Chapter 169 The Elder and the Training

Chapter 169 The Elder and the Training
Chapter 169

RAVENNA

I opened the car door and settled into the front seat, sinking back into the cushion with a heavy sigh. My whole body ached, and my mind felt like it had been put through a blender.

Theo glanced over at me as he buckled his seatbelt. "Hard day?"

I looked at him, my face surely saying everything I could not put into words. "You bet."

He started the engine, and the car rumbled to life beneath us. He pulled out of the parking space and began driving toward the school gate.

I frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you home," he replied simply.

"Not through here," I protested. "The security—"

"Uncle already sorted them out," Theo interrupted, his tone calm and reassuring. "You are allowed to leave the school premises. You will not be staying in the school dormitories for the time being. Not until your wolf fully comes out. And not until the students become less suicidal."

I hissed under my breath, my jaw tightening at the memory of what had happened earlier. "Speaking of suicidal, three girls nearly threw me down the stairs whilst I was taking a nap waiting for you to finish your hockey practice."

Theo's eyes widened, and he turned sharply to look at me before quickly refocusing on the road. "How did you know? Did someone warn you?"

"My wolf told me," I replied quietly. "Just a few inches before they carried out their plan. She woke me up."

Theo exhaled slowly, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. "Damn. You need to be careful, Raven. Seriously. Maybe take your naps in my room or back in your dormitory where it is safer."

I shook my head immediately. "I do not want to be anywhere close to Sam."

"You need all the support you can get," Theo pressed, his voice firm now. "You cannot just do that to your friend."

"End of discussion," I snapped, crossing my arms and staring out the window.

Theo did not push further. The rest of the drive was silent.

We got home, but Daniel was not there.

Instead, we were greeted by a rather burly man standing near the entrance. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with greyish hair tied back into a low knot. His arms were covered in old scars, and his eyes were sharp and observant.

He stepped forward and extended a hand. "I am Torren. I will be the one taking you on your wolf training."

I shook his hand hesitantly. His grip was firm but not overpowering.

"Change into something more comfortable and flexible," he instructed. "Meet me in the open field at the back of the house."

Then he turned and walked away without waiting for a response.

I stood there for a moment, processing what had just happened.

Then I grabbed my phone immediately and called my father.

He picked up on the second ring. "How are you? Did you meet your trainer?"

"My wolf said you needed to take me on this yourself," I said, not bothering with pleasantries. "In case I needed to share things with you."

Daniel laughed softly on the other end. "I would not be able to do that fully. Besides, I have known Torren since we were kids. He is an elder too. He is vast and old in the traditions of werewolves. I handed this to him because I trust he will be able to handle it better than I could."

I grumbled. "You should have discussed this with me first."

"Go meet Torren," Daniel replied gently. "I am going to ask you what you trained on later. And Raven? I love you."

The line went dead.

I sighed heavily and reached out for Moonlight silently. "Is this a good idea?"

No response.

I waited a moment longer, but she remained quiet.

I changed quickly into yoga trousers, a singlet, and trainers, then made my way to the back of the house.

Torren was sitting on a low wooden stool, mixing something in a small bowl. He looked up when he saw me approach and smiled faintly.

"I thought I would have to come drag your ass out here," he remarked.

I stopped at the edge of a drawn line in the dirt. "What is this?"

"Pull off your shoes before crossing the line," he instructed.

I frowned but obeyed, slipping off my trainers and leaving them at the edge.

The moment I stepped over the line, I felt something wash over my skin. It was cool and tingly, like stepping into a cold stream.

Torren stood and handed me a small cup filled with dark liquid. "Drink this."

I stared at it suspiciously. "What is it?"

"A spell cleansing. Like a ritual," he explained. "The spell that was used to tie your wolf down is strong. It is not fully out of your system yet. It needs to be washed out or else whatever practice we do will not make any difference."

I hesitated, still holding the cup.

Torren took it back, raised it to his lips, and drank from it first. Then he handed it back to me.

I took it and drank. The taste was bitter and earthy, but I forced it down.

Torren stepped in front of me, his expression softer now. "Your father explained everything to me about your wolf. I understand this is a hard time for you. But I only want to help. I would not harm you. So it is best if we both work on trust. It is the only way we will produce something meaningful."

He paused, studying my face. "How are you feeling?"

I thought about it. "I feel something passing through me. Like a current."

"Good," he replied, nodding. "And your wolf? Have you spoken to her?"

I smirked faintly. "She appears like a knight in shining armour."

There was a grunt in my head. "I heard that." 

I smiled. "She just commented on what I said now."

Torren chuckled. "Your wolf is dormant and partially locked away. She only resurfaced due to the emotions you have been feeding her. But you are not meant to shift based on emotions. She is meant to appear normally."

He crossed his arms, his tone becoming more serious. "Do not feel sad if your wolf does not reply on a normal day but does reply during danger. That is because she is still waking up. She is only stirring due to your emotions. Emotions like anger, panic, and pain can quickly stir her. She is around you too. So if she feels danger coming, she will tell you."

I nodded slowly. "I need to fully shift before the full moon. Or else we are going to die."

Torren shook his head. "You will not die. Do not be scared."

I wanted to believe him. But Moonlight's words still echoed in my mind.

"Our training will focus on your physical, mental, and spiritual strength," Torren continued.

I frowned. "Why?"

"Your wolf needs your stability in all three of these to function well and perform the shift. And right now, you seem to be lacking a lot mentally and spiritually."

I frowned deeply, feeling slightly insulted.

Torren laughed. "I am not insulting you. Just telling you the truth."

He gestured toward the field. "We will be training in the morning, afternoon, and night for fast progress."

"I will be in school in the afternoon," I pointed out.

"I will tell you what to do," he replied. "And I might supervise from a video call."

"That is fine," I muttered.

"Do you understand everything I have said?" Torren asked.

I nodded.

"Good," he said. "The physical training will focus on your strength. You look alright, but you need to prepare your body for the shift. The mental training will keep your human mind from getting lost in wolf instinct."

I looked at him. "Like the wolf taking control over me instead of me grounding it?"

Torren smiled. "That too. And it is very important. It is very bad for a wolf to take control of the mind of a human."

I completed his thought. "Because they might go feral. Right?"

He nodded. "You are a fast and good learner."

He paused, his tone becoming more reverent. "And the last one, which is spiritual, is from an elder which I am. It is to mainly sync your energy with the full moon and unlock the shift safely."

I smiled faintly. "I think I like you already."

Torren laughed. "I am a likeable person. Fun fact: you are not the first person I am doing this with."

That surprised me. "Really?"

"Really," he confirmed.

He clapped his hands together once. "Now, we will proceed with the physical training."