Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 110: I would never hurt you intentionally, Sorayah.

Chapter 110: I would never hurt you intentionally, Sorayah.

"Let’s see what you’ve got, Sorayah. And don’t even think about going to bed without learning everything I plan to teach you tonight," Dimitri said, his voice a low, commanding purr that slithered through the night air like a promise.

Before Sorayah could even steady her stance or set the arrow properly into the bow, Dimitri closed the distance between them in a single stride. He reached out, seizing her hand and drawing her closer to him, his presence both intimidating and magnetic. She could feel the heat of his body behind her as he positioned himself, his chest nearly touching her back. The bow and arrow were in her hands, but now they were also in his, his fingers wrapped around hers with calculated precision.

"I can shoot the arrow myself, Your Highness," Sorayah said, trying to swallow the lump forming in her throat. Her voice trembled slightly, betraying both her nerves and her pride. "You don’t have to guide me."

"Keep quiet and watch," Dimitri murmured into her ear, his warm breath brushing against her neck and sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "You’ll still fire your own arrows. I just want to teach you a technique. One you won’t find in any human or werewolf training manual."

Without waiting for further protest, he turned his attention to the distant bullseye. Sorayah followed his gaze, her heartbeat loud in her ears as she tried to focus. In one fluid motion, Dimitri drew the bowstring back and released the arrow. It sliced through the air, swift and true, embedding itself squarely in the center of the bullseye.

"That," he said, his voice low and deliberate, "is the basic technique known among humans and werewolves alike."

His breath lingered against her skin, his closeness deliberate and unrelenting.

"But there’s another type," he added, reaching for a second arrow. His movements were swift, yet graceful....practiced.

Before Sorayah could question him further, he released the second arrow. This time, the force surged through her hands as well, so powerful that she instinctively raised her free hand to shield her eyes. The air crackled with blinding light, a strange sensation buzzing through her limbs.

When she finally opened her eyes again, her jaw fell open.

Seven arrows now stood embedded in the bullseye....perfectly aligned, evenly spaced, and impossible.

"How...?" she breathed, unable to contain her astonishment.

"A technique," Dimitri replied with a smirk curling the edge of his lips. His eyes gleamed with quiet pride, and his warm breath still grazed her neck as they remained pressed closely together. "You could do it too, Sorayah. But not yet. Your body isn’t ready. If I hadn’t been standing behind you and guiding your hand, you might have shattered your bones or even lost your arm."

"I see," she murmured, stepping away from him at last. She swallowed hard, her throat dry, her mind still reeling from what she had just witnessed...and felt.

"The arrow was imbued with my magical energy," Dimitri continued, turning toward a large black drum filled with water. "That’s the same type of magic I infused into your weapon before we went to war. Back then, you didn’t use the arrow, but even if you had, that version didn’t require much strength. This one, however, does. Without the proper endurance, the force could paralyze you....or worse."

Sorayah found herself nodding, absorbing every word.

"You’ll begin by strengthening your arms and legs," he said, lifting a full bucket of water from the drum. "Carrying this from one end of the training ground to the other. Repeatedly. That will train your stamina...and your discipline."

He turned toward her, holding the bucket out. "Come here."

Sorayah approached in silence, taking the heavy bucket from him. There was no point arguing... she understood now. Everything he was doing was for her survival. And for once, she didn’t feel the urge to rebel against it.

She would rather stand at Dimitri’s side, even as his concubine, than ever fall into the clutches of Lupien.

Dimitri had his own agenda...of that she was certain. But that also meant she could negotiate terms with him. She could set boundaries. She didn’t want to trust him, not truly, but she found herself doing it anyway. Trust, it seemed, was no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

If her life were truly disposable to him, he would have let her die countless times by now. But he didn’t. He kept saving her.

And if she truly were just a pawn in his game, she was determined to master the board, rewrite the rules, and....if necessary....bring down the king.

Even if that king was Dimitri Nightshade himself.

"Now get to work. Walk to and fro across the training field," Dimitri instructed in a low, firm voice.

Without a word, Sorayah obeyed. Dimitri sat down cross-legged on the cold ground, his emerald eyes following her every move as she began her laps. The wooden bucket sloshed with water, growing heavier with each step. Her legs trembled, and her arms burned with strain, but she did not stop.

The clouds darkened overhead.Moments later, the skies broke open, and rain began to fall in thick, relentless sheets. The water pelted Sorayah’s skin, soaked through her clothes, and plastered her golden hair to her face. Still, she trudged forward, unwavering.

Dimitri remained seated, watching in silence.

Eventually, he rose from the ground and strode toward her with purposeful steps. Without saying a word, he seized the bucket from her grasp and flung it aside, sending water splashing across the muddy earth.

Sorayah blinked against the rain, startled. "What’s wrong?" she asked, locking eyes with him.

But instead of answering, Dimitri drew his sword in one swift motion. The blade gleamed under the silver light of the stormy sky. He then turned and grabbed another sword from a nearby weapons table, holding it out to her.

"Let’s practice sword fighting," he said, voice low but commanding. "You’ll continue training your arms and legs tomorrow. For now, we strengthen your reflexes."

Sorayah let out a breath, heavy and tired, and accepted the blade. She unsheathed it with practiced hands, her eyes narrowing with renewed determination. "Whatever you say, Your Highness. I’ll follow your lead."

A faint smirk touched Dimitri’s lips. "Now that’s what I’m talking about." He took a step back and raised his sword into position. "I’ll go easy on you....human strength only. But consider this part of your physical training. Swordsmanship demands endurance, precision, and strength. Master this, and your archery will improve too."

Without further warning, he launched the first attack.

Sorayah reacted just in time, blocking his strike with a metallic clang that rang through the training field. Sparks danced between their blades.

"Let’s see if you can keep dodging," Dimitri taunted, eyes gleaming with challenge. He increased his speed, pressing his advantage.

Sorayah gritted her teeth, dodging and parrying with everything she had. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breaths came in short, ragged bursts. She had trained in martial arts, but this...this was something else. Dimitri moved like a phantom, too fast, too strong, too precise.

"Slow down, Your Highness!" she gasped, parrying another blow that rattled her bones. The clash of swords echoed louder than the thunder overhead.

"Will you ask the wild beasts to slow down during a real fight?" Dimitri retorted, leaping into the air with inhuman grace. "Stop dodging and fight, Sorayah!"

"Dimitri!" she shouted, eyes wide with alarm as she lost her footing and fell backward. His sword came down hard, stopping a breath away from her face. The blade grazed her cheek before he yanked it away, a flash of panic crossing his face.

He dropped his sword and rushed to her side, kneeling beside her in the mud. "Are you hurt? Sorayah, talk to me," he asked, voice tight with worry. His hand gently cupped the back of her head, brushing wet strands of hair from her face.

Her eyes blazed with fury. "Are you trying to kill me?" she shouted, pushing his hand away. Blood trickled from the shallow cut on her cheek.

Only then did he seem to notice the injury.

"I’m sorry," Dimitri said quietly. "I didn’t mean to hurt you. I got too caught up in the moment. I wanted to push you to fight back, not to dodge. I didn’t expect to lose control."

"You’re right. My swordsmanship is weak. I’m not like you. I’m a human with barely any training. How do you expect me to match your speed and strength?" Sorayah shook her head, voice thick with frustration.

"I would never hurt you intentionally, Sorayah. I promise you that." Dimitri replied and then stood, extending a hand to her. "Come inside. Let me treat your wound."

But Sorayah didn’t move. She remained seated on the rain-soaked ground, arms wrapped around her knees, lips trembling with exhaustion and disbelief.

The rain continued to pour.

Dimitri hesitated, then slowly crouched beside her once more. Without warning, he pulled her into a firm embrace, her face pressed against his chest. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat thudded against her ear.

Before she could react, before she could demand an explanation, he tilted her chin upward.

And then he kissed her.

His lips were warm despite the cold rain, and the kiss was not rough, but slow, deliberate....an intimate act that sent a violent shiver racing down her spine. A surge of emotion.. confusion, fear, anger, desire....swelled within her.

When he finally pulled away, his voice was barely audible above the rain. "I wouldn’t let anyone take you from me, Sorayah. Not Lupien. Not fate. Not even yourself."

She stared at him, stunned into silence.