CHAPTER 281: BIRTHDAY IV

"You know you have a lot of guts addressing my father by his last name," Adam broke the comfortable silence between us as he led Diana and me toward the pack’s training grounds.

To show us how they flex their muscles, he had said, when he came to pick us from our rooms thirty minutes after the breakfast affair.

The last place I wanted to be was some training ground, watching people sweat and break their limbs, but I had never been in one. The age required to be allowed in one was the very age I had attained and then become ostracized.

I wanted to see what it looked like. I had heard the descriptions, but I wanted to see it. At least once, before I returned to the community.

"Where is your mind?" Adam mused, nudging me lightly on the shoulder.

Today, there had been some sort of good camaraderie between us. Even El wasn’t complaining.

Maybe because I could see why Malek had insisted that my past might have been more complicated than I thought.

Or maybe because Adam and I had always had a good rhythm when there was no back and forth.

"In important places," I answered, aware of Diana dissecting with her mind when this sort of comfortable energy had developed between Adam and me. I was yet to tell her about the early morning episode.

"What were you talking about?" I continued, casting a glance at him, even though I had heard well what he had been talking about. He thought me bold, reckless, disrespectful.

"Your habit of addressing royals by their name."

"I shouldn’t address you by your name?" I scoffed, laughing with Diana at the insulting tone in my voice. But Adam was amused all the same.

"I wasn’t talking about me. I was talking about your queen, about my father."

"She is not my queen," I started, without explanation. "And your father... he didn’t complain now, did he?"

Adam shook his head. "You are unbelievable. Did they sell this guts in the human world? How much?"

"A couple of millions. If you pay me right, I can connect you to my dealer."

Were we flirting?

I didn’t think so, but I was enjoying the banter so much that I didn’t see we were approaching the training field until Diana pointed at it.

"Is that it?" she inquired, looking at Adam, who nodded.

"The one and only."

There was a gate and a fence. That was all we could see. But I could see why Diana had figured it was the training grounds—the shouts, the grunts, and groans, things I hadn’t heard because I was enjoying my banter with Adam.

When we walked into the ground, past the open gates, I saw it was just a field of grass like a football field, only there were no stadium-like benches like the contest ground back in the witch community.

There were a few bleachers, but that was that. Werewolves remained standing, some forming a ring about fighters cheering, others training on the other side.

There was also gym equipment under a large shade. The field was large, so large that I couldn’t see the end of it.

I could see groups training on different techniques though. Then I saw some shift into their wolves and battle. I saw the teachers, heads of groups I believed, giving instructions—two of which were Adam’s brothers.

Why, though? Weren’t they young themselves? Just a year or two older than I was? They should be learning from older men.

"We are special... have special gifts too. Also fast in learning," Adam spoke softly, like he had read my thoughts. "We actually train alone... we have our trainers... there is a space in the palace yard."

But of course. Why hadn’t I thought about that?

"That’s great." Sarcastic comment which didn’t go unnoticed by him.

He only chuckled, a sound that sent tendrils of pleasure to my belly and stayed ringing in my ears even after some seconds.

Meanwhile, most of the groups had paused their training at our entrance, and I wondered now if this was the first time they were seeing magic wielders in their midst.

Of course not, I answered my own question, taking note of Raul and Levina sitting on one of the few bleachers. Claire and Naomi were also with them.

This friendship between Claire and Naomi... I don’t think I would ever get used to seeing it.

When they saw us, they waved us over—or rather, Naomi waved us over.

"Do you want to join them?" Adam whispered, looking around the field, the much we could see, his eyes stopping at his brothers, who had paused the training sessions they were overseeing.

I sighed and started toward the group I was familiar with. I wasn’t in the mood for another face-off with Adam’s brothers.

But the idiot followed us, as if he wasn’t aware of his brothers glaring daggers at him.

"What are you doing?" I whispered angrily, as he walked side by side with me.

"Being a good guide."

I rolled my eyes, threw a half-hearted greeting to those on the benches, before taking a seat with Diana on the next bleacher.

The idiot still sat with us, not minding the silence in the field, not minding his approaching brothers.

Here we go. I mused frustratedly, wondering if the king had foreseen this, by throwing Adam to me as a guide, instead of another of his elders, or even Ray.

"Dora..." Noah said as he got to us, ignoring the fellows on the other bench, ignoring Naomi.

But what do I know? They may have exchanged pleasantries before my arrival. I should stop thinking about their relationship as my fault or thing.

"Noah." I muttered, giving him a curt nod, him and Daniel who kept darting glances between me and his brother.

Why were they making their inclinations so obvious? Couldn’t they act stoic as before?

"Do you want to train?" Daniel asked. "I can show you some moves..."

And sweat like a Christmas turkey? No, thank you very much.

"I am fine with watching. Are there any fights today?"

I didn’t think there were, noting the glances between the brothers, but when they responded in the affirmative, I knew there would be one, just to enlighten me.

That didn’t sit well with Claire, if stomping her feet and clenching her fist were any indication.

"But you make the choices. Who do you want to see fight?"

I furrowed my brows. What was this trap I had pulled myself into unknowingly?

"I don’t think she is in the place to do that," Claire spoke, anger coloring her cheeks red, puckering her lips.

She looked ugly for a mere second, before she huffed and looked away, after the triplets had ignored her.

"She is right though," I spoke, relaxing on the tiny backrest wood, structured with the bench. "I don’t know anyone in the pack. So I don’t know who to pick. I think you should let the people continue their training. I’m not staying long after all."

I wasn’t ready for more troubles with the people of this pack; I could already see the gazes they gave me, sizing me up, wondering what was so spectacular about me that the magic goddess had to set me apart for a use.

They were not happy. Why was I concerned?

Because you clamor for validation, somewhere within you... El pointed out. You should deal with that, before it throws you into trouble.

What kind of trouble?

There was no answer this time. She retracted into her state, whatever and wherever that was. I was yet to understand the mystery being that was El.

Was she an animal? Or just some consciousness?

"Oh, you have to stay!" Naomi chimed, more enthusiastic for this topic than was necessary. "It will be fun. I can select fighters who would give the maximum entertainment, that have perfect reflexes and control over their wolves..."

I shrugged. "If you insist."

She clapped her hands and got to her feet, eyes shining as they roved through the mixed population.

She selected her brother, Timothy, and one of the sons of the elders who I remembered had once tried to sleep with me, thinking me being bullied meant I had a low IQ too, that I was in need of companionship, in any form it took.

He looked bigger now, more ripped, but I could recognize those eyes, those smirking lips. Leon.

From the smug happiness shining in his demeanor, I knew he had wanted this fight for so long.

Timothy scowling at his sister didn’t dampen her mood, neither did it dampen mine. Maybe she was right. Maybe I would find this very interesting.

I crossed my legs, watching as Adam called for a circle—a larger circle than the previous training one; watching as Leon and Timothy took the center stage, with Naomi acting as referee.

Yes, this will be entertaining. It was my birthday after all.

"So, we are staying here for long then?" Diana asked, resting her head against my shoulder.

"Maybe. If you don’t like it, we can leave..."

"No, I would love to see it happen again... the shift mid-air."

But of course.

"Anything you want, girl."