Chapter 171 – I can’t afford to go easy on you
Seraphine instinctively held onto her jacket a little tighter when Voren told her to take it off, because underneath it, she only had on a cropped tank top that left far more exposed than she was comfortable with in a setting like this, especially since she hadn’t expected the training to take this turn.
At the hospital, it had never been an issue, because she always had her doctor’s coat layered over it after taking off her jacket, which gave her enough coverage to move around without thinking twice, but here, standing in the middle of a training ground surrounded by people, it suddenly felt different.
"Do I really have to?" she asked, her hesitation clear even though her tone remained controlled.
Voren raised a brow at her, his expression unimpressed as he replied without filtering his words. "Don’t tell me you came here without wearing anything underneath, because I’m not sure what you expected training to look like."
His words were blunt, but Seraphine didn’t take offense, especially after Kael had already mentioned that Voren had a lot on his plate, and whatever he was dealing with seemed to be bleeding into his mood more than he probably realized.
Instead of arguing or dragging it out, she decided not to make things more complicated than they already were.
With a quiet breath, she unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it off in one smooth motion, revealing her toned, flat stomach as the cool air brushed against her skin.
For a brief second, something flickered in Voren’s eyes, something she couldn’t quite identify before it disappeared just as quickly as it came.
"Come with me," he said, turning away as if nothing had happened before addressing the others. "Keep training."
Seraphine followed him, her steps steady as she tried to shake off the lingering awareness of his gaze.
"Do you own this place?" she asked as they walked, her curiosity getting the better of her after noticing how naturally he commanded everything around him.
"I already told you it belongs to a friend," Voren replied without looking at her. "I just help train his private trainees sometimes."
Seraphine nodded, accepting the explanation as they moved into another room, this one quieter and completely isolated, leaving just the two of them.
Voren took her jacket from her and hung it neatly on a hook before turning back to her, his expression more serious now.
"The more I look into Santiago, the more I realize how complicated this is going to be," he said, his tone steady but carrying weight. "He has a military background, and he personally trained his bodyguards, which means their combat skills are at a completely different level."
The words landed heavily, and Seraphine felt something sink in her chest.
She had planned to rely on the combat training she got at the pack, believing it would give her an advantage, but hearing this made it clear that things weren’t going to be that simple.
Nothing about this was simple. "Don’t let that get to you," Voren added, noticing the change in her expression. "The FBI will be close by, but I still need you to be capable of handling yourself if things go sideways."
She nodded, grounding herself again. "I understand. Thank you."
"Good," he said, stepping back as he took his stance. "Now get ready, because this part is different."
His posture changed instantly, every line of his body tightening with precision as he squared up in front of her.
"No claws, no weapons, just your body and your will," he said, his voice firm. Seraphine didn’t hesitate.
She moved first, fast and aggressive, relying on speed and instinct as she lunged toward him, aiming to catch him off guard.
It didn’t work.
Voren intercepted her strike mid-motion with ease, his grip locking around her wrist before twisting it just enough to send a sharp wave of pain shooting up her arm, forcing a reaction she couldn’t suppress.
Before she could recover, he pushed her back with enough force to throw her off balance, her body jolting as she struggled to steady herself.
"Ouch," she muttered under her breath, her face tightening as the sting settled in.
Voren didn’t soften. "Sorry," he said, though his expression remained unchanged. "I can’t afford to go easy on you, especially not today, because this is your last training session, and your date is in three days."
The reminder made her chest tighten slightly. "Can’t you give me one more day?" she asked, her voice carrying a rare hint of uncertainty as she thought about facing someone like Santiago after everything she had just learned.
Voren shook his head without hesitation. "I can’t. I have to leave for the pack tonight, but I’ll be back before you go."
Seraphine wanted to ask more, because something about that filled her with unease, especially since he had mentioned before that his parents were already handling things there, so whatever was pulling him back now had to be serious.
Before she could press further, his voice cut through her thoughts again.
"Let’s try something," he said, his tone hardening slightly as he stepped forward. "Imagine I’m Santiago."
She stilled for a second, watching him carefully. Then he spoke again, his words hitting harder this time.
"Hey, Sera, I’m Santiago, and I killed your daughter. What are you going to do about it?"
Everything inside her snapped into focus. The hesitation disappeared instantly, replaced by something raw and powerful as anger surged through her, sharpening every instinct she had.
She moved again, but this time, there was control behind it.
Her strikes came faster, tighter, each movement driven with purpose instead of reckless force, while her defenses adjusted just as quickly, her body learning, adapting, responding.
She pivoted more cleanly, her hips driving the motion of her attacks, her strength flowing from her core instead of just her arms, each strike carrying intention instead of scattered emotion.
Time seemed to blur as they went back and forth, the rhythm of combat pulling everything else away.
Then finally, she landed it. A clean, solid hit to Voren’s jaw.
His head snapped slightly to the side as he took a small step back, clearly caught off guard for a fraction of a second before a low, almost impressed smile thinned his lips.
"Better," he said, wiping a small trace of blood from his lip as he looked at her.
There was approval there. "Remember that feeling," he continued, his voice steady again. "That’s what you hold onto if you ever find yourself face to face with Santiago and there’s no room for compromise."
He stepped away and retrieved her jacket, handing it back to her as the intensity of the moment slowly faded.
Seraphine slipped it on, her mind still running through everything that had just happened, but as she adjusted it over her shoulders, something else crossed her mind.
She looked at him, her gaze steady but thoughtful.
"Voren," she said, her tone softer now. "Is there something going on that I can help with, because you seem like you’re dealing with something you’re not saying out loud."