Chapter 169: He’s Really Training You?

"We’re going to the training grounds," Orion said.

Sophia blinked nodded but then blinked in shock when the words settled. "What?"

Her steps faltered for a second

"Orion," she said, catching up beside him. "Are you sure that’s a good idea?"

He cast her a glance, a hint of amusement ghosting behind his eyes. "Why wouldn’t it be?"

"Because," she said pointedly, lowering her voice, "we agreed to keep this quiet."

"Our relationship." He said with a nod.

"But will Walking into the training grounds together not alert people that there something going on?" She asked him.

"I’m not so sure." He told her.

"Really?" She asked with an eyeroll. "That’s the best reassurance you could come up with?"

He laughed at that. "I’m honest, shorty. We’ve established that." He told her then spoke up after a pause. "We spent time together during the festival and even before you started running again the training grounds, I was the one to test you so it wouldn’t be all that surprising that we are waking into the training grounds. Besides it’s not like you will be all over me even though I know you can’t resist me and how hard it’ll be for you to physically do so." He said with a smirk.

"You sure I’m the only one who will be suffering from that?" She asked him.

"Shorty, you forget I have better self control than you. It was you who ran from me after that spectacular night we had." He told her.

Sophia released a sigh. "Now I’m rethinking why I told you I found you irrestible."

Orion laughed again. Sophia noticed he was doing that a lot now and it brought a smile to her face.

"You know, I think I kinda like that our mark is hidden." She told him.

"Me too." Orion said to her. "It’ll just be for my eyes only." He said as he lucked his lips.

Sophia rolled her eyes, walking ahead of him. He smiled to himself before walking to meet up with her.

They walked in comfortable silence to the training grounds.

When they stepped into the clearing, the cold hit sharper, clearer, and the trainees were already there, a few dozen of them scattered across the wide, rune-ringed field.

The training grounds were alive with motion. The trainees that were gathered stretched their limbs as they prepared for the run. Sophia would have been a part of them right now if not for the fact that she was going to be receiving a different lecture from an overbearing oaf today.

The training grounds looked the same.Wooden dummies stood in neat rows, many battered and scarred from years of use, and racks of weapons lined the fence line, swords, spears, axes, bows, all perfectly arranged by type.

Conversations and movements slowed almost immediately. Heads turned as Sophia and Orion walked into the training grounds.

Sophia felt the weight of it. The gazes were filled with curiosity because Orion hardly came to the training grounds especially by this time. The last time he was here was to test her and immediately she passed his test, he left.

Trainees who were stretching, stopped and stared as Orion walked in. Sometimes, Sophia noticed that Orion’s people treated him like he was a God. The admiration they had for him could fill a full ocean.

Sophia glanced at Orion, her brows arching. "They are looking at you like you are some miracle to walk amidst them."

Orion chuckled. "I’m famous, shorty."

Before she could say more, the instructor, a towering man with dark, weathered skin and arms like tree trunks, approached them. His black beard was streaked with silver, and his long hair was tied back at the nape of his neck. The faint scars across his jaw looked like they’d been earned, not worn. He wore an earring in one ear, similar to the ones Brynhild wore.

"Alpha Orion," he greeted, voice deep and respectful, though laced with easy familiarity. "Wasn’t expecting to see you here this early."

"Good morning, Garron," Orion replied evenly, clasping the man’s forearm.

"Morning indeed," Garron said with a grin that showed a missing tooth. "What brings you to my domain today?"

"I’ll be making use of the far ring. I need to train someone." Orion said with a glance at Sophia.

Garron’s gaze flicked to Sophia and back again, his eyes narrowing in mild surprise. "Ah. The newcomer." His grin widened slightly, though his tone held no disrespect. "She really did pass the test."

Sophia felt her cheeks heat despite the cold. "It was mostly luck."

Garron gave a low chuckle that rumbled in his chest. "I was there that day and that wasn’t luck."

"More like stubbornness." Orion muttered low just enough that only Sophia heard him.

Before she could respond, she heard a sound from a familiar voice.

"Past, Sophia."

She turned trying to locate him.

"Sophia, to your left." Dren whispered out and once her eyes locked on him, he waved her over.

There were a few other trainees around him and each had curious eyes staring at her. The gazes moved between her and Orion each filled with bleeding curiosity.

Sophia looked toward Orion who now had Garron’s full attention then back to Drn, before walking towards him. She was going to be just a moment.

"What’s going on?" Dren asked the moment she reached him.

Sophia frowned. "What do you mean, what’s going on?"

He motioned over her shoulder toward Orion and Garron. "You came here with him."

"With who?" Sophia asked him even if she knew who he was referring to.

"The Alpha, Sophia. You came here with him." Dren said as the others nodded.

"Okay?"

Dren released a sigh. "Why?"

She blinked holding in the laugh threatening to spill. "Right. He’s here because he’s training me. I’m learning how to fight directly from him."

Dren’s eyes widened when the words landed. "Wait...he’s really training you?"

"Um...you all were here when I took the test." She pointed out.

"Yes." A dark haired girl spoke up. "But we never thought he’d train you one on one. You were running with us."

"Because he told me so." Sophia replied to them.

"And that’s why we thought..." The girl turned to Dren then swallowed.

"Thought what?" Sophia asked her.

"Well...we thought he was just going to let you train with us and not teach you personally." Dren told her.

"Oh." Sophia said.

"No, not oh. People have asked for months for Orion to train them. He’s the best fighter in the pack and he hasn’t taught anyone for a while now." Dren told her.

Sophia nodded, Orion wasn’t joking when he told her that people pestered him to teach them after all.

"How did you do it?" The girl asked her.

"Yes, tell us." Another boy spoke up.

"I just asked him." She told them with a shrug.

She left out the fact that she argued with him and basically annoyed him until he agreed. It’s not like that was important though.

The trainees stared at her like they were seeing another miracle at their midst.

"You just asked him?!" They asked her in surprise.