I had only known Kael to be skilled in boxing, but I never expected him to be equally formidable in combat. I was certain that if anyone were to be kicked by him, they would be sent flying and likely end up with broken bones. Just thinking about it made me sigh.
Seeing me nervously step back, Kael smiled. “Don’t be afraid, Seraphina. I won’t hurt you.”
“Come on, try the move I just showed you. It’s called a side kick. I think you can learn it,” he said.
I recalled Kael’s movements and attempted to kick, but I couldn’t reach the same height as him. Losing my balance, I stumbled forward. Kael quickly stepped in, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Be careful,” he said.
“Thank you,” I replied, feeling the warmth and security of his broad embrace.
I had to admit, aside from certain matters, I had become much stronger now.
“This might be a bit too advanced for you. Let’s start with something easier,” Kael suggested with a smile.
“What I’m showing you now is a low sweep kick,” he explained, stepping forward with his left foot and turning to me. “Listen, Seraphina. A low sweep requires a stable center of gravity, a solid step, and using your shin to sweep low.”
As he spoke, he demonstrated the kick. “Remember, maintaining your balance is key to delivering full power.”
After his demonstration, I tried it myself. This time, I did much better than my first attempt.
“Nice, Seraphina. You’re smart. You picked it up quickly,” Kael praised, looking at me with admiration.
Honestly, his approval made me happy. But realizing that I was happy because of him filled me with despair. I couldn’t remain indifferent to Kael. A simple compliment from him could lift my spirits. My emotions were still influenced by him, and that terrified me.
I was starting to accept Kael’s identity and no longer believed he would harm me. This was terrifying because it meant our relationship might return to what it once was. But how could that be possible? It couldn’t.
“There’s one more move I think you should learn,” Kael said, walking behind me and wrapping his arms around me. I was trapped in his embrace.
I tried to struggle, but he laughed. “Struggling won’t help. Use the hardest part of your arm to strike me.”
He gripped my arm and pressed my elbow. “Here, Seraphina. Use this part to hit my ribs.”
I struck his ribs with my elbow, and Kael let out a pained grunt, releasing me. I heard him inhale sharply.
Panicking, I realized I had used too much force. “Are you okay?” I asked, stepping closer to inspect his ribs. I was worried I had hurt him, especially since he had a match coming up.
“It hurts a bit,” Kael said, frowning.
“Let me see,” I said, reaching to lift his shirt.
Kael stopped me, shaking his head. “Just give me a kiss, and I’ll be fine.”
I looked up at him, seeing the mischievous glint in his deep brown eyes. In that moment, anger surged through me. My breathing grew heavy, and my chest heaved. I realized he had tricked me.
My expression turned cold, and I looked away. I had been worried about him, but he was just pretending to be hurt. How foolish of me to fall for his act. But then again, he was a werewolf, capable of healing others and possessing strong regenerative abilities. How could he be easily injured?
Logically, I needed to distance myself from him. I shouldn’t let my emotions fluctuate because of him. I was human, and he was a werewolf. We didn’t belong in the same world. I couldn’t accept the sudden influx of bizarre events in my life.
“Seraphina, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have joked like that. Don’t be angry,” Kael said, holding my arm.
I stepped back, refusing to let him touch me. “I should go back. I still have work to do.”
“You don’t need to go back. Rebecca will understand,” Kael said.
“No, I don’t want special treatment. I just want to focus on my work,” I replied coldly, rejecting his suggestion.
Even though not working and still getting paid sounded great, if the cost was constant interaction with Kael, I would refuse. I was afraid of falling for him again. His influence on me was beyond what I had imagined, and I feared I might truly fall in love with him.
If we were together, what if one day, in his sleep, he went berserk and devoured me? I had heard many stories about werewolves, and they were often portrayed as villains who harmed humans. Was Kael’s kindness just a facade? I wasn’t sure, but I knew I needed to keep my distance.
Hearing my words, Kael fell silent, his eyes fixed on me. After a while, he sighed. “You still don’t want to be close to me, do you?”
I didn’t know how to respond, so I remained silent.
“I understand. I’ll take you back,” Kael said, walking over and embracing me again.
I looked up at him, seeing the sadness in his deep brown eyes. He seemed heartbroken. In that moment, my heart ached inexplicably. Seeing him so sad made me feel terrible.
I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, to comfort him. But the next moment, the scenery around us blurred, and the sound of wind rushed past my ears. When I regained my senses, I was back in the training room.
Kael said, “You can get back to work. I’ll come find you when you’re free.” With that, he disappeared.
I was stunned by his decisiveness, not expecting him to leave without further persuasion. I gathered my thoughts and looked around the empty training room. Grabbing a mop from the corner, I started cleaning. I needed to keep myself busy to avoid overthinking.
After cleaning the training room, I moved to the exhibition hall, wiping down trophies, belts, and the photo wall. Looking at the specimens reminded me of the time Marek had scared me, but that wouldn’t happen again.
As I continued cleaning, I heard footsteps behind me. Before I could turn around, someone embraced me from behind.