Chapter 193: Day 2

Chapter 192: Day 2

The dawn light was soft and pale, slipping through the thin curtains and settling over the room like a whisper. The embers in the hearth had burned down to a faint orange glow, still warm enough to keep the chill at bay. Orion stirred first. His eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim light, and for a moment, he didn’t move — just lay there, listening to the quiet rhythm of Sophia’s breathing beside him.

She was sprawled across the bed, face turned slightly into the pillow, hair cascading across her bare back in dark waves. The mark on her back glimmered faintly, that subtle silver glow that only appeared when the bond between them pulsed strongest — a soft reminder of what they shared.

Orion’s lips curved into a small, private smile. The memory of the night before returned in pieces. After the wonderful blowjob he received from her, they continued exploring each other. He licked his lips, he could still taste her on his lips and damn he craved more. The previous night was nothing less than the one they had before. If anything, he was more inclined to say it was better. And with each exploring, it got better.

He reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. Her skin was warm under his fingertips. For a second, he thought she might wake, her lashes fluttered, her lips parted slightly — but then she sighed and settled again.

"Sleep, shorty," he murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible.

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead before slipping out of bed. The floor was cool beneath his feet as he dressed quietly, gathering his discarded clothes and slipping into them piece by piece. He cast one last look at her before leaving — she was still asleep, face softened, utterly at peace. That alone was enough to make his chest tighten.

Outside, the cold air bit at his skin, snapping him fully awake. The world was hushed beneath a blanket of snow. Smoke curled from the chimneys of nearby homes, the faint scent of burning cedar drifting through the air. Orion inhaled deeply, then made his way to his own house.

There was no one around because it was still very early.

Once inside, he stripped off his clothes again and washed up, scrubbing the lingering scent of sleep and warmth from his skin. He dressed in clean training gear — black trousers, fitted tunic, and a heavy cloak before stepping out.

He had one place to get to before he made his way to the training grounds. Sophia would not believe what he was going to show up with.

He made his way to the equipment shed, he had placed a leather ball there the previous day. It didn’t take him long to find it. All he had to do was go directly to where he kept it.

By the time he reached the training grounds, the sky had lightened, streaks of pink and gold stretching across the horizon. He paused when he saw the trainees already gathered — earlier than usual, which was rare. Their breaths puffed out in clouds as they stretched and sparred in pairs, waiting for him.

He frowned slightly. "They’re early," he muttered, half to himself.

"They are all eager to learn from you." Garron spoke up.

He was walking with Tobias who had a grin on his face.

True to his words, Orion had deposited twenty gold coins in Tobias’ account just to make him come here.

"You are early too." Orion noted.

"We heard the trainees talking about how they were going to get up early to train. And we are their instructors right?" Tobias asked him.

Orion nodded.

He turned searching for Sophia. He had left her asleep but normally, she’d be at the training grounds. And if the trainees had talked about how they were going to come early, then she wouldn’t have missed it, not at all. She’d have been here too.

He was about to speak up, to ask someone to go fetch her when movement at the edge of the field caught his attention. Sophia was striding toward them, her boots crunching through the snow. Her expression was... unreadable. Her hair was pulled back into a messy braid, a few strands framing her face, and she wore her training clothes— the same deep brown set that hugged her form just enough to remind him of the previous night.

Tobias followed Orion’s gaze and smiled when Sophia approached them.

Orion ignored him. "Morning," he greeted when she reached them.

Sophia crossed her arms, glaring briefly before replying in an even tone, "Morning."

Tobias, oblivious to the tension, smiled brightly. "Good to see you, Sophia."

She smiled at him. "I thought you were already gone." She said as she hugged him while Orion stared with a raised eyebrow.

She ignored him and spoke with Tobias as they released each other. "I’ll stay for about two days more before I leave." Tobias told her.

"We should catch up. You never told me what happened with you and Sam during the festival. Was there progress?" She asked him.

If not for the fact that Orion knew Tobias was into someone else, he’d have thought from the way he and Sophia interrupted that they were into each other.

Tobias sighed. "We’ll talk about it later. I’ll come visit you."

"Sure. But what are you doing here?" She asked him.

Tobias gestured towards Orion. "He brought me here to help you guys train."

"Really?" She asked in shock.

"Yeah. As you know, I’m an excellent archer. Orion can’t do it without me." Tobias said and Sophia chuckled.

Orion noticed how Sophia didn’t even glance at him making him wonder what was wrong? Was she angry at him?

"Well, I have to go. The trainees are all gathered." She said to him.

Tobias chuckled. "Alright, I’ll see you later."

Across the field, Laia called out to Sophia, waving her over. Sophia’s expression immediately brightened as she joined her teammates, her posture easing into confidence. Orion watched her move — sharp, purposeful — but the occasional glance she threw in his direction told him she hadn’t forgiven him for whatever invisible crime he’d committed.

He sighed quietly and rolled the ball between his palms before clapping his hands. "Alright! Everyone, gather up!"

The chatter died down as the trainees converged toward him, forming a rough semicircle. Their boots crunched on the earth and the air grew thick with the familiar mixture of nerves and anticipation.

"Alpha Orion," one trainee spoke up. "What’s with the ball."

"Yeah, are we playing a ball game today?" Another asked.

Orion chuckled. "Wouldn’t you like that?" He asked them.

"Sure will." One spoke up.

"This," he said, lifting the ball for all to see, "isn’t for playtime."

A ripple of laughter moved through the crowd, quickly silenced when Orion’s gaze swept over them.

"This is a lesson," he continued. "And no, it’s not for everyone. You’ll see why soon enough." He dropped the ball at his feet, letting it rest in the snow. "Training from today will get harder. Yesterday was just the tip of the iceberg. Most of you didn’t finish your assigned tasks not that I can blame you."

"Are we going back to what we did yesterday?" Dren asked him.

"Not yet," Orion told him, "we’ll be doing something different first before going back."