Chapter 157


    Chapter 157 A lesson to remember


    The feeling was no where near familiar. It was like a new sort of pain every time she shifted. All of her


    bones felt as if they were breaking and joining together at the same time. White fur covered every inch of


    her skin faster than her eyes could catch. How did it seem so effortless when she watched other wolves


    shift? Her hands formed into paws as she gripped onto the ground in agony. Her bones cracked and the


    seconds felt like hours of agony until all at once-it stopped. The pain was gone as if it was never there.


    Her clothes were in shards around her and the only thing that was savable was her cloak. A small mercy,


    at least she didn’t have to run back to the pcepletely naked. “You want to know what it’s like to be


    strong? I will show you where to start.” Cordelia growled in her mind. It vibrated through her body and


    surrounded her all at once as if she was the one speaking. A low growl sounded behind her, Doris turned


    to be met with two striking blue eyes peering out at her through a wolf form. She knew those eyes


    anywhere. “William?” She tried to say, but it came out in a whimper. William nted his paws on the


    ground as if he was preparing himself to strike at her. Doris went to back up, but Cordelia made her


    stand her ground. “Fight the part of you that wants to cower away. Be the version of yourself you


    want to be.” Cordelia whispered. “I can hear all of your thoughts. I know how badly you want to be the


    tough one. Be her.” o “It’s not that easy!” Doris shouted in her mind over the sound of William’s growl.


    What was he doing out here? How did he know what she was doing? “I’ve lived my entire life being the


    weak


    one.”


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    “It won’t be easy if you never try.” Cordelia hissed. Doris took a step forward and Cordelia allowed her.


    William started to circle her and she mirrored his steps. Part of her started to doubt if it was really him,


    but of course it was. No one else in the world had eyes like his. William’s growl turned more vicious as he


    stepped closer to her. Doris fought the instinct to step back and stood her ground. Before she had a


    chance to register what he was doing, he lunged at her. Cordelia took over and made Doris move


    seconds before he tackled her to the ground. In his annoyance, he went after her again. This time,


    Cordelia let Doris decide for herself. Doris forced herself away but got knocked on her side at thest


    minute. William circled her down form as if he was waiting for her to get back up and fight him. A spike of


    rage hummed through her body and made her get right back up. His eyes taunted her. He didn’t have to


    say a word for her to know what he meant. Doris charged at him and he swept aside effortlessly. It only


    made her go after him again. “Don’t be so eager, he knows what you’re doing. Try to surprise him.”


    Cordelia hummed. It was strange to haveplete control over her wolf when usually she fought her to


    the deep  core. Doris slowed her steps and circled William again. He mirrored her movement and


    seemed to wait for her to make the first move. Slowly, her steps moved in a bit more each time they


    completed a circle until she was close enough to strike him. Her eyes caught every movement he made


    and every breath he took. It could have been minutes or hours, but she knew she had to wait until the


    right moment. When his eyes flickered to her feet, she lunged at him. He noticed it a breath toote and


    she was able to take him right to the ground and nip at his neck just to draw a bit of his blood. William


    shook her off him as if she was nothing and sent her skidding across the clearing. “He’s holding back for


    you, Doris. Remember that. If this was a real fight, you wouldn’t have made it out alive after the first time


    he got you down.” Cordelia reminded her. Doris shoved the voice away from her and could have sworn


    she heard Cordeliaughing in the back of her head. She nted her feet on the ground and lowered her


    head in a fighting stance. William understood immediately and followed her lead. She lunged for him and


    this time he let her take him to the ground to release all of her rage. She didn’t want him to go easy on


    her, she wanted to learn and she knew she never would unless he fought back. But he didn’t. He let her


    roll him around and drag him back to the clearing like he was some sort of dummy she was testing her


    strength on. He could crush her with no hesitation-she knew that. She watched him take down a whole


    camp of rogues that tried to kill him on his own. Here in this clearing, he let her take control and figure


    out her stances for hours until she finally had enough. Doris howled to the moon that loomed above


    them. A ck cloak fell over her shoulders and she looked over to see William covered in his own.


    “That’s enough for today.” Cordelia let her hold on Doris go and she shifted back into herself, quickly


    clenching the cloak around her body. “How did you know I was out here?” “My wolf told me where to find


    you.” William helped her stand and step back into her boots. “I knew what he wanted to do the minute I


    saw you.” “How did he…” Doris sighed and shook her head. The heat of the battle was quickly wearing


    off and making her shake from the cold. William led her back to the pce. “Our wolves can sense the


    other’s emotions if they’re close enough. He must have felt what your wolf needed.” William narrowed his


    eyes at the guards that nced at Doris until they turned to face the walls “I feel like I learned nothing.”


    Doris mumbled. “That’s not true. You learned not to cower away from me. I could feel you starting to


    retreat and then instead pushed forward.” William led her down the hall towards her room. She was only


    d her cloak was so damn long. “It took me years before I was able to do something like that when one


    of my older brothers had challenged me to a fight. Usually they forced me into it and I had no choice but


    to push forward. I felt you consider that choice and decide against it.” Doris bit down on her lip. Small


    steps. “Would you ever fight back if I needed you to?” “I will when you’re more prepared. That might not


    be for a long time.” William pushed open her door and Beth fell off the couch.


    “Doris! Where have you been?” Beth neared her and nervously nced up at the prince. Her eyes were


    red from sleep. “I was just out for a walk… Will you please get me some clothes?” “Of course!” Beth


    bowed. Doris didn’t miss the glint in her eyes, it made Doris want to shove her friend over. After Doris


    was dressed, she dismissed Beth for the evening and joined William on the couch. He watched the fire


    and it was then she noticed that Beth must have gotten him an outfit as well because he was fully


    dressed. “I’m sorry for always going against your wishes.” Doris said quietly. His head snapped to look at


    her across the couch. “I don’t know why I always want to do the opposite of what you say.” William


    quietly watched her for a moment as if he was trying to gather what he wanted to say. “It drives me mad


    when you don’t listen to me.” He finally said. 1 “I know, I know it does. I know I was a fool in the north


    and got us into trouble –“ William moved himself closer to her and watched her mouth as she spoke. “I


    have this horrible rage inside me when people tell me what to do. I can’t exin it-“ “It drives me mad in


    a good way, Doris.” William whispered. Doris thought she’d misheard him for a moment. “What? I thought


    you hated that,” “You’re the only person who has ever told me no and challenged me. It infuriates me, but


    I love you even more for it.” 4 The world must have stopped, she felt as if all the sound was sucked out


    of the room.“ You… you what?” William grabbed her face and forced it closer to his. “I said I love you


    even more for it, dammit.”