Unbound: The Call of Power

Chapter 08

Maya plopped down next to Ellie, breathing heavily. She had just finished the second set of her combat practice warm – ups and she was already feeling like she could die from the lack of oxygen.

“My insides feel like they are about to constrict up and stop working”.

Ellie glanced down at Maya, smirking a little.

“I’ll be honest bro; I do not miss being a newbie”. Maya threw her towel at her as she sat up and looked around. It was mandatory Friday combat practices for all staff and the training was conducted in the field that was in the centre of the running track.

The trainings were conducted in different parts of the field, depending the level of the staff and were conducted by different trainers. So far, Maya had spotted two human training groups; hers being the basic level with all the new staff. She noticed that the training was kept separate for the humans and the SNs, except for the occasional light sparring between the advanced groups.

There were easily about 100 staff spread out across the various parts of the field and Maya couldn’t help but marvel at the number of people ISAN was able to hire. The trainers were all werewolves and Ellie had earlier told her that they were from the Rowans Clan.

Thinking about the werewolves, Maya let out a sigh. Since the dinner of revelations with Sam and Ellie two nights ago, she had been nervous about coming for the practice. Knowing who Andrew really was had thrown her into a confused state of excitement, nervousness, heartache and anger; and Maya had no clue on how to deal with her eclectic mix of emotions. A part of her really wanted to meet him and talk to him, while another part of her just wanted to punch him for leaving the way he did. Then there was yet another part of her that just wanted to grab him and hold, and never let him go. Maya knew one thing for sure  - she was in for trouble either way.

Just then, a whiff of vanilla hit her senses and before she could control herself; she started looking around until she spotted him running past on the track with the rest of his members. It looked like they must have just arrived and started warming up. She watched him as he ran past her and wondered how it was even remotely possible that he had gotten that much more good looking. Just then, Andrew turned and looked her directly, catching her blatant stare before looking ahead again. Maya immediately looked down, and she could feel her face burning up. She was absolutely mortified that he had caught her staring.

Next to her, she heard Ellie chuckling. “Looks like you got caught checking your beau out eh?”

Maya groaned as she lay back down on the grass, covering her face with the towel.

“Why do these things always happen to me?”

Ellie shrugged, but before she could say anything more, Maya’s trainer had started calling out for the staff to gather again. The break was over.

Maya groaned once more for good measure before getting up to go over to begin her third set of workouts.

One and a half hours later, Maya fell onto the grass next to Sam and Ellie. Everyone’s respective trainings had just ended, and she was beat. It had been a series of warmups, followed by boxing techniques and ended with kickboxing cardio. Maya had always considered herself to be fit, and she had gone through training herself when she was still living at her parents’. But it was becoming evident that she needed to get in proper shape. Although she was no stranger to combat training but right now, five years of non – activity made her feel every bit the newbie she was.

Sam passed her a water bottle and Maya gulped down the water greedily. Her throat was parched and the 04:00 pm sun was not being merciful.

“What are you guys doing later?” Sam looked at Ellie, before glancing down at Maya. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in amusement. This was a woman whom he had seen kick the asses of some of the werewolves back during their pack trainings and yet here she was, looking like the world was coming to an end after a 2-hour training session in the sun.

“Wash up and then head into town for movie and dinner,” Ellie grabbed her phone, “It’s a Friday evening and let’s be honest, I am not going to stay cooped in. I am going to confirm the movie timing and get the tickets online”.

“Do you want to join us?” Maya squinted up at Sam, “It’s not exactly a girls thing per se”.

“Yeah, we just want to have a chill evening out,” Ellie chimed in. “It’ll be fun”.

Sam shook his head and got up, “Sorry ladies, I would love to but tonight a bunch of us guys are hanging out at the Rowans’ packhouse”.

At the mention of his pack name, Maya felt her heart rate accelerate again. Sam seemed to have sensed it, as he grinned down at her. “I’d love to invite you but it’s a guy’s thing we do once a month”.

“Andrew will be there too, you know”. Maya rolled her eyes at Sam. As usual, in true Sam fashion, he was teasing her any chance he got. “Maybe I will tell him you want to join us for the next one”.

Maya threw her water bottle at him. “Don’t you dare!”

Laughing; he grabbed his bag and was about to walk off when he stopped in his tracks. All playfulness had dissipated from his voice.

“Just text me once you ladies are heading back home alright. And if you need me to pick you guys up, make sure you call me?”

“God! Sam, we are grown ass adults who know how to get back on our own. Don’t worry,” Maya waved him away.

Sam crossed his arms and stared at Maya, “You know I am answerable to your family”.

“I will text you once we are heading back,” Ellie responded instead; still looking through the movie timings on her phone. “Don’t have a fit please”.

“I am holding the both of you to that”, Sam looked at them for a second longer before walking away.

“What does he think is going to happen?” Ellie was too pre-occupied with her phone to respond. She saw her key in something furiously before punching her fist in the air.

“Got it! The movie’s at 07:30 pm. That gives us enough time to get ready and have dinner,” Ellie started grabbing her bags.

Maya squeezed her eyes shut as she felt Ellie tugging at her arm. She was not getting a break tonight.

“Come on!”

She got up and begrudgingly trudged after Ellie, wishfully thinking about her bed.