Chapter 18 - Training
Alice Forrest
I felt him untangle from my arms, pulling himself from my grasp and sitting on the side of the bed, grabbing at the empty sheets, I longed for the feeling of his touch, for the fire that seared my skin at his embrace.
My nails ran down his lower back lightly as I found him, and I snaked my arms back around his waist, a small moan slipping from his lips as I held him. His hand flopped onto my head, and he massaged my scalp with his nails, a moan slipping from my mouth, could this man do no wrong?
“I have to go,” he whispered.
I clung to him tighter.
“I have been absent from training too frequently this month, I cannot stay in bed with you forever,” he whispered, trying to pry himself from my arms.
“Can I go with you?” I asked, blinking against the bright light and looking up into his eyes.
He looked down at me, his gaze wandering over my back, his hand following tracing my skin and spine, “how do you feel? How is your back?”
“My back is fine,” I reassured, releasing him and sitting up, leaning against his back, “will you take me with you? Will you let me train with you?”
He gazed at me, a flicker of concern washing behind his eyes, “fine.”
I planted a kiss on his shoulder as he looked away, staring at the windows.
Not wishing to irritate him further, I gingerly stepped out of bed, and I could feel his gaze watching me intently as I strolled into the walk in robe, finding another sports bra and leggings. Ones that he hadn’t torn with scissors or his claws…
I tossed my hair into a ponytail and stepped out of the walk in robe at the same time that he stepped out of his. I felt his gaze, look at me up and down, but I couldn’t help but do the same to him. He wore a pair of skin tight, black, leggings, that seemed to cling to every muscle in his calves and thighs, loose shorts thrown over the top hiding his well-endowed manhood from the public eye. Completing the look was a thin, grey shirt that clung shamelessly to his chest, shoulders and arms, my silver mark sparking above the neckline.
I blushed and looked down, how was it I had marked this man who I barely new, I lived on the other side of the country with a complete stranger, and I didn’t seem to mind one bit.
“Come,” he commanded, holding out his hand which I happily accepted and he walked me out of the bedroom.
“Where are you training today?” I asked, remembering that they trained in the rivers and was unsure if I was going to ruin these shoes, getting them wet.
He smiled, “don’t worry, not in the river, not today,” he answered, as if reading my mind. “We’re just on the sports grounds, across from the pack house.”
“Ah yes, because I know all about the pack grounds, you’ve showed me around so much,” I said rolling my eyes.
My arm gave a slight click as he pulled at it, spinning me into his embrace and looking down at me, “I didn’t want to deal with anyone’s crap.”
“What?”
“I knew that if I showed you around town as my Mate, my Luna, without the mating process being fully completed, I would hear all of these stupid remarks and comments. I didn’t want to have to deal with anyone’s crap.”
“With your reputation, I’m surprised anyone would say anything disrespectful to you.”
“On the contrary, I find the pack members are exceptionally critical of everything and everyone around me.”
“But not you?”
“I think that’s fear.”
“So they idolise you? Don’t tell me you’ve created a cult and you’re the godly figure.”
He let out a chuckle, “no.”
I gave a small smile, realising I enjoyed these moments, the moments when he was unafraid, unbiased, and willing to talk to me.
“Alice,” he said softly, stroking a whisp of hair behind me ear, “I have a favour to ask.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t want you to train in front of the warriors.”
“What! Why?” I objected, furrowing my brow and scowling at him.
“I don’t think I could bare to see you getting hurt, I might just kill your opponent.”
“I want to fight, please.”
“Why?”
“I want to prove that I’m not as weak as I look.”
“We’ll see,” he murmured, realising my body and pulling me out the front door by the hand.
“Morning men,” Nathaniel said, nodding at two men who sat comfortably on the front porch of the house. I didn’t even know there were guards stationed there and I felt a flush rise from my chest up my cheeks as I thought about all the intimate moments between myself and Nathaniel that were no longer private.
“Don’t worry about it,” Nathaniel said.
“Don’t worry about what?”
“Them, hearing our fucking.”
“What?” I asked in shock.
He paused mid-way down the garden path, looking at me and furrowing his brow, “you don’t realise it, do you?” he said realising my hand and looking at my intensely. A frown line was prominent between his brows and his green eyes swum with confusion and interest behind them.
“Realise what?” I said, taking a step back.
“I feel your emotions, the strong ones. Now that the mating process is complete, we can feel the emotions that are strongest in our mates. It’s more prominent in Alphas and Betas than other classes of wolf. I felt your embarrassment and confusion.
I looked at him blankly, unsure how to process the information, “what?” I felt my own brow furrow and my head beginning to throb. “I don’t understand.”
“Don’t worry about it too much, you’ll give me a head ache at this rate.”
“No, tell me, how much do you feel?”
He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, combing it backwards, “I felt how happy you were this morning, I knew you had woken up because I felt a wash of emotion run down my spine. I felt your desire to prove yourself, when you demanded I allow you to train. Right now, I feel your panic and confusion.”
“Why don’t I feel anything from you?”
“I try to keep myself as impartial as possible,” he said with a shrug, “either that or your ignoring the feelings, they will become more obvious and transparent as time goes on. Now come, I don’t want to be late for training.”
He grabbed my hand again and began to pull me down the steps of the garden path.
- - -
“How about I fight with Jamie again?” I said softly to Nathaniel as we jogged around the track, the rest of the pack warriors several meters ahead of us, and Jamie leading the charge.
He let out a grunt, “You want him dead then?”
“No, I trust you not to kill him.”
Nathaniel scoffed, “then who should I train with? He’s my usual sparring partner.”
“All the better you let me train with him, otherwise you might give him a beating yourself.”
He ran a hand through his gorgeous black hair, glancing at me, “not one drop of blood,” he threated as our job came to a halt and everyone paired up with their sparring partners.
I let their stares and whispers vanish, I concentrated on my opponent, Jamie. I chose not to spare with Nathaniel, because everyone knew he wouldn’t go all out on me. But Jamie, he had no reason to – at least in their eyes. His eyes were soft, yet calculating. I cannot say I’d fought many people, but something inside me told me that Jamie had earned his Beta title through more than just blood.
The world seemed to slow, as I concentrated on my breathing. This was new.
Jamie held up his normal stance, loose and relaxed, for once, I mimicked – let’s try his fighting style this time. He threw his usual punch, I saw his muscles tense and his arm lifting, fist shooting through the air. I stepped to the side, letting it graze past me and I kicked him in the side, throwing him off balance.
He stubbled and looked up at me, his goofy grin splitting across his face, “Did Nate give you some secret lesson or something?”
“I have no idea what you’re on about?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at his quizzically.
“You’ve never dodged like that,” he said quietly, making sure no one could hear.
“I thought we already knew I was a fast learner.”
He grunted in agreement as he lunged at me again, his attack was low. There was no way I could dodge this one, so I crouched down and sprung at him, meeting him mid air the sound of our bodies collided sounded like thunder. I threw Jamie off me and over my head, quickly regaining my feet to see that he had almost collided with circle of observers who had decided to stop sparing and watch us fight. Nathaniel was one of them.
Jamie gave out a small growl, as he cracked his neck and his store daggers at me. We ran at each other again, Jamie was clearly setting up, ready to go high. I dropped to my knees, just as his fist should have collided with my face and let my elbow knock out his knees. He was spent tumbling over his toes face first into the dirt and grass.
I stood up and looked down at him, “I didn’t realise you were a herbivore, Jamie,” I snickered as he spat our a mouthful of grass.
“Yes, it’s a refreshing lifestyle,” he quipped as he plucked a piece of grass from his tongue. This attack – I didn’t see coming. Fist in the face, collided with my jaw sending my stumbling backwards.
Nathaniel’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, “are you okay?” he murmured.
“Perfect,” I said quickly, before pushing myself off him and launching myself at Jamie who stood only a couple steps away, letting my own fist collided with his jaw in payback.
Author's Note:
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