“Run faster! What are you both doing?” Jackson growled loudly as he matched Priya and Priyank’s running pace, jolting them back due to his sudden appearance out of nowhere.
“What are you both doing? Why are you running like you’re jogging? Even at my old age, I can easily catch up with you,” Jackson sounded pissed.
Priya and Priyank both stopped running, and Jackson stopped too, glaring at them as if he would gulp them down in one go if they didn’t reply to him.
Here, training was not something to joke about, and they were running like it was some fun activity, not like he trained people now.
He was a retired Beta, so he stayed away from things like this, but when the former queen and king were alive, he was in charge of getting the warriors ready for war or anything else.
Now, seeing how Priya was taking this so carelessly, he felt mad.
She was of royal blood, the future queen. For Priyank, he didn’t give a lot of shit, but he was Priya’s mate, which made him the future king. Hearing that he was in the Mafia and still running like an ant only increased Jackson’s temper.
When it came to proper training, he didn’t give a shit. They had agreed to do it, and they should do it properly, especially after the attack. They knew how crucial it was.
To break the curse, they didn’t want to sleep together, and now they were doing the training like this.
Maya was already going easy on them, giving them just a few laps. If it were him, there wouldn’t be anything less than a hundred. But that was him, and he was a werewolf, so the people he trained before were all werewolves too.
The human body was quite different, so he could understand why Maya did this.
But it wasn’t like they had a whole day to waste on running only. This wouldn’t lead to anything good. Jackson hated when someone wasted their time like this.
“What is happening?” Maya joined them with Elk.
“They both are running like they’re in some jogging competition. Are they going to take a whole century to run it off like this?” Jackson replied angrily.
“Calm the hell down, old man,” Priyank retorted, not liking Jackson’s behaviour one bit.
Maya sighed, sensing the tension between Jackson and Priyank. She understood Jackson’s frustration, but she also knew that pushing Priya and Priyank too hard could be counterproductive.
“Jackson, I appreciate your concern, but let’s not forget that they’re still adjusting to this new training,” Maya said calmly, placing a hand on the old Beta’s shoulder. “We need to give them time to build up their endurance and strength gradually.”
Jackson grunted, his eyes still fixed on Priya and Priyank. “Time is a luxury we don’t have, Maya. The longer we wait, the more vulnerable we become.”
Priya, who had been quiet until now, stepped forward, her eyes meeting Jackson’s with a determined gaze. “I understand your worries, Jackson, but I assure you, we’re taking this seriously. It’s just that I have asthma, which is why I can’t run farther than this.”
Priyank nodded in agreement, standing beside Priya in a show of solidarity. “Now you get it? We’re not joking around here.”
Maya, Jackson, and Elk were shocked by this revelation. Levi and Rish, who had stopped to listen to Priya’s words, gasped a little.
The revelation of Priya’s asthma hung heavy in the air, a mixture of concern and understanding washing over the faces of those around her. Jackson, who had been so adamant about pushing them harder, now looked at Priya with a newfound sense of empathy.
“Priya, I… I had no idea,” he said, his voice softening. “I apologise for being so harsh. I should have considered that there might be underlying reasons for your pace.”
Priya shook her head, a small smile on her lips. “It’s okay, Jackson. I know you only want what’s best for me, I should have been more forthcoming about my condition.”
Maya stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on Priya’s shoulder. “Thank you for sharing this with us, Priya. We’ll make sure to adjust your training accordingly, to ensure that you can build your strength and endurance without putting your health at risk.”
Priyank, who had been standing protectively beside Priya, felt a bit relieved.
“We’ll find a way to work with your asthma, Angel,” he said softly, taking her hand in his.
Elk, ever the wise and compassionate presence, spoke up, his voice calm and reassuring. “It’s nothing to be worried about. When the curse is broken, your asthma will get better. This can be a negative side effect of the curse, and hopefully, it will go away with time.”
Priya narrowed her eyes. She didn’t know why, but even when Elk was trying to encourage her, she felt a sense of doubt about him. In her life, she had never felt this way before.
Even with Priyank, who had done so many things to her, she had never experienced this kind of feeling. However, she remembered Priyank’s words about staying silent until they had any evidence, so she just faked a smile and nodded her head, showing that his words had gotten through to her.
“You don’t have to worry. I am here with her, and even if it’s not a side effect of the curse, it is not a bigger issue,” Priyank answered, as he could see Priya faking her smile.
“How about you don’t run for now? It’s already enough. We can start with exercises and some warm-up sessions that will stretch your body, and it will help you,” Maya suggested.
“She’s right. Doing the warm-up will be best, as it’s your first day. We’re not going to start with the extreme or hard level. We’ll begin with warm-ups for a week to build endurance, and then you can slowly combat Levi, as you both are girls. What do you think, Priya?” Jackson completed his words with anticipation on his face.
“I am fine with whatever you decide. I don’t know a lot, so I am better off following instructions. Whatever suits the situation, I will follow the lead without any worry,” Priya replied, with sincerity in her voice.