Mine for Eternity [Council Enforcers] (Siren Publishing Classic)

getting at, but if he was trying to make her feel better, he was doing a poor job of it. She frowned when he started moving the furniture around.
    “Have you ever had any kind of self-defense training?” Ben asked as he lifted the couch single-handedly and moved it over to the far wall.
    She stared, openmouthed. Being told a person had super strength and seeing it were two completely different things. Even Nico stared up at him with wide eyes before following behind Ben and trying to lift the couch himself. “Um no. I’ve always wanted to take a martial arts class, but growing up in foster care, I never had the money. When Nico was born, it became a matter of never having the time.”
    “Well then, today is your lucky day. You need a distraction, and you also need to learn at least a little self-defense. I’m not trying to scare you, but now that you have mated Mitch, who is one of the most feared enforcers there is, the fastest way to bring him down is through you.” He pointed to the mark on her shoulder even though her shirt was covering it. “The moment Mitch put that there, you became his biggest weakness.”
    Tessa knew Ben was right, but it still hurt to hear it. Something on her face must have given away her feelings, because he pulled her in a hug. Tessa sighed against his chest. She noticed shifters were a touchy-feely bunch, but she wasn’t complaining.
    “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I’m just showing you what you are up against. Hell, you already experienced what our kind can do. I just want you to be prepared to at least defend yourself and Nico until backup arrives. In our world, even one second can mean the difference between life and death.”
    Ben had a point, and at the mention of her son’s name, Tessa knew she needed to do whatever it took to keep him safe. “Okay, show me what you got.”
    “Good girl.” Ben grinned and rubbed his palms together.
    She had a moment to think about what she had just agreed to then she blinked and Tessa realized she was staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t even begin to explain how he had gotten her on her back. Ben helped her up with a laugh as her son laughed and clapped his hands from his seat on the sofa. At least he was enjoying himself. Lord, what have I gotten myself into?
    “I did that to show you how fast we can move. Eventually you will be able to move fast, but you will always be slower and weaker than a full shifter. You have to always be on your guard and be ready for anything.”
    Tessa thought about the nightmare she had about the man chasing her. Every time she had the dream, she never saw the man before he struck. Her subconscious had been trying to warn her about what she was up against even before she knew the truth about what was chasing her.
    Ben came at her over and over again, and each time Tessa ended up on her back. He took care to never hurt her, and each time he knocked her down he made sure to somehow cushion her landing, but she knew she would still be sore before the night was gone.
    “I think we’ve had enough for today,” he said when Tess was a little too slow getting up.
    Frustrated, she bent over with her hands against her knees. “One more time,” she gasped between breaths.
    “Are you sure? I didn’t expect you to get it all in one day. Learning to fight takes time.”
    “I’m sure.” The words were barely out of her mouth when he came at her again, but this time she was ready for him. She noticed that each time he ran at her, she was able to track more and more of his movement. It was like her mind was slowing the action down so she could see it even though he was still moving at full speed. This time when he came at her, she waited until he was right on her then she suddenly jumped out of the way, letting his full momentum carry him crashing into the wall behind her. She didn’t stop to see if he was okay. Tessa leaped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.
    Ben froze for all of two seconds before laughing and standing with her still attached to his back. She dangled there like a hundred-and-twenty-five-pound human cape as he easily walked back to the middle of the room. She had no illusions that she had won that round by the show of strength he had just used to stand, but she was still proud of herself.
    She let go of his neck and slid down to the floor. “I did it!”
    “That was exactly what I’ve been trying to get you to do. Just because a person is bigger and stronger