A Mate To Three Alpha Heirs Chapter 132: It Was Uncle Marc

{Elira}

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"Today," Rennon said, his voice steady, "we will focus on reading your opponent’s stance before they even move. Combat is not just about strength, it’s foresight. If you can see their decision before they act, you’ve already won."

Pens scratched softly against notebooks. The students at the front leaned forward, eager, while those in the middle exchanged nervous glances as if already anticipating the practical test that would follow.

I gripped my pen a little tighter, fighting off the sluggishness that threatened to creep in while trying harder to focus.

And then I felt Rennon’s eyes lingering on for just a mont. His gaze wasn’t piercing like Zenon’s, nor teasing like Lennon’s. It was calm, steady, almost grounding.

When he called for volunteers to stand and demonstrate, my heart raced just like back then in Lennon’s class. I was terrified he might call my na. But instead, he looked elsewhere, picking students who were eager to prove themselves.

Each ti his gaze brushed over , though, it never lingered long, like he knew I needed space rather than pressure.

Still, I couldn’t shake the awareness.

Even when he corrected another student’s stance, his words seed to carry toward as well: "Balance matters. If you’re weighed down by sothing like fear or exhaustion, it will show in the way you move. Never give your opponent the chance to see it."

The class scribbled down the wisdom as though it were nothing more than a lecture note. But I felt the weight of it sink deeper into . His calm, quiet way of protecting without calling out.

I found myself relaxing more into the lesson.

"...That will be all for today," Rennon said, his voice calm as always. "Before you leave, if there’s anyone who has questions or feels uncertain about what we covered, speak now."

For a mont, silence filled the classroom. No one raised their hand. It was as if they understood everything and didn’t need any help. But that was different from .

My heart thudded, but sothing inside pushed past the nerves. And slowly, I lifted my hand.

Every head turned to , but I kept my gaze forward, steady, waiting.

Rennon’s eyes found mine. There was the briefest flicker of warmth in his expression before his tone returned to its usual calm.

"Miss Shaw," he said evenly, "et in the training hall after your last class today."

A ripple of surprise swept across the room, hushed murmurs quickly filling the air. But Rennon gave no one ti to dwell on it. He gathered his notes, nodded once to the class, and walked out with the sa steady composure as always.

I bit back a smile, heat fluttering low in my chest, happy that I got to spend a private ti with him, and a chance to learn without every eye watching. That thought alone made my nerves hum with anticipation.

I slipped my books into my arms, slid my phone into my palm, and joined the current of students leaving the room.

The hallway outside was already alive with noise—laughter, chatter, the slamming of lockers, footsteps echoing in a dozen directions at once.

Weaving my way through the tide, I finally reached the first-year locker hall. My eyes scanned quickly for Cambria, Juniper, Tamryn, and Nari, but none of them were here yet.

So I went straight to my locker first and dumped my books. The tal door closed with a soft clang, and I leaned back against it for a second, drawing a breath.

Habit tugged toward my phone. I unlocked it, slid into our group chat, and typed quickly:

Elira: [It seems I’m the only one who is done with her first class today.]

My finger hovered for half a beat before pressing send. The screen lit with the little "sent" tick, and I found myself waiting for any of them to answer soon.

The ssage ticked green, and I didn’t have to wait long before a notification popped up at the top of my screen.

Nari:[Don’t remind . Our professor kept us extra 10 minutes. Torture!]

I smiled faintly, shaking my head. Of course, she would be the first to complain.

Another bubble appeared almost instantly.

Juniper:[Sa here. And my brain is already fried. How is this only the first class of the day??]

I bit my lip, fighting back a laugh at her dramatic phrasing.

Cambria:[I will be done in 5 minutes. Wait for in the cafeteria, okay?]

Cambria’s calm practicality settled a little, even through the text.

A mont later, another ssage joined theirs.

Tamryn:[Still in class. But Nari keeps glaring at our professor like she wants to fight him. Pray for us.]

I chuckled softly, shoulders loosening as I read. It was so easy to imagine Tamryn’s deadpan delivery behind the words.

Nari’s bubble blinked again.

Nari:[He deserves the glares. If I were in Elira’s shoes, I would have marched out already. Elira, wait for us at our usual table. Don’t let anyone steal it.]

My lips curved before I could stop them.

Elira: [I will guard it. See you all soon.]

As soon as I typed out the last ssage, a thought tugged sharply at —the unknown number that had called this morning.

But now, with the hallway thinning out as students stread toward the cafeteria, curiosity gnawed at .

Quickly, I tapped into the call history and stared at the string of numbers. My thumb hovered for a breath before I pressed dial.

The line rang twice before the call connected.

"Elira, Dear?" A familiar voice ca through, deep and steady, yet threaded with sothing softer.

I froze mid-step as my heart gave a startled lurch. "Uncle Marc?"

"Yes." A small pause followed as though he were smiling faintly on the other end. "I’m glad you answered."

I blinked hard, thrown by the suddenness of it all. "I... I wasn’t expecting your call."

"I know," he admitted, his voice calm but careful. "And I should have reached out sooner. Tell , how are you doing?"

For a second, I wanted to ask how he had gotten my number, but the words never left . Instead, I drew a steadying breath. "I’m doing fine."