“No, Kael told me to protect you, so I must keep you safe,” Marek said.
His words were slow and deliberate, his expression so serious that it almost made me feel like he was gentle and harmless.
Damn it, why did I think that?
“Will you report everything that happens around me to Kael?” The thought made me uneasy.
Was Kael using the excuse of protecting me to have someone monitor me?
No one likes being exposed without privacy, and I was no exception.
Besides, I hadn’t been in danger that often.
Marek shook his head. “No, don’t worry, Seraphina. Unless it’s related to your safety, I won’t tell Kael.”
His words eased my mood slightly, but only a little.
“Still, I don’t like being followed all the time. Someone might notice.”
“Don’t worry. I hide very well every time. No one will notice,” Marek replied calmly.
He seemed like a robot, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.
But remembering his terrifying werewolf form, I couldn’t help feeling a little scared.
Still, I wanted to ask him, “What do you think of that guy earlier? Could you sense any werewolf things on him?”
Marek frowned at my question. After a moment, he shook his head. “No.”
“Is your judgment accurate?”
“Ninety-nine percent accurate. If one of our kind were nearby, I would’ve picked up their scent.”
Thinking of the werewolves’ keen sense of smell, I had to suppress my doubts.
If Magnus wasn’t a werewolf, then he was just a superfan!
How bizarre.
Most people would run from werewolves, but Magnus seemed obsessed with them.
What was he after?
I guess I’d have to discuss it with him another day.
For now, I looked at Marek and said, “I still wish you’d leave me alone and stop following me. But since you won’t listen, I just hope you’ll stay farther away and not let anyone around me notice. My roommate is super sensitive about this stuff. She knows about werewolves, vampires, and all that…”
“I understand,” Marek said. “Kael helped me hide my scent. No one will notice.”
“You can hide your scent too?” I was surprised.
“Of course, if I feel the need to.”
The amount of information I’d received today was overwhelming. I needed time to process it all.
Back at my apartment, after washing up, I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
I knew my life would never be the same. More challenges seemed to be waiting for me.
I realized I needed to grow up fast, at least by continuing to train my body.
Kael was right-I needed more ways to deal with the uncertainties ahead.
So, during my part-time job hours, I continued training at the Eagle Club.
Kael showed up to guide me when he saw me training.
I didn’t mind having such a skilled teacher.
But I knew my relationship with Kael would go no further than this.
I needed guidance, and since Kael was willing to provide it, I decided not to overthink it.
“Seraphina, wait. Your form is wrong when you punch. You could easily strain your back,” Kael said, standing behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.
His hands were large and firm, and the sudden closeness made me feel like our relationship had shifted.
But no!
My body tensed, and I tried to pull away, but Kael held me in place.
“Stop, Seraphina. I’m not doing anything. I just want to help,” Kael said.
Hearing his serious tone, I stopped resisting. He really was just guiding me.
Kael held my waist and pressed on a specific spot. “Remember, this is where you generate power. Don’t use other areas, or you’ll hurt yourself.”
Once I learned the correct technique, Kael watched me hit the punching bag and nodded.
“Seraphina, you’re amazing!” he said.
“Your punching is spot on now. I think you could knock out an average adult man with one punch. But it’s still not enough…” Kael frowned.
Just then, he seemed to sense something and suddenly pulled me into his arms.
In an instant, the world around me went dark, and I heard the sound of rushing wind.
When I regained my senses, I found myself near the small woods-the place where Kael had first taught me to box.
It was still all empty.
“Someone was about to come in, so I had to take you away,” Kael explained.
“That was too sudden,” I said, frowning as I stepped out of his embrace.
This was my first time teleporting with Kael, and it felt strange.
So, werewolves could not only teleport themselves but also take others with them!
I looked at Kael. “If you’re this powerful, wouldn’t it be easy for werewolves to dominate the world?”
“It’s not that simple,” Kael said. “We have our own… flaws.”
True, no creature in this world was perfect.
Humans had intelligence but fragile bodies.
Cheetahs were fast but lacked combat strength.
Tigers were strong and agile but poor at long-distance pursuits, suited only for mountainous forests.
Thinking about this, I realized I needed to learn more about werewolves’ weaknesses.
“Seraphina, what I wanted to say earlier is that you shouldn’t rely solely on your hands to fight. You should also use your legs.”
Kael stepped closer, interrupting my thoughts.
His proximity made me step back, and for a moment, I thought I saw a hurt look in his eyes.
But it disappeared so quickly that I wondered if I’d imagined it.
“Watch closely. Let me explain something you might not have noticed before. Our style of boxing doesn’t allow leg techniques.”
Kael stepped back and demonstrated. He stood in a left-sided stance, stepped forward with his right foot, and extended his left leg with a powerful kick.
The force of it sent a gust of wind toward me, and I instinctively stepped back, startled.