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Chapter 8 - TRAINING

In a secluded part of the forest, a lady sits gracefully on a thick tree branch, her demeanor a mix of sorrow and affection. She holds two dolls in her hands, one of them caressed gently against her chest. Her fingers trace the delicate features of the doll's face, and she whispers, "My beautiful Feifei, my darling."

A tear escapes her eye and trickles down as she embraces the doll tightly as if reuniting with a long-lost loved one. "Why did you leave me?" she murmurs, her voice quivering with heartache. Her gaze remains fixed on the doll, and her words are filled with love and longing. "I love you so much, my sweet Feifei. How could you bear to leave your mother?"

Turning her attention to the other doll in her grasp, her expression changes, and her grip tightens. Bitterness and blame replace the earlier tenderness. She directs her anger towards the second doll, holding it responsible for the separation from her cherished Feifei.

"It's you. you took my Feifei from me. Give her back." With a sudden burst of emotion, she slams the doll against the tree branch, releasing her frustration.

As swiftly as her anger surfaced, it dissolves, leaving her staring at both dolls with a mixture of love and sorrow. She pulls them close, hugging them to her chest. "I love you both so come back," she whispers, her voice a gentle murmur against the night's silence. Her eyes shimmer as the moonlight bathes her, revealing features that bear an uncanny resemblance to Serena, adding an enigmatic air to the emotional scene.

~~~

"Draco," the voice in his head seemed to echo as he descended the stairs from his room.

He was worn out, sleep having eluded him due to the persistent torment of the mysterious voice and the searing pain it brought. He made his way to the dining table, taking a seat with a heavy sigh. His mother's worried gaze met his, and she inquired, "Did you manage to get any sleep, dear?"

Draco cast her an incredulous look, his eyes saying it all. He resumed his breakfast without uttering a word. His father, however, decided to intervene, his stern voice cutting through the silence, "Show some respect, young man."

Draco's response was a dismissive roll of his eyes, clearly uninterested in playing along. His father carried on, informing him that his training with Robin would be put on hold. Explaining further, he added, "Robin sustained an injury in an accident last night. It'll take about a week for him to heal."

A brief, muffled chuckle escaped Draco's lips, but he caught his father's stern glare and quickly stifled his amusement. His father reiterated the severity of the situation, making it clear that the delay in Draco's training was not a matter to be taken lightly.

"Do you think this is funny? Do you have any idea how behind you are in your training? "

Draco remained silent, taking in the information. Following breakfast, he turned to his mother, requesting painkillers for the persistent headache that had been plaguing him. She retrieved the medication from her bag and handed it to him, advising, "If the headache persists, consider seeing a doctor." He expressed his gratitude before leaving, ready to face the day ahead.

~~~

Draco left his house and made his way to Serena's home. As he entered, he found the captive casually in the kitchen, moving about freely. The sight was shocking, and he couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing here?"

The captive responded in a rather impolite manner, "Cooking, obviously. Can't you see that?"

Draco felt his headache intensify. Spotting Kelly coming down the stairs, he turned to her and inquired, "Why is she not restrained?"

Kelly brushed off his concern, ignoring him as she shouted to Serena, "Hey, your boyfriend's here!"

With the mention of the word "boyfriend," Draco's headache seemed to vanish as Serena joined them. She corrected Kelly, saying, "He's not my boyfriend." Her presence seemed to bring him relief from the lingering discomfort.

Serena then questioned Draco's early arrival, noting that their training wasn't supposed to start until after school. Confused, Kelly asked about the training, prompting Serena to explain, "I promised to help Draco train."

The captive chimed in, amused, "Oh, so the vampire is teaching the wolf how to hunt her? Interesting."

Draco, still processing the situation, inquired why the captive was out of the basement. Serena revealed that Kelly had managed to make her agree to a compromise. Kelly glanced at Draco with a smug grin, handing a blood bag to Serena. As Draco stared at it, he couldn't help but ask, "Where did that come from?"

Serena and Kelly exchanged a glance before responding in unison, "Trust me, you don't want to know."

~~~

After school, the trio headed to the Van Hellsing private training facility. The place was deserted as access was restricted without proper authorization. Kelly let out a whistle of appreciation, exclaiming how awesome the place was. They dropped their bags in a corner and took in the surroundings.

Serena directed Draco, "Attack me."

Draco was taken aback, his expression revealing his reluctance, "I won't. I don't want to hurt you."

With amused laughter, Serena and Kelly exchanged glances. Kelly leaned in to enlighten him, "Draco, you're not quite grasping the situation here."

In a sudden shift, their eyes turned red, and Kelly cracked her knuckles menacingly. Addressing Draco, she gave a warning, "You've got ten seconds to shift."

Draco's gaze flicked between Serena and Kelly, seeking guidance. Serena's reassuring smile met his eyes. Reluctantly, he turned his focus back to Kelly, allowing the transformation to overcome him. In his wolf form, he snarled at Kelly and leaped toward her. In the blink of an eye, he found himself airborne, crashing into a nearby wall. Confusion settled in, only for him to realize that Kelly had struck him and he hadn't been able to mount a defense.

Kelly, on the other hand, was jubilant, cheering and revealing, "I've always wanted to do that!"

Serena offered Draco's wolf form a comforting rub on his head as he whimpered. Her voice was soft as she encouraged, "Come on, get up. Training hasn't even started yet."

~~~

Exhausted, Serena knelt on the floor, her breath ragged from the intense exertion. As she looked up, her gaze fell upon a horde of menacing werewolves that surrounded her. The ground was littered with lifeless bodies, a result of her fierce struggle. The pack of werewolves snarled and prepared to attack, their crouched forms a precursor to the imminent assault. Without hesitation, they lunged at her, a wave of fur and fangs.

Serena's movements were swift, her instincts guiding her every action. She deftly sidestepped, struck back, and fought fiercely, taking down her adversaries one by one until the battleground was strewn with the corpses of her fallen enemies. Breathless and drained, she fell back onto her knees, panting heavily, her chest heaving with each labored breath.

A sound reached her ears, the approach of footsteps. She lifted her head, her bright red eyes locking onto a figure who had emerged from the shadows. The woman's presence exuded authority, and Serena felt a mix of reverence and familiarity as their eyes met. The lady knelt, her hand tenderly caressing Serena's sweat-drenched face.

With a voice both gentle and commanding, she spoke, "Feifei, be strong. Your training hasn't begun yet."

Serena's voice trembled slightly but held unwavering respect as she replied, "Yes, Mother."