Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The first day of the self–defense class was later that week, an hour after Ever After Weddings closed. It was a tight fit, but I was able to make it to the community center just in time to grab a seat. Unfortunately, my luck being what it was, the only seat available was right next to Lisa herself.

I slid into the chair, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, but Lisa took notice all the same.

“Can’t you sit somewhere else?” she said low enough that no one else could hear.

“Would if I could,” I replied just as quietly.

“Why are you here, anyway?”

“Just doing what your father told me to.”

“So, you can follow orders after all, huh, mutt?”

I winced at the slur, but I didn’t respond. The class was starting, and I wanted to actually pay attention to what the teachers had to say. I would not be caught off- guard again.

“WE will not be caught off–guard again,” Susan said firmly.

“All right, everyone, let’s get started,” one of the teachers, a muscular female with a high ponytail, said. “My name is Martha, and over there are Susan and Bradley.”

She pointed to another muscular woman, this one with a braid, and to a man in what appeared to be excessive padding, including on his head and over his groin.

“Over the next five two–hour sessions, we will be teaching you self–defense specialized for werewolves and werewolf hybrids. In this class, you will learn not only traditional self–defense techniques but also how to access your werewolf powers under duress.

Immediately, a woman in the front raised her hand. Martha acknowledged her.

“Don’t we already access our werewolf powers under duress? Isn’t it instinctual?”

“Yes and no. Your wolf does take you over when you are in danger, but the fact that you are afraid can, depending on who you are, slow down or accelerate the process. It depends on whether you lean more towards the ‘flight‘ or ‘fight‘

response.”

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This was already turning into a headache, but it did explain why I had changed slowly enough for Frederick to bite me before I could fully turn. I must have naturally leaned more toward the “flight” response.

“If you have the ‘flight‘ response, we will teach you how to overcome that instinct to flee or freeze and allow your wolf to take over without any hesitation,” Martha continued. “Tonight, however, we will be covering some of the basics of self- defense without your powers.”

At this point, Susan and Bradley stepped forward.

“That is why we have our tastefully dressed friend Bradley,” Susan said with a grin. “He will be helping us to demonstrate some self–defense techniques and give some of you the chance to practice on him as well.”

“First,” Martha interjected, “we’re going to teach you how to take down your attacker.”

The majority of the two hours was watching Martha and Susan demonstrate how to strike your attacker in the eye, stomach, and groin to bring him to the ground, then kick him in the head until he put his arms up in surrender. The amount of padding that Bradley had on suddenly made sense to me and didn’t seem like quite enough.

When they asked for volunteers to practice, I raised my hand, but I was not chosen. I was disappointed, but I figured that I could try again at one of the upcoming sessions. Until then, maybe Andrew would be willing to help me practice; it was his idea.

Lisa, however, was picked. She was a monster to poor Bradley. She brought him down more quickly than any of the other volunteers–almost more quickly than the teachers–and kicked him for a few seconds longer than was necessary.

When she was done, she stood up and turned to face me. Her eyes met mine, and a chill went down my spine. Whatever remorse she had felt for Bob’s stunt with the vampires was gone.

I hoped to never meet her alone in a dark alley.

After the lesson was over, I gathered my things and prepared to leave when Lisa blocked my path.

“Yes?” I asked.

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Chapter t

“What do you want with my father?” she asked, not bothering to keep her voice down this time.

I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit,” she spat. “You’ve been after my father since shortly after your release from prison. I want to know why.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Lisa huffed and rolled her eyes.

“Fine, keep up your charade. Just know that things won’t turn out well for you if you keep coming around my house.”

Like they’ve turned out so well already? I thought.

I bit my tongue. This was not the time nor the place to have a fight like this. Besides, it was late, and I was too tired to go yet another round with the Princess.

“Leeches like you make me sick,” she continued. “A gold digger, that’s all that you are. You’re only interested in the money and fame that being with someone like. my father can get you.”

”

If that were the case, wouldn’t I have jumped on admitting to those rumors about me being his Luna? I rolled my eyes. She really doesn’t think about these things before they come out of her mouth.

I noticed that the students and teachers alike had started to gather around us. I wondered if Lisa had noticed as well or if she was so absorbed in her tirade that she had metaphorical blinders on.

“My father will see through you eventually. When he does, you’ll be out of our lives so fast, and no sob story that you could give him will be able to get him to take you back.”

Sob story? Was that how she viewed my vampiric attack now? Was that how she got herself to be okay with the fact that Bob had literally fed me to bloodthirsty beasts?

I saw, out of the corner of my eye, people raising their phones and beginning to record the conversation. I had to put an end to this. I might have been the victim in this case, but I didn’t want to take the chance that some tabloid reporter got a hold of the video and twisted it on me, which would reflect poorly on Ever After Weddings.

Besides, as much as I would like to see Lisa go down for her unhinged behavior,

Chapter 60

she was just trying to protect her father, in her own twisted way. Andrew didn’t deserve the embarrassment that it would bring him, either. Lisa was his daughter, after all.

“And another thing-”

“Lisa, I think that you should stop and take a deep breath. There are a lot of people here recording us, and you might want to think about how this will reflect on you socially.”

Lisa closed her mouth and took a look at the crowd gathered around us, as though seeing them for the first time. She glared at me for a moment, then shoved past me and stormed towards the door. As she reached for the door handle, she turned

back to me.

“I will be telling my father about this.”

With that, she disappeared into the night.

SEND GIFT