Page 97 of The Alpha's Bullied Rejected Mate

Across from her, Mia stood still, her arms crossed and her jaw set in the way of someone who didn’t believe in soft encouragement. She was helping her train.

Mia had informed her that her senses could do more than simply reach out. Listening was the key.

There was magic everywhere.

Mira’s tone was sharp as she said, “Again.”

“You’re not paying attention. You’re looking.”

“Magic opens to surrender; it does not react to force. Try once more.”

Athena took a slow, deep breath through her nose. There was a slight tingle in her fingers. She listened for the smallest sounds and concentrated on the vibrations around her.

“Energy permeates everything,” Mia voiced sharply.

“A bird in the distance taking off.” The sound of a blade being sharpened close to the watch post. A burst of emotion from a laugh nearby. The grounds were humming with the sharp footsteps of hunters.”

“Feel,” Mia continued. “Every living thing in your immediate vicinity has a unique signature. An energetic heartbeat. It is up to you to decipher its mysteries. Examine it similarly to a map.

“I’m no witch, yet I can sense so much. I need you to focus.”

Athena’s forehead wrinkled. Her temples were beaded with sweat. Her magic simmered beneath the surface like a waiting tide. She closed her eyes more tightly and abruptly opened them.

Mia squinted. “That’s better,”

“You’re not reaching for magic like a sword. You’re learning to wear it like a second skin.”

Athena let out an unsteady breath, “It feels like... like diving underwater. Everything’s louder down there. Clearer.”

“Exactly,” Mia nodded.

“That’s how you’ll survive. Magic is not just power. It’s perception. Learn to hear even the slightest shift in the wind, and you would be able to discern between different pulses of energy. Then you’ll never be caught off guard again, and you’ll be able to tell who is who and which is which.”

Athena stood straighter now. The thrill of progress throbbed beneath her ribs.

The training wasn’t just a way to pass the time while Marcus was away. It was to be ready. Ready to fight. Ready to protect Riley. Herself. Even Marcus, if it came to that.

Because something was coming, she could feel it.

Athena turned her palms toward the dummies lined in a row and clasped her hands tightly together, muttering under her breath. The gust lashed forward from her palms, twisting into a fast spiral that knocked four dummies off their posts and shattered the fifth.

Mia’s mouth twitched. “Better.”

Athena exhaled, her chest heaving.

“Your strength is tied to your emotions,” Mia added, stepping closer. “The wrong ones would lead to a leak in your barrel.”

Athena clenched her fists proudly. She was getting there.

***

Over the next three days, Athena trained like someone possessed.

She worked alongside the other witches, too—Leah, the red-haired witch from the other night, and three other witches whose names she had forgotten.

But after two hours, they were tapped out.

Athena didn’t.