Chapter 180

NATALIE'S POV Training was like a safe space for me. It was where I felt most useful, most alive and more like myself again. But lately, something had been off. I had kept my eye on Oliveria and it seemed like the situation was even worse than I thought. I noticed her. Sometimes, I saw a bruised wrist here, a limping step there. Oliveira always tried to cover them up with excuses. “I slipped on the steps,” or “I banged into the tree while shifting.” At first, I wanted to believe her. She was quiet, diligent, and didn’t complain. But I’m not stupid. And neither is Kaia. Every time Oliveira returned from being called away by her mate, Ned, she came back in worse shape. And what unsettled me most was that Ned always seemed to show up during training, interrupt her just as she was beginning to find her rhythm. He would pull her away without my permission. He didn't even seem to care about how she felt. Today was no different. “Oliveira!” Ned’s voice echoed. She froze mid-punch. I was sparr