Chapter 75

VALERIA’S POV Bernard was fast. Not just fast—his movements were sharp, calculated. He wasn’t like the young warrior I had sparred with earlier or even the bigger one before him. His footwork was refined, his attacks deliberate. He didn’t waste energy on unnecessary movements or reckless swings. He was experienced—one of the lead attackers of this pack—and he fought like it. I wasn’t overconfident. That would be a mistake. But he didn’t underestimate me either, and that made him even more dangerous. His first few strikes landed cleanly. A jab to my side, a quick hook to my shoulder, another grazing my ribs. I took the hits, absorbing the impact, but I didn’t react. I didn’t flinch. Pain was nothing new to me. Elijah had trained me to withstand far worse than this. I had been knocked down, bruised, broken, pushed beyond my limits time and time again. A few well-placed punches weren’t going to shake me. I could tell Bernard was watching me closely, waiting for me to react, to slow down,