Page 36 of Fighting the Darkness

She shoves past him, heading toward Soren.

“I don’t want you training at all, but I can see that you’re determined to do this. Look, if you want to train, I’ll be the one to train you. But there’s no way that I’m going to let that wannabe train you.”

Freya freezes before turning around slowly, rage in her every motion.

Well, this ought to be interesting.

Chapter Sixteen

Freya

Icannotbelievethegall of this man.

I’d been surprised to see him here in No Holds Barred, but I shouldn’t have been. If this is where Freyr trained, then, of course, it’s where Wilder trained. I should’ve realized sooner, and maybe I would’ve been more prepared for this. He hadn’t wanted me to be at The Guillotine, so of course he doesn’t want me here. Then he and Soren had fought before Wilder came at me again.

With every word he says to me, the more anger grows inside of me. He’s had nothing to do with me for the last six or so years of my life, and twice in the last month he’s tried to tell me what I can and can’t do. Who does he think he is?

My eyes lock on Soren’s for a moment, and I have no idea what he’s thinking. But his lips quirk up into a smirk, making me realize he’s seen that I’ve reached my breaking point.

I turn around to face Wilder slowly, trying to keep my temper under control, but I think that’s one fight I’m going to lose as my eyes meet his. His entire face is awash with anger, a snarl on his lips and eyes flashing. Somehow, even though Soren saw it, Wilder misses my anger. Maybe he’s too lost in his own anger—who the hell knows. What I do know is that I’ve had enough of him.

“What I do and who I do it with is none of your business, Wilder. I don’t need you to train me because I have two trainers already. Yes, one of them is a complete asshole ninety percent of the time, but at least he never said Icouldn’tlearn to fight—just that he didn’t think I had it in me. But I’ve been proving him wrong—no matter what he says. But you, who I’ve known for most of my life, but just dropped off the face of the earth when we were sixteen, think you can come at me and demand that I do this or don’t do that? It’s laughable. You mean nothing to me. You are nothing to me. I don’t care if you’re some big badass fighter.

“Clearly you didn’t care enough about me six years ago to stay in my life, and you definitely didn’t feel the need to step up when Freyr died. I don’t need or want you in my life. You’ve made your feelings perfectly clear. Why you suddenly feel the need to butt into my life, I don’t know, but I’m not having any of it. So take your opinions and demands and shove them up your ass. Because I don’t care what you think or want. I’m doing what I want with my life, and anyone that doesn’t approve can get the fuck out of my way.”

Soren snickers behind me, and I whirl around on him. “Don’t act like I didn’t hand you your ass earlier. I’m so over dealing with overbearing men who think that their opinion is the only one that matters. Well, newsflash, assholes. I’m done letting any of you push me around. Soren, if you don’t want to train me, then fucking say so. Stop trying to break down my confidence. I do that enough for the both of us, I promise. If you want to train me, then man the fuck up, and do it. I’m killing myself trying to get into shape. Both Griffin and Cook have told me how well I’m progressing, so I don’t know why you feel the need to tear me down.

“It needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. And if any of you other idiots have any delusions of trying to do the same thing, you can get rid of them now.” My eyes scan the gathered fighters, most of them looking away or grinning at me. “Because Freya Bjorn doesn’t kneel to anyone, and I’m done taking shit. I might not know how to fight yet, but that doesn’t mean I won’t fuck up your shit.”

Silence follows my words until a hand lands on my shoulder. I glance up to find Griffin there. He squeezes my shoulder, giving me a smile.

“Now that you’ve said your piece, how about everyone gets the fuck back to training? This is a gym, for god’s sake, not a theater.” Griffin rolls his eyes as the other fighters grumble under their breath as they move back to their workouts. “Soren, Freya has made a very good point. If you don’t want to train her, then you need to tell us right now. If you choose to continue training her, then you and I are going to have a sit down about proper training techniques—which do not include beating our fighters down with your words.”

“I want to train her,” Wilder grinds out.

Griffin snorts as he looks at him over his shoulder. “Pretty sure she said she didn’t want you training her, but that’s up to her. Freya, if you want Wilder to train you, I can approve that. He can either take Soren’s spot or mine. Or all three of us can train you. There’s certainly no harm in having multiple trainers. It means you’re unlikely to pick up any of our bad habits since the others will be there to point them out.”

I bite my lip, looking between the three of them before facing Soren. “So? Do you want to train me or not?”

He’s silent long enough for me to worry that he’s going to say no, he doesn’t want to train me. Instead, I watch him deflate in front of my eyes.

“Yes, I want to train you. I see potential in you. That’s why I’ve been riding you so hard. I thought it would motivate you to push yourself harder.” Soren holds up his hands in surrender when I open my mouth to tell him what I think of that. “I realize now that I made a mistake. That wasn’t the proper way to motivate you. I promise it will stop. And yes, I will sit down with Griffin so he can ream my ass.”

Possibly literally?

I snort at the direction of my thoughts, ducking my head to hide the smile I can’t seem to wipe away.

“Fine. If it’s really okay with you, Griffin, then please add Wilder to the training roster. But—“ I shoot a glare at Wilder. “I’m only doing this because you were my brother’s best friend. The first time you try to pull any of this macho bullshit you’ve been trying to pull, then we’re done. Do you understand?”

Wilder clenches his jaw but nods sharply before spinning and taking off toward the locker room.

“Good on you, little one,” Griffin murmurs as he finally releases his hold on my shoulder. “I’ll get you an updated workout schedule later in the week. We’ll add on an additional session with him every week.”

Did he just call me little one? Where did that come from? And why do I like it so much?

I’m still a little shocked as I stutter out, “Thank you, Griffin. I’m sorry that I seem to have brought drama to your gym.”

Griffin waves off my words. “Nonsense. It follows those two around. You’re just an excuse for their bad behavior. Go on and do your session with Soren, yeah?”

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