Born From Ash (Book I of The Flame Trilogy)

I wake up at 5:00 am. Rolling out of bed, I pull on my pair of black leather pants along with a black long-sleeved crop top that reaches below my ribcage. The permanent ink that decorates my skin peaks out where my skin isn’t fully covered. It takes me less than a minute to pull on and lace up my spiked combat boots on my feet.

The rain creates a rhythmic pounding on the window nearby, the thought of getting wet not bothering me in the slightest. A little bit of rain isn’t going to stop me. I grab a hooded light jacket off one of the hangers in the wardrobe in the- my- room before creeping down the stairs and into the rain.

I take a small moment to appreciate the nature around me, just the smell of the mud and trees, the smell of the rain- it stirs my inner beast. It’s almost like she can’t wait to get into it, to feel the cool droplets against my ivory skin.

A small groan escapes my lips as I stretch my muscles and begin to run through the regime that had been practically beaten into me since I was 10. I don’t even have to think as I rehearse with deadly precision and force: punch after punch, jab after jab, kick after kick.

The rain doesn’t slow me down, instead it feels almost refreshing. I even practice a few tumbles and rolls without caring about the mud dirtying my skin, hair and clothes. I can hear everything around me, the whistling of the wind in my ears as I move, the leaves crunching beneath my feet with every step. I can feel nature in motion around me with each breath that I take; the crisp air filling my lungs, pushing me to move faster.

The cold rain begins to sting as it comes down harder against my cheeks, it would weigh me down if not for the resistance I maintain against it, aiming for precision with each stroke. A smile graces my features; coming alive with each harsh breath and my limbs that are beginning to ache.

My knuckles are raw and bleeding from the continuous hits I lay into the thick trunk of the oak tree in front of me. I have no doubt that my shins would be bruised, and I would feel like hell later on, but I can’t seem to care.

I feel alive.

All I can think about is the look that will be on Aleksandr’s face when I rip his heart out his chest and shove the beating organ down his throat. The need for revenge fuels me- revenge for what, I’m not entirely sure yet, but I’m hoping that Alpha Dimitri can help me find out. All I know is that Aleksandr has taken so much from me and one day I’d make him pay.

I freeze as I hear the sound of approaching footsteps on the wet patio. Swivelling around I’m met with the tired, yet surprised, face of Alpha Dimitri. His eyebrows raise at seeing me covered in mud and rain, but not at seeing me.

His eyes devour my form appreciatively, trailing from my toes, up my calves, thighs, hips, torso, breasts and arms before stopping at my face. It’s almost as if he’s committing my appearance to memory whilst simultaneously trying to mentally undress me.

His gaze is enough to send a fire of desire licking up my spine as I think of all the things he could do with those large hands of his. After last night’s strange revelation, I know I have to be deathly careful around him because if I’m not careful, I might just end up closer than I want to find myself.

“Good morning Alpha." I greet him, the word ‘Alpha’ leaving my mouth mockingly. Not wanting to acknowledge him as my superior, because I don’t see him as one- there’s nothing about him that I could see to make him superior to me.

I can tell my insolence irritates him from the twitch in his jaw, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Just Dimitri.” He grunts. “What are you doing out in the rain at 6 in the morning?”

“Training.” I answer simply. His eyes rake over my body again, once more drinking in every feature dedicatedly. His gaze stops at a fixed position as he stares at my bloodied and ripped hands.

“Come inside.” His deep voice is inviting, almost seductive; I can hear the sound of it pierce my body, reverberating deeper within me.

I almost consider obeying, but I’m not ready to go yet, especially not with him. I want to keep going until I collapse from exhaustion, until I can’t move any longer. Call me masochistic but I have to be ready to take on Aleksandr, and to do that I have to train like my life depends on it because it does.

I turn back to the tree, effectively ignoring him. There is a small silence between us, the only audible sounds are the crashing rain and the sound of my knuckles continuously slamming into the tree.

This time I’ve taken my insubordination a step too far and he will not accept it. A low, threatening growl fills the air in warning, giving me one more chance to follow his instruction. I can feel him exuding his Alpha influence, expecting it to threaten and persuade me to obey. “Now Mate. Get inside.”

I sigh, a white cloud appearing with the breath because of the cold. It’s apparently enough to set him off, my ears twitch at the sound of his heavy footsteps drawing closer. Even from where I stand, I can feel the heat rolling off his body as he stops barely a foot away from me.

My muscles clench. I widen my stance so that when he tries to grab me, I’m prepared. I knock his reaching hand away from me with my forearm. His eyes flame as a hand snakes out like lightning catching my arm. His grip was impossibly tight as he bares his canines at me, waiting for me to bare my neck in submission, his Alpha influence increasing almost sending me staggering in obedience.

He’ll be sorely disappointed.

Instead, I mash my heel into his toe then again into the back of his knee which threw him off balance. He staggers slightly but doesn’t fall. His grip on my arm tightens further at my resistance. From the hard look in his eye, he can tell that I’m not going down easily.

I manage to land a kick to his abdomen, using my momentum to flip myself over his arm and throw him over my shoulder. His surprise is by far my favourite expression, I can’t help the smile that overtakes my features- I’m actually having fun.

He takes me in, surprised eyes lingering on my smile for a moment. His lips twitch slightly in the hint of a smile before he pulls his mud drenched shirt over his head and shucks it to the floor, squaring off in front of me.

I take a moment to take him in, the previous appreciation and want he had shown me, I give right back to him. He is impressive. Thick arms connect to broad shoulders, a wide chest with each muscle chiselled with incredible definition. The man could have been carved from stone.

My eyes greedily take in his form, all the way down to his feet then back up again, a heated glint in his eyes tells me that he very much enjoys the attention. I lick my lips teasingly and he growls in response. Something akin to a chuckle leaves my lips, I don’t give myself time to think about it before I launch myself at him to deliver a punch to his solid stomach.

We go at each other, I land a few solid punches and kicks; Dimitri at first seems to hold back so I push harder. When one of my roundhouse kicks to his face sends him reeling back he stops going easy on me, sparring with me at his full strength. I’d give this Alpha credit, he is a formidable fighter- he’s just as strong as some of the beasts I’d fought in Shadow Fang. Perhaps I’d underestimated these wolves.

In my distraction, he manages to trap my arm once again, only this time he pulls me straight into a subdued hold. Using my trapped arm, he drags me back into his steady frame, twisting until there’s a light stabbing pain in my shoulder and my arm is locked behind my back.

He knees the tender spot behind my knee with the force of an Alpha which has me on my knees almost instantaneously. I try to get back up, but he lands a knee to my back sending me face first into the mud, a weight on my back keeps me held down.

I struggle for a moment or two until the pain in my shoulder grows tighter forcing me to stop.

“As fun as this was, next time, I won’t indulge your disobedience.” His hot breath tickles my ear as he speaks. A small sharp pain surprises me as he nicks my ear with his canines. He’s asserting his dominance over me. Showing me that he should be feared, respected.

The pain ceases as he lets me go, though my shoulder still throbs slightly after being held in such an uncomfortable position. His hand slides up my back gently before it closes around the back of my neck, pulling me up and directing me inside like a disobedient pup.

The warmth of the dining room engulfs me immediately along with the aroma of several delectable breakfast dishes. The small clock on the wall reads 6:15am in bright red digital numbers, supporting my suspicions that I had only been outside for an hour or so.

It’s still fairly quiet, something that is highly surprising because in Shadow Fang Aleksandr had made it a point to have everyone up and training before the sun rose. I have to stop comparing the two, this pack isn’t the same as Shadow Fang. In fact it is so different that I can’t believe that I could keep on forgetting.

“You will go upstairs shower and change. Breakfast is served at 6:30, you will be back down here by then.” His front is pressed against my back, the hard plains of his chest sending a heat running right through me. His hand still tightly grips my neck. I’m vaguely aware of him smelling my hair before he whispers in my ear: “Am I understood, Mate?”

His voice is thick with dominance and aggression, leaving no room for argument. His breath on the back of my neck tickles gently, adding to the pleasurable sensations that stem from his fingers, causing my nipples to harden against the thin fabric of my top.

It’s only a chemical reaction, but damn if it doesn’t feel so fucking good.

“Understood, Alpha.” I speak, my tone monotonous as I try to ignore the way my body felt.

“Dimitri.” He growls into my ear, sending tingles straight to my core. He can smell my arousal and it’s doing something to him too; I can feel him against my ass. It’s pure torture fighting the urge to groan when his lips ghost over my shoulder. It’s the first time that I don’t allow myself to give into my instincts and desires, fuck that I want to, but I’m not sure that I’m ready to face the consequences.

He keeps his hold on me waiting for me to acknowledge him.

“Understood Alpha Dimitri.” I try to add a harder edge to my tone fighting, the desire pulsing through my veins. My body betrays me as his fingers begin rubbing the skin at the back of my neck with a gentle pressure; something between a gasp and a moan leaves me, my head tilting back slightly at the pleasure.

I don’t like the power he has over me, both physically and in rank, it’s becoming unnerving how easily I’m starting to bend to him.

He releases my neck and I walk towards the stairs needing space between us. I turn back to face him, he’s standing there watching me go. It’s a little easier to control myself when he isn’t touching me. Whilst I don’t like the fact that he can make me feel things, I can’t help but like the way he makes me feel. A small smirk on my lips and a playful glint in my eye. “I had fun, we should do it again sometime.”

I march up the stairs without waiting for his answer, going straight to the room assigned as my own before following out Alpha Dimitri’s orders exactly. I shower, the water stained a foul brown colour from the mix of mud and blood washing off my body.

The steam from the bathroom escapes into the bedroom as I open the door. Angel is sitting on the chaise at the foot of the bed, along with a pair of light blue jeans, a grey cami and a plain red hoodie. I eye her with suspicion as I step into the room; her eyes widen as she takes in my inked and scarred arms, I don’t miss the way her eyes zero in on the ugly branded numbers on my left forearm.

She stands abruptly not completely meeting my eyes. “Alpha said that you have some wounds and I am to see to them.”

“I’ll be fine, it’s nothing serious.” I tell her. My stomach twists with that strange fluttering feeling from Dimitri’s and by extension Angel’s concern for me, though I force myself to ignore it.

“With all due respect Alpha-female, you’re dripping blood on the carpet.” Angel gestures to one of my mangled knuckles that is still trickling blood and, indeed, dripping on the sand coloured carpet below.

I suck in a breath as I sit down beside her, allowing her to wipe the broken skin clean with antiseptic. She seems surprised that I give no reaction. In fact, she is the one wincing as she rubs the wipe over my bloodied skin. She carefully wraps my hands in bandages, I don’t bother telling her that it’s useless, that my hands will be healed by the afternoon- I have a feeling that she wouldn’t listen anyway. She clears away the small first aid box before bowing and leaving me to get dressed.

I quickly throw on the clothes, not questioning where they came from just grateful enough to have them. The hoodie is surprisingly warm, and I have no qualms besides the colour- I’m accustomed to wearing dark coloured, or camo coloured, clothes but I can’t complain about something so trivial.

As I walk back down the stairs my mind is preoccupied with the small caring gestures of Angel and arguably Dimitri. I can’t deny that it’s nice to have someone else looking after me. I’ve always had to watch my own back, never letting my guard down for a second and it’s exhausting but here I don’t have to do that as much. For once I’m in a place that seems safe enough to be myself, and I have no idea who that is. It’s terrifying.

More pack members file into the room and sit waiting for the omegas to serve the breakfast dishes. As soon as I appear in the doorway Dimitri’s eyes are on me, he beckons me over with his finger and a raised brow. Not wanting to embarrass myself in front of his pack (because I don’t doubt for one second that he would try to subjugate me in front of his pack), I follow his order going over to sit beside him.

The tables are arranged pretty much the same as the night before. Besides Angel who is exceptionally chipper, everyone else is a lot more toned down and mostly keeps to themselves. Mikhail and Irina seemed particularly quiet, and incredibly affectionate with one another- more so than the night before.

A few, sends Dimitri and I a few questioning looks, no doubt wondering how we had both acquired such aggressive bruises so early in the morning. From my bandaged knuckles and his bruised ones, I think it’s easy to put the pieces together. Nobody says a thing however, especially when Dimitri’s warm palm finds its way to my thigh, and I don’t do anything in retaliation.

Once the food is brought out, the Alpha takes the first bite before the rest of the pack members begin to eat, like at dinner the night before. There’s a mild chatter surrounding the hall whilst everyone eats. Dimitri takes a gulp of coffee from his mug; his hand on my thigh squeezes gently catching my attention, he leans down to speak by my ear.

“Once we eat, Angel has requested your time so you will go with her.” He tells me in a gruff voice. “Then you will be escorted to my office. There is much to do.”