AEGIS'S P.O.V

"Duck."

The punch came out of nowhere and slammed into my ribs like a sledgehammer.

I staggered back gasping at the pain exploding through my side. Before I could catch my breath another hit came, this time to my jaw. My vision blurred.

"Focus!" a deep voice barked.

I dodged the next blow slightly by instinct, ducking low and spinning away. My body moved like it knew what to do, but my mind was still catching up.

Another strike. This one grazed my shoulder, sending a sharp sting down my arm.

"Is this all you’ve got?" the voice growled.

I raised my head fists raised. The man towering over me had a cruel smirk on his face. Sweat glistened on his dark skin, and his eyes were sharp promptlg calculating my every moves.

"Is this how you're going to make them pay?" "You're such a weakling," he taunted, circling me.

I lunged at him, throwing a punch. He caught my wrist mid-air and twisted inhumanly, forcing me to my knees. Pain shot through me, but I didn’t scream.

"Pathetic," he muttered.

I growled, yanking my arm free and kicking out. My foot connected with his shin, and he stumbled. For a split second, satisfaction burned in my chest.

Then he was on me, pinning me to the ground.

"The slightest hesitation could be your very death Miss Aegis" he said coldly. "GET UP."

I shoved him off with a grunt, rolling to my feet. Every muscle in my body screamed, but I ignored it. I'm never give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

The training went on like that-- unrelenting and brutal. Blow after blow, fall after fall.

I took a chance at kicking his left leg and flipped him on his back. He laid there in shock.

I won. I just defeated the undefeated sparring grandmaster for over two decades in a fight.

I was on my hands and knees, gasping for air. Bloody sweat dripped from my chin and pooled on the dirt below. My arms felt like lead, my body one massive bruise.

"You’re insane," the man said, shaking his head. "No one’s ever made it through this training. No one. And you...you just..." He trailed off, his tone unreadable. "You don’t even have your wolf."

All his words did was remind me of one more thing they took from me. My wolf. I swallowed hard as it all came rushing back. The rogue attack. The blood. The scream inside my head when my wolf was torn away from me.

I forced the thought down, shoving it into the dark corner of my mind. Not now. Not here.

"You’re not normal," he accused inm anger."A human should’ve collapsed hours ago. What are you?"

I stood slowly, brushing the dirt off my hands. "I’m Aegis," I said flatly.

The man huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. "Whatever you are, you’re dangerous."

I didn’t respond. I didn’t care what he thought.

Behind him, Alpha Brianna stepped forward, her arms crossed. "Enough, Minister Marcus," she said. "You’ve proven your point. You can leave now but remember you can tell no one of this."

Marcus muttered something under his breath and walked away, leaving me alone with her.

"You handled yourself well," she said.

I wiped my face with my sleeve. " Still not enough."

Her eyes softened, "You're doing really good, little one."

We walked back toward the pack in silence. The cool evening air soothed the ache in my muscles.

"You’re stronger than most people I’ve met," she said suddenly.

"I don’t care about being strong," I replied. My voice was detached. "The only thing that matters is avenging my pack."

Her footsteps slowed. She turned to face me, her expression serious. "About that, people are starting to notice you," she said. "They’re asking questions. Soon, they’ll start digging. And when they do..."

Her words hung heavy in the air.

"What do you suggest?" I asked, my voice flat.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I could adopt you."

I blinked. "What?"

"I have a friend at the Werewolf Council," she explained. "He can register you as dead. Then, we’ll re-register you as my daughter. No one will question it. I’m reclusive enough that they’ll just assume I was hiding you for safety."

It made sense in a way. The Pack doesn't know where I was from. No one would question it.

"You’d do that for me?" I asked suspiciously.

Her eyes met mine calmly. "Yes."

I nodded. "Fine. Do it."

She smiled faintly. "I’ll handle it."

She left most probably to her office and I was left alone again.

I neared the pack grounds and saw a group of children playing in the field. Their laughter filled the air. But one little girl sat apart looks at them fondly with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Something inside me twisted. My chest tightened and suddenly I wasn’t in the field anymore.

I was back in the morgue. Little Cece’s lifeless body was on the table. Her small hand was cold in mine.

I stumbled blindly as my breath hitched. The world around me spinned around.

No. Not now.

I clenched my fists, forcing the panic attack down. My nails dug into my palms, drawing out blood, grounding me.

When I came back to me, the little girl was still sitting alone. My heart ached but I pushed it down.

"You shouldn’t even be here," a male voice sneered, startling me even though i didn't show it.

I turned to see Noah, Alpha Elijah’s younger brother, standing with two others,Zach and Emery. The three survivors of my former pack.

"Look at her," Noah growled, his tone dripping with disdain. "Acting like she belongs."

I didn’t respond. I can't. It was all still too raw. Instead I stared forward.

"You should’ve died with them," Zach muttered.

Emery snorted. "She probably ran. Left them to die."

Their words stung but I kept my face blank. And still I stared forward.

"Nothing to say?" Noah taunted. "Coward."

They laughed together. Then, just as quickly as they came, they left.

I continued staring forward, my jaw clenched.

My vision began to blur as the panic I"d being pushing down came rushing back in a violent back.

I shook violently in a single spot and coughed repeatedly. I can't let it win. They can't win. So I focused my eyes back to the little girl.

She still sat there and all of me wanted to go help her. But this time I remembered who I am. I am Aegis, I am cursed to always destroy all that I love.

Lesson 4: A flower might be pretty but it's thorns are but it's curses.

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