Chapter Twenty
Training the Broken
Hazel Pov
By morning, my muscles hated me.
By noon, they were threatening mutiny.
The clearing had been stripped bare—trees pushed back, earth flattened into a wide circle scorched with old magic and fresh claw marks. Lucien stood at the edge like a silent judge, arms crossed, eyes sharp and unblinking. Caleb paced opposite him, shirt already discarded, scars mapping his skin like a confession he never asked forgiveness for. Flora has put so many dirty and unforgiving images in my mind that I can't concentrate when sparring with him.
And me?
I was right in the middle of it.
"Again," Lucien said coolly.
I wiped sweat from my brow with the back of my hand and tightened my grip on the blade. My arms burned. My ribs still ached from yesterday. From Selene. From Helene. From my powers and Helene's. She's not even helping. Acting like a lazy pig all day. I mean flora still tells me what to do once in a while. Right now I'm testing using weapons and claws. Nothing else. Meaning no Flora, no Helene.
Caleb didn't hesitate.
He lunged.
Steel met steel with a violent screech. I barely twisted aside in time, his blade slicing air where my throat had been a heartbeat earlier. I countered low, fast—he blocked, spun, knocked me back three steps.
Good.
Too good.
"Doesn't he look so sexy.... Flora purred .... I mean, look at the sweat gliding down his body.... Imagine it were our hands.... Or tongue.."
"Fucks sake Flora. I'm trying to concentrate. I swear that if he smells our arousal...."
"I mean the wolf isn't lying. He does look hella sexy. Both the alpha and the best friend. I don't know who to keep my eyes on." Helene drawled.
"Okay, that's it," I said as I blocked both of them from my mind.
"Hi baby", Someone said
I stiffened.
I looked at Caleb but saw that he was still attacking me and hadn't said a word. I managed to look over to lucien but it was the same.
"Who's this?" I asked back in my mind dodging a punch to my gut and kneeing Caleb.
A laugh rolled through my head, dark and pleased. "Relax, sweetheart, I'm Adam and I'm just enjoying the view."
I was wondering what view till I remembered I was wearing a sports bra and leggings.
"Adam who? And how're you able to talk to me?"
"Ouch baby, you can feel it, you know who I am. I'm glad I can finally talk to you. A little warning tho, I don't like other guys seeing you in a sports bra. They look hella sexy tho."
I gritted my teeth and attacked again.
This time, power bled into my strike—Flora's edge, sharp and cold. Caleb felt it. I saw it in the way his eyes narrowed, the way he adjusted instantly, grounding himself deeper.
"You're leaning on her," he said quietly as we locked blades.
"She's part of me," I snapped back.
Helene interrupted with a flick of my fingers.
The air shifted.
Pressure slammed down on both of us at once, invisible and crushing. My knees bent under it. Caleb growled, barely holding his stance. Lucuen stifled a laugh. She's been at it since morning. Not helping but interrupting.
"Alright let's not try to kill ourselves," Helene said with my mouth. "But faster."
I moved.
So did Adam.
The world sharpened—colors brighter, sounds louder. I ducked under Caleb's next swing, spun, and kicked him hard in the ribs. He skidded back, grinning like a madman even as he coughed.
"Oh, I missed this," he muttered.
I barely heard him.
Because Adam surged forward, closer than he had ever dared. And held me so I was pressed against his body. He leaned his head on my shoulder and whispered.
"Gods" he purred. "You feel incredible like this."
My breath hitched.
"Hazel," Lucien called sharply. "Control."
"I have it," I snapped.
Adam laughed again—low, filthy. "Liar."
I turned too fast.
Too reckless.
Caleb caught me by the wrist, momentum slamming us chest to chest. For one dangerous second, neither of us moved.
Then Adam took advantage.
My hand fisted in Caleb's shirt—not my choice—and before I could stop it, my body leaned in and my mouth brushed his.
Not soft.
Not sweet.
A sharp, claiming kiss—brief, heated, unmistakable.
The clearing went dead silent.
I shoved him back instantly, dagger flashing into my other hand, blade pressed to his throat.
"I will gut you," I said through clenched teeth.
Caleb's grin was slow. Provoked. Very much alive. "Worth it."
Lucien's brow lifted slightly. "Interesting development."
Inside my head, Adam was smug beyond belief.
"You threaten me like that again", he murmured,"and I'm doing worse."
"Adam," I hissed internally, shaking with fury. "I swear—"
"You didn't pull away," he interrupted softly.
"That was Flora. Not me."
"You're the same. She can't take control of you don't let her. Same thing Caleb's letting me. He wants you but can't act it. I want you both and I'll act like it."
I coughed.
My hand trembled against Caleb's throat.
Slowly, deliberately, I stepped back and lowered the blade.
"Training's over for me today," I said flatly.
Lucien studied me for a long moment, then nodded. "For today."
Caleb watched me walk away, eyes dark, expression unreadable.
Inside me, Helene was quiet.
Adam wasn't.
"You're going to let me in one day, doll" he said, "And when you do? I'll never let you go. Ever."
I scoffed.
But my pulse told him everything he needed to know.
When I was sure I was far away I kicked a tree next to me hard.
"FLORA!!! Why would you do something like that?!"
"What?! Don't blame me. I wasn't the one who fisted his cloth." She smiled resting her head on her paws in my mind.
"You .. You continued kissing him!"
"She's right sweetheart, Helene said laughing, you did start kissing him. We just followed your lead. You're mean tho, kissing in front of the hotshot. You should've seen his face."
Damn. I blocked them both out of my mind again.