76

76

Sophia’s POV

The living room was tense, a thick silence hanging between the four of us. Ian stood with a firm posture, his presence commanding the room as usual. Jacob leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and eyes sharp, scanning us like a military commander sizing up new recruits. Jenny and I sat side by side on the couch, our shoulders almost touching.

The kidnapping had shaken us both, though Jenny bore the brunt of it. Even now, days later, I could see the haunted look in her eyes. She was trying to be strong, but the fear was still there, lurking just beneath the surface. It had changed something between us—forced us to confront the reality of the dangers we faced.

Ian’s voice broke through the silence, steady and serious. “We need to talk about what happened.”

Jenny flinched at the mention, but I squeezed her hand, a silent reassurance that I was there, that we were in this together.

“We can’t allow something like this to happen again,” Ian continued, his gaze flickering between us. “Jenny, Sophia—you both need to be able to protect yourselves. We can’t always be there to watch over you.”

Jenny shifted beside me, her discomfort evident. “I’m not like you,” she whispered. “I can’t fight.”

Ian softened, his tone gentler but still firm. “You don’t have to fight like us, Jenny. But you need to know how to defend yourself if it comes to that. You were targeted because you’re vulnerable, and we can’t let that happen again.”

Jacob stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension with the precision of a blade. “You need training. Both of you. This isn’t just about fighting—it’s about survival.”

I looked at Jenny, who was staring at her hands, her fingers trembling slightly. I understood her fear, her reluctance. She wasn’t like us—she didn’t have the same instincts or strength. But I also knew that Ian and Jacob were right. The world we lived in was dangerous, and we couldn’t afford to be naïve anymore.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to Ian. “What does this training involve?”

Ian glanced at Jacob before answering. “We’ll start with the basics. Self-defense, situational awareness, understanding your surroundings. You need to learn how to avoid danger, how to escape if you’re caught in a bad situation. And if it comes down to it, you need to know how to fight back.”

Jenny looked up at that, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and resolve. “Fight back? I don’t know if I can…”

“You can,” I said firmly, cutting off her doubts. “We’ll do it together. We don’t have a choice, Jenny. We need to be prepared.”

She swallowed hard, nodding slowly. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

Ian’s eyes softened as he looked at me, a silent message of gratitude in his gaze. He knew how much I hated the idea of Jenny being dragged into this, but he also knew I’d do whatever it took to protect her.

Jacob straightened up, his expression all business. “We’ll start tomorrow morning. Be ready.”

The next morning, the air was crisp with the scent of early autumn, a slight chill brushing against my skin as we made our way to the training ground. It wasn’t far from the house—just a clearing in the woods behind the property, secluded and quiet. The perfect place to train without prying eyes.

Jenny and I arrived together, dressed in comfortable clothes that allowed for movement. I could feel her nervous energy beside me, the way she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, her eyes darting around as if expecting danger to leap out from the shadows.

Ian and Jacob were already there, waiting for us. Ian was dressed in his usual dark attire, looking every bit the formidable figure of authority. Jacob, on the other hand, had shed his usual cool demeanor for something more intense, his focus sharp as a blade.

“Ready?” Ian asked, his voice steady.

I nodded, though I wasn’t entirely sure I was. But I didn’t have a choice. None of us did.

Jacob stepped forward, his tone firm. “Today, we’ll focus on basic self-defense. It’s not about overpowering your opponent—it’s about outsmarting them, using their strength against them, and getting away.”

He gestured for us to follow him to a small area where the ground was covered in soft grass, perfect for training. “Sophia, you’re first. Jenny, watch closely.”

I stepped forward, trying to push down the nerves bubbling up inside me. I was no stranger to combat—I’d had to fight before, but this was different. This was about learning to protect someone I cared about.

Jacob stood in front of me, his stance relaxed but ready. “The first thing you need to know is how to get out of a hold. Most attacks start with someone trying to grab you—if you can break free quickly, you’ve got a better chance of escaping.”

He reached out, his hands moving slowly, giving me time to react. As he grabbed my wrist, I instinctively tried to pull away, but he held firm.

“Don’t pull away,” Jacob instructed. “Use the momentum against them. Step into the hold, turn your body, and use your other hand to break the grip.”

I did as he said, stepping into him rather than away. It felt counterintuitive at first, but as I twisted my body and brought my free hand up to push against his wrist, I felt his grip loosen just enough for me to break free.

“Good,” Jacob said, a small nod of approval. “Now, let’s try it again, faster this time.”

We went through the motion several times, each time getting a little quicker, a little more fluid. My movements became more confident, the fear fading as muscle memory took over.

After a few more rounds, Jacob stepped back. “Now, let’s see you apply it.”

I barely had time to register his words before he lunged at me, his hands reaching for my wrists. But this time, I was ready. I stepped into him, twisting my body and breaking free just as he’d shown me. Before he could react, I’d taken a step back, putting distance between us.

Jacob grinned, a rare expression of approval on his face. “Nice work.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, a rush of adrenaline making my heart race. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. I could do this. I had to do this.

“Jenny, you’re up,” Ian called, his voice gentle but firm.

Jenny hesitated, glancing at me for reassurance. I gave her an encouraging nod, trying to project confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “You’ve got this, Jen.”

She took a deep breath, stepping forward to face Jacob. I could see the fear in her eyes, but she squared her shoulders, determined.

Jacob reached out slowly, giving her time to adjust to the motion. His hand closed around her wrist, and she instinctively tried to pull away, but he held firm.

“Remember what I told Sophia,” Jacob instructed. “Don’t pull away. Use your momentum. Step into it.”

Jenny hesitated, her mind clearly racing as she tried to remember the steps. Slowly, she stepped into him, her movements a bit awkward but determined. She twisted her body, using her free hand to push against his wrist. I watched as Jacob’s grip loosened, but not enough for her to break free completely.

“Again,” Jacob said, his tone patient but firm.

Jenny tried again, and this time, her movements were more coordinated, more fluid. She broke free, stumbling back a bit but managing to put distance between them.

A small smile of pride tugged at my lips. She was doing it—she was fighting back.

Jacob nodded approvingly. “Not bad. Keep practicing, and it’ll become second nature.”

Jenny’s face lit up with a mix of relief and pride. “I did it,” she whispered, almost to herself.

“You did,” I said, stepping up to give her a quick hug. “And you’ll get even better.”

We spent the next hour going through different scenarios—how to block punches, how to escape holds, how to use the environment to our advantage. Each move was drilled into us until it felt like second nature.

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the clearing, we finally paused for a break. Jenny and I sat down on the grass, both of us out of breath.

Ian and Jacob joined us, both of them looking pleased with our progress. “You’re both doing well,” Ian said, his voice filled with genuine pride. “But this is just the beginning. We’ll keep training until you’re ready for anything.”

Jenny nodded, her eyes determined. “I want to be ready. I don’t want to feel helpless again.”

“You won’t be,” Jacob said, his tone resolute. “Not if you keep up the work.”

I looked at Ian, the unspoken question in my eyes. Was this really enough? Would it ever be enough to keep us safe?

Ian seemed to understand what I was thinking, and he reached out to take my hand, squeezing it gently. “We’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. But you have to trust us—and yourselves.”

“I do,” I said, my voice steady. “We both do.”

Jenny nodded in agreement, her hand reaching out to take mine. We were in this together, and we weren’t going to back down. This was our life now. Jenny and I needed to get used to it. Ian was right. He wouldn’t always be here to protect us. We needed to learn how to do it ourselves.

***

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