It was hard standing under Kaden’s gaze.

Yuki silently cursed her terrible luck. Out of everyone in this university, why did it have to be him? His cold sapphire eyes stayed fixed on her from the front of the training hall, making her feel strangely exposed. The room suddenly felt too crowded and suffocating.

"Why are you late?" Kaden asked calmly, as if he had no idea why.

The words caught her off guard. Technically this was his fault. He had abandoned her on the roadside and made her late. Still, judging by the look on his face, bringing that up would be a terrible idea.

"I got lost on the way here," Yuki replied quietly. It was at least half true.

Kaden narrowed his eyes slightly. "You got lost?" The way he said it made it sound less like a question and more like he already thought she was lying.

Yuki pressed her lips together, resisting the urge to defend herself. The campus was massive. Of course she had gotten lost.

"Speak to me after class," Kaden instructed. His tone remained even, but something about it made her stomach sink.

His gaze slowly moved over her outfit. Unlike everyone else dressed in proper training clothes, she was still wearing what she had arrived in.

"You are not dressed for combat," he noted.

Yuki opened her mouth to explain that she had been sent straight here after registration and it was also her first day she didn’t know the dress code, but Kaden had already looked away.

"Join the group anyway," he said. Without another word, he turned back toward the class.

Yuki quietly moved toward the back, trying not to attract more attention. The training hall was far larger than she expected. Thick mats covered the floor and the faint scent of sweat lingered in the air. Most of the students looked completely comfortable, stretching or chatting like this was routine.

Kaden stood in the centre of the room with his arms folded across his chest. "Combat is survival," he said, his voice carrying easily through the hall. "I do not care what department you belong to. Warrior, research, medicine. If someone attacks you and you freeze, you die."

The room immediately fell silent.

He started by demonstrating the basics. Defensive stance. Proper footing. Weight distribution. How to guard vital areas and avoid exposing weak spots. After that, he moved on to simple self defence techniques, showing them how to break wrist grabs and redirect force.

Yuki tried copying the movements from where she stood, but everything felt awkward because she wasn’t used to it. Everyone else moved naturally while she felt stiff and out of place.

Then Kaden’s voice cut through the room. "Yuki."

Her stomach dropped. Every head turned toward her. Kaden gestured toward the centre mat. "Come demonstrate to the class."

Yuki froze for a second before slowly walking forward. Her palms already felt damp.."Show the class the defensive position I demonstrated," Kaden instructed.

She swallowed nervously and tried copying what she remembered. One foot back. Hands raised. Balance steady.

"No," Kaden said immediately.

Her face heated.

"Your footing is wrong," he added before stepping closer. He lightly nudged her ankle with his foot. "Like this."

She adjusted quickly.

"No. Still wrong."

A quiet laugh sounded from somewhere behind her. Heat rushed to her cheeks.

She tried again, but somehow it only got worse. Kaden corrected her posture. Then her stance. Then the angle of her arms. Every correction made her more nervous, and the more nervous she became, the worse she performed.

After what felt like forever, Kaden finally stepped back and crossed his arms.

"Do you have any combat experience at all?" he asked.

The question stung more than she expected. All eyes were on her now. She understood exactly what he was doing. This bastard definitely had it out for her.

"My former university did not make combat compulsory for medical students," Yuki admitted quietly. "I do not really have any experience."

A faint smirk tugged at Kaden’s lips. "So doctors do not need combat?" he asked.

The question caught her off guard.

"Well, healers are not usually placed in dangerous situations," she explained carefully. "Most minor injuries heal naturally for werewolves and proper healers are normally stationed near camps. They are rare, so putting them at risk does not really make sense.".

The confidence in her voice faded when she noticed the strange smile crossing Kaden’s face. It was not a nice smile. It immediately gave her chills.

"What if I told you a warrior can also be a healer?" he asked.

Yuki frowned in confusion. That made no sense to her. Doctors were valuable. Healers even more so. Why would they be sent to the front lines?

"A doctor does not belong on the battlefield," she replied honestly.

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Several students exchanged glances. Some stared at her like she had said something ridiculous.

Kaden let out a quiet laugh. "So what happens when someone gets injured on the front line and cannot make it back to camp?" he asked. "What happens when transport is not possible?"

Yuki opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"Have you ever heard of battle medics?" Kaden continued.

The question left her stunned. Of course, she had heard the term before, but she had never really thought about it.

"As a matter of fact," Kaden continued, "one of the best healers and doctors in Ravencourt also fights on the front lines. I am talking about Kieran."

Of course. Kieran had graduated from medical research and he was an alpha. Combat training would obviously be normal for someone like him.

"Combat is not only about fighting," Kaden continued. "Even doctors need to know how to protect themselves."

For the first time since class started, Yuki found herself completely speechless.

"Class dismissed," Kaden announced.

The room quickly came alive again as students started gathering their things. Yuki stood there mortified.

"You okay?" Xavier asked as he walked over.

She looked up, startled. His cinnamon coloured hair looked messy from training and a towel rested loosely around his neck.

"I am fine," she replied automatically.

Xavier arched his brow. "You looked like you wanted the floor to swallow you."

To her horror, a small laugh escaped her. "Was it really that obvious?" she asked.

"A little," he admitted with an easy smile. "Do not take it personally. Kaden is strict with everyone."

Easy for him to say. "He kind of humiliated me," she muttered.

"He does that," Xavier replied casually. "But if you want help, I can train with you sometime. This class is compulsory and Kaden does not exactly go easy on people."

Before Yuki could answer, a familiar voice interrupted. "Yuki."

Her shoulders stiffened immediately. A cold gaze burned into the back of her neck.

Kaden stood near the entrance with his arms crossed.

"Come with me," he said.

His gaze shifted from Yuki to Xavier, and something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

Yuki’s stomach tightened, though she could not explain why.