Free Web NovelChapter 122: Chapter 121: Raphael Requested For Elena
Raphael sighed, clearly having expected this response. "I understand your protectiveness. But some of what I need to teach her involves vulnerability, emotional exposure, breaking down mental barriers. She won’t be able to do that with an audience of territorial alphas watching her every move."
"Then she’ll have to learn with an audience," Damian said flatly. "Because we’re not leaving her alone with you. Uncle or not, you’re still a male. Still radiating sexual energy."
"I am her uncle," Raphael said, his voice taking on an edge. "Her father’s brother. Do you really think I would....."
"We don’t know what you would or wouldn’t do," Damon interrupted. "We’ve known you for all of twelve hours. Trust takes longer than that to build."
Eve held up a hand, forestalling the argument she could feel building. "Compromise. You can be present for the training, but you stay back. You observe but don’t interfere. Let Raphael teach without constantly interrupting or questioning every technique."
She looked at each of her mates in turn. "I know you’re protective. I love that about you. But I also need this training. Need it desperately. And if your presence makes it harder for me to learn, then you need to control yourselves. For my sake."
The brothers exchanged glances, clearly unhappy but unable to argue with her logic.
"Fine," Damian said grudgingly. "We observe without interfering. But...." His eyes locked on Raphael with deadly seriousness. "....the moment we feel you’re crossing a line, we intervene. Non-negotiable."
"Acceptable," Raphael agreed, though his expression suggested he found their paranoia both amusing and slightly insulting.
"When do we start?" Eve asked.
"Now," Raphael said. "Every hour we delay is an hour less preparation before the Court arrives. We’ll start with basic control exercises, move into advanced energy manipulation, then begin working on Court protocols and political strategy."
He pulled a small pocket watch from his coat, checking the time. "We have few weeks or even few days to train. I can give you the equivalent of several months of training if we use every minute efficiently. But it will be intense. Exhausting. You’ll want to quit multiple times."
"I won’t quit," Eve said with absolute conviction.
"Good," Raphael said, and his smile turned almost predatory. "Then let’s see what the daughter of Azrael and Lilith is truly capable of."
They adjourned to the estate’s training room.....the same underground facility where Eve had been training with Elder Markov. But Raphael’s teaching style was completely different from the elderly wolf’s patient, methodical approach.
Raphael was demanding. Ruthless. He pushed Eve past her limits and then demanded more. When she created an energy construct, he critiqued every flaw, every inefficiency, every wasted iota of power. When she tried to drain energy from the training dummies he’d conjured, he made her do it again and again until she could control the exact amount she took.
Hours blurred together. Eve’s body ached, her mind screamed for rest, but Raphael was relentless.
"Again," he commanded as Eve’s latest energy whip flickered and died. "And this time, maintain perfect stability. No fluctuations."
"I can’t," Eve gasped, swaying on her feet from exhaustion. "I don’t have anything left....." freeωebnovēl.c૦m
"You have reserves you haven’t touched," Raphael interrupted sharply. "Your body is lying to you, telling you you’re empty when you’re only at seventy percent capacity. Push through the discomfort. Find the deeper wells of power."
From the observation area, Damian tensed, clearly wanting to intervene. But he’d promised not to interfere, and Eve shot him a look that said I can handle this.
She raised her hand again, digging deep, and this time when the energy whip formed, it was solid, stable and perfect.
Raphael’s smile was fierce with approval. "There. That’s what I wanted to see. Again."
They trained for six hours straight before Raphael finally called a halt. Eve collapsed onto the training mat, every muscle trembling, her energy reserves genuinely depleted now.
"Enough for today," Raphael announced. "You need to feed and rest before we continue."
He crouched beside Eve, his expression softening from demanding teacher to concerned uncle. "You did well. Better than I expected for a first session. Your mother would be impressed."
Eve managed a weak smile, too exhausted to do more than that.
Damian was there immediately, scooping her up off the mat despite her half-hearted protest that she could walk. "She needs food and sleep."
"Agreed," Raphael said. "I’ll return to my quarters. We resume training tomorrow."
As Damian carried Eve toward the exit, she looked back over his shoulder at her uncle. "Raphael? Thank you. For everything. Thank you for being here.
Raphael’s expression crumpled briefly with emotion before he composed himself. "I could never give up on you, Evangeline. You’re my brother’s daughter. My family. My responsibility and my joy."
He smiled, and despite the exhaustion and the intensity of the training, Eve felt warmth bloom in her chest. "Get some rest, little one. Tomorrow we’ll work on political protocols....how to navigate the Court without getting yourself killed."
"Can’t wait," Eve said with weak sarcasm, and Raphael’s laugh followed them out of the training room.
As Damian carried her through the hallway, Damon fell into step beside them. "That was brutal to watch. He pushed you so hard."
"I needed it," Eve said, her head resting against Damian’s shoulder. "I’m dangerous right now. Unstable. He’s giving me the tools to control it."
"Still don’t like him," Damon muttered.
****
In the master bedroom, Eve lay wrapped in Damian’s arms, her body still trembling slightly from the exhaustion of her first intensive training session with Raphael.
Damon stood near the window, watching the grounds with that restless energy that never quite left him. Silas sat at the edge of the bed, one hand resting on Eve’s ankle in that grounding way he had, his dark eyes occasionally flicking to her face to make sure she was truly okay.
The knock at the door broke the comfortable silence.
"I’ll get it," Damon said, moving toward the door with fluid grace. He pulled it open to find Catherine standing in the hallway, her expression troubled.
"What is it, Catherine?" Damon asked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience. They’d told the staff not to disturb them unless it was urgent.
Catherine bowed respectfully. "Alpha, I apologize for the interruption, but there’s a situation regarding Luna’s uncle."
From inside the room, Silas’s voice called out, "Damon, what’s going on?"
Damon looked back at Catherine. "Come inside."
Catherine entered the bedroom, her eyes briefly taking in the scene....Damian on the bed with Eve wrapped securely in his arms, her face peaceful despite her exhaustion; Silas at the bed’s edge, protective and watchful; and Damon now closing the door behind her.
"Well?" Damon prompted. "Continue with what you were saying about our visitor."
Catherine bowed again, clearly uncomfortable with what she had to report. "The visitor....Lord Raphael....he rejected all the female werewolves we sent to his quarters."
There was a beat of silence.
"He rejected them?" Damon’s eyebrows rose. "Did he state any reason why?"
Catherine shook her head. "He didn’t say anything specific. He only said he didn’t want them and that I should....." She hesitated, not finishing her sentence. freeweɓnøvel.com
Damian spoke for the first time, his voice carrying that alpha authority that made even senior pack members straighten. "Complete your sentence, woman. Who did he request for, and why is it difficult to send him who he requested for?"
Catherine took a breath. "He requested that we send Elena specifically."
"Elena?" Damon’s expression shifted to surprise. "He requested Maya?"
"Yes, Alpha. He specifically requested her."
Damian’s brow furrowed. "Then what’s the issue? If he wants Elena, then send him Elena."
Catherine looked down at her hands. "The problem is that Elena isn’t part of the females who volunteered to entertain our visitor."
Silas leaned forward slightly. "Then call Elena and ask her if she would like to help keep our visitor entertained. Give her the choice."
"Yes, Alpha," Catherine said, relief evident in her voice. She bowed once more and left the room.
