The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 182

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 182: A New Approach**

[Evelyn’s POV]

As I stood there, my gaze fixated on the mat sprawled across the floor, a sense of trepidation washed over me. I felt rooted to the spot, as if the very fibers of the mat were holding me back.

Drawing in a deep breath, I slowly exhaled, trying to steady the turmoil brewing within. “Alexander, whatever it is you’re devising, I’m really not sure—”

“Will you please just trust me?” he interjected, his voice laced with urgency.

I could feel my jaw tighten, a reflex born from skepticism. Yet, despite my better judgment, I found myself inching toward the mat, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest and leveling a piercing stare at him.

“My reasoning for wanting you to give this whole thing another chance,” he began, his tone earnest, “is because I believe you may have taken away the wrong impression before. When you train, I want you to envision your opponent as someone capable of manifesting your worst fears, and the only way to prevent that from happening is to take them down.”

“What is it that you fear, Evelyn?” Erik’s question cut through the air, pressing into the silence like a weight.

Heat blossomed in my cheeks as their expectant gazes bore down on me.

“Well, I… I fear losing the things that matter most in my life. The people I love, for example. My brother, Wendy, Nina, the pack… You.” The words tumbled out, each one heavy with meaning.

Alexander nodded slightly, urging me to continue. “What else?” he prompted, his eyes searching mine.

“I love my work. The greenhouse and the library are my sanctuaries. Those spaces envelop me in a sense of safety and tranquility. Whenever I faced a problem, I would seek a solution or at least carve out a moment to clear my head.”

“That’s good,” Thomas chimed in, his voice steady and reassuring. “We want you to harness all of these things you cherish and use them as focal points during today’s training.”

Just like yesterday, Thomas assumed his position on the mat, standing confidently across from me.

“Get into the stance you learned,” Alexander instructed. I squared my shoulders, feeling the weight of his expectations, and spread my feet apart, tucking my fists close to my chest. “Good. Now, when you look at Thomas, I want you to see beyond the man standing in front of you. In this exercise, envision him as that same opponent I mentioned earlier.”

“Remember all the things you hold dear, Evelyn,” Erik added, his voice firm yet encouraging. “This opponent has the power to erase everything you love. It’s your responsibility to stop him.”

A pang of anxiety twisted in my chest, a reminder of the stakes at hand. “You are placing an immense burden on my imagination,” I shot back, my voice tinged with frustration.

A heavy silence enveloped us before Alexander spoke again, his voice dropping an octave. “Well, it wouldn’t exactly be ‘imagination’ if I instructed Thomas to destroy the greenhouse and set the library ablaze.”

My mouth fell open in disbelief, a sharp claw of panic raking through my insides. “You wouldn’t do that,” I gasped, my heart racing.

Surely, he was joking. But the stoic expression on Alexander’s face told me otherwise as he shrugged and turned to Thomas.

“If you let Thomas leave this tent, he’s going to head straight for the greenhouse and dismantle it piece by piece,” Alexander warned, his tone unyielding. “Do you understand?”

Instead of taking his own stance, Thomas stood tall and began to stride toward the exit. What the hell was happening?!

He showed no signs of stopping, and my heart plummeted into my stomach.

No. No. No. NO!!

I had to act! Each step he took felt like a countdown to disaster, threatening my plants, my projects, everything I held dear. My instinct kicked in; I had to prevent him from reaching the exit. But Thomas was a force of nature, pressing forward like an unstoppable tank. I felt my feet being dragged along as he advanced.

“Goddamnit,” I growled, frustration bubbling over.

My right hand balled into a fist, and with a surge of determination, I pulled my arm back as far as I could.

Sorry, Thomas. But I’m not letting you destroy my work.

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