The Luna Queen's Rebirth (Ellie and Dominic) novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9 
Ellie’s POV 
“Why?” I couldn’t keep the suspicion out of my voice. 
“Because we’re all strong fighters, and it makes tactical sense,” he replied, but there was something else in his expression. Something I couldn’t quite identify. His eyes kept flicking between Ryan and me, like he was trying to read something in ur body language. 
Vivian stepped forward, her voice sweet as honey. “I think it would be fun! Like old times, but… different.” 
I hesitated, trying to figure out the easiest way out of the situation. 
I wanted to refuse Dominic’s request to team up, but something made me pause. I looked at Ryan, hoping he might decline for both of us. 
Ryan hesitated, glancing between Dominic and me. “Fighting alongside an Alpha–blood like Dominic is a rare opportunity,” he said slowly. “As long as you don’t mind…” 
His diplomatic response left the choice in my hands. Refusing now would make it look like I was avoiding Dominic out of fear. 
“Fine,” I said curtly. “Let’s get this over with.” 
The announcement quickly drew everyone’s attention. Students began gathering around our training area, sensing drama. 
“This is going to be good,” I heard someone whisper. 
“I bet Ellie’s going to embarrass herself trying to impress Dominic.‘ 
The crowd was growing larger by the minute. The instructor looked pleased by the unexpected audience. 
As we took our positions, I noticed Vivian looked genuinely scared. Her face was pale, and her hands were shaking as she gripped her practice weapon. She kept glancing at the crowd nervously. 
Her combat skills were far behind mine. In my past life, I’d always made excuses for her weaknesses. But now I could see she’d never put in real effort to improve. 
Dominic noticed her fear and moved closer. In his mind, he knew Vivian needed protection–she was weak and untrained. But with me, he’d always pushed harder, believing that as his future mate, I needed to be strong enough to stand beside an Alpha. 
“Don’t worry,” he said to Vivian, his voice gentler than usual. “I’ll make sure you’re protected. You won’t get hurt.” 
Vivian’s face immediately brightened. “Really? You promise?” 
“I promise.” 
The exchange made my stomach turn, not with jealousy, but at the stark difference in how he treated her versus me. I could see the internal conflict in Dominic’s eyes as he looked between us. 
Part of him seemed almost relieved that Vivian would be safely protected, while another part appeared frustrated by his own double standard. 
In past training sessions, I would have acted helpless, begging Dominic to go easy on me. I had thought it was endearing. 
But I was far past that sort of behavior now. This time, I just stood firm, weapon ready, meeting his gaze steadily. 
Dominic seemed thrown off by my confident stance. 
“I’ll… I’ll go easy on you too, Ellie,” he offered awkwardly, clearly expecting me to respond the way I always had before. 
“I don’t need you to go easy on me,” I replied coolly. 
The instructor blew the whistle, signaling the start of our mock battle. 
Immediately, I could see Dominic’s strategy. He was holding back with Vivian and me, but being noticeably harsher with Ryan. 
His attacks toward Ryan were sharp and aggressive, while he barely touched Vivian. 
Delicate girls like Vivian stirred Dominic’s protective instincts. He genuinely couldn’t bear to see her get hurt. 
Ryan looked surprised by the intensity but adapted quickly. 
I couldn’t stand this charade any longer. 
After deflecting a few of Dominic’s half–hearted attacks, I moved decisively. With quick, precise movements, I disarmed Vivian and pinned her to the ground. She let out a small cry of surprise, but I was careful not to hurt her. 
“You’re out,” I said simply, then immediately pivoted to help Ryan. 
The crowd went silent. No one had expected me to eliminate Vivian so quickly and efficiently. 
Having been reborn with all my memories intact, I was very familiar with Dominic’s fighting style. I knew his tells, his favorite combinations, his weaknesses. 
I had years of experience fighting alongside him. 
I moved to flank him while he was engaged with Ryan, forcing him to divide his attention between two opponents instead of focusing on just one. 
“Since when is Ellie that good?” someone muttered. 
“Did you see how fast she took down Vivian?” 
Dominic was clearly surprised by my improved abilities. During a brief pause, he managed to corner me against one of the practice barriers.