Chapter 21. Training with Us

Athena

I know the chances of running into Daxon again are slim, he’s an ocean away, probably already moved on to his next victim. But I want to be prepared, mentally and physically, for whatever comes next.

I want to be strong enough to protect myself, to never again be at the mercy of someone who claims to love me while slowly destroying me.

“So where exactly are we going?” I ask as Leah pulls out of the parking lot.

She grins at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “To meet some friends of mine. They’re going to teach you how to fight back.”

The words send a thrill through me, mixing anticipation with fear. Fight back. It sounds so simple when she says it, but I know it’s anything but.

My whole life, I’ve been the one who avoided conflict, who found ways around confrontation rather than through it.

Even with Ciara’s strength coursing through my veins, I’ve never allowed myself to be aggressive, to be the hunter rather than the hunt