eyes washed over me.
“You may leave.”
Sephora dismissed him, and he wasted no time to hurrying away.
Alvida pulled a chair and sat down beside me.
“You did well. I will say that you have made considerable improvements.”
She beamed proudly at me and I couldn’t help but feel all warm inside.
“However, you still need to work on your stamina. You seem to tire out easily. I understand that you expend more energy when you give powerful commands and control more than one person at a time, which is why you fainted when you made those men pass out.”
Now that she did mention it, it made a lot more sense now. After I did that, I coughed up blood. It was nothing but excruciating pain, and I couldn’t help that my body couldn’t take anymore.
“I think we are done for today…”
“No,” I said stubbornly.
I set the glass on the table and stared at Alvida.
“I want to try again. I need to work on my stamina. You said it yourself. I’m recovered. I want to go at it again.”
Alvida’s face was stuck between a smile and a frown of disapproval.
“You need to rest, and I am sure that the guard we used will be unwilling to volunteer again…”
“I’ll let her use me.”
Sephora chimed in sternly. Pierre looked at her in shock, and I saw his hands move under the table.
“Sephora…”
“Nurse Alvida, if the Luna says she can push through, then I encourage her to do that. I wouldn’t mind giving myself as a volunteer. Pierre will be too scared to do it anyway.”
A sly smile crossed her face as she acknowledged the shock in Pierre’s face at what she said. I couldn’t help but giggle, too. There was definitely something going on between them.
Alvida contemplated for a moment and finally gave in.
“Fine. But we shouldn’t make this long. I need Olivia to rest.”
Sephora and I gave a single nod, and Sephora prepared herself to be used.
She stood in front of me and stared deep into my eyes. I stared back, taking a deep breath and focusing my intertwining wolf energy.
I reached into Sephora’s mind, but I felt something block me; it was like a solid brick wall.
I was shocked and pushed harder, but the wall didn’t budge. I tried my best to find a crack or an opening to slip through, but nothing worked. It was like an impenetrable fortress.
I tried my best to push through but gave up after a while.
“I can’t control her.”
Alvida gave a single nod and smiled.
“Females are much harder to control. Men are very simple-minded and hence the ease. While a man can train his mind to be impenetrable, you also train yourself to slip through even the tiniest cracks to plant your thoughts into someone else’s.”
“Hey!”
We all looked at Pierre, who looked quite offended.
“Men are not simple-minded,” he said defensively.
Sephora smiled.
“I know that a lot goes on in your head, things I never thought you could think of.”
Her tone was near seductiveI had never heard her talk like thatand his gaze was full of passion.
Alvida left the room, and my hands flew to my mouth in shock.
I knew it!