‘Morning, beautiful,’ Darien’s words play in my head, and if I were in human form, I would have blushed. Instead my wolf’s stomach growls as it always does at just the right times. Of course, it doesn’t help that we ran all night with no food to replenish us.
Darien gives me a wolfish laugh, but stops as his own stomach roars in hunger.
‘Who’s laughing now,’ I tease. We both stand and stretch before trotting back towards home. We should have taken the horses.
Still in our own little bubble, we make breakfast together in the nude, sneaking glances at each other, and flirting while we dance around the kitchen. After breakfast we shower together to save time, though I’m not sure we saved any at all.
When it was time for him to go, I could tell that he didn’t want to, but his pack needs him today. He kisses me hard, leaving me breathless before he walks out the door.
Not twenty minutes later, Jerek is here to pick me up. We don’t speak of last night, or much of anything at all.
Today I had made lots of sales after cutting some prices to make room for the new inventory Jerek has already been working on. Watching the man work is something else. It makes me want to learn how. Maybe I can get him to teach me someday.
He catches me staring and smiles before winking at me. Just like that, the tension between us melts away. From then on, we talk and laugh easily the rest of the day until Jerek pulls up the driveway to my home.
About a third of the pack is here, standing in the driveway and on the porch, waiting. Darien isn’t here, and they know he doesn’t get home for a while, so why the hell are they here?
Jerek growls beside me in the cab of the truck, sensing trouble. I share the feeling, but it eases when I spot Alexia. I jump out at the sight of her and Jerek follows, taking up position next to me. I didn’t think so when I first met him, but behind his sarcasm and awkwardness, I can see that he truly is intimidating.
Alexia’s smile at my presence erases any of the remaining panic in me. I look around to see that there are a few dominants here, but most are middle, to lower end of the pack. Alex, being the most comfortable with me, steps forward to speak.
“Hey Ari, Jerek,” she tilts her head respectfully to him, “Can we train with you guys today?” Her question completely shocks me. Once I recover, I grin from ear to ear. It’s been a while since anyone, aside from Jerek, has been willing to train with me.
“Hell yes, you can!” I shout with excitement, and everyone looks pumped that I have agreed. The more the merrier. Looking at Jerek I can see that he is as blown away as me, but there is excitement there too. Apparently neither of us is shy about running a training course.
Together we lead everyone into the field where we would be extra shielded from the main road. Everyone looks to me for direction, and the feeling passing through me is foreign, but exhilarating at the same time.
“Okay,” I address the crowd, “first off, we need to see what we’re working with here. Everyone, pair up. Jerek and I will walk around to each pairing to observe and jump in at random. Don’t hold back against us. Give us everything you’ve got and we will provide tips and may switch you around with who we see fit to pair you up with.”
The words just flow out of me as if I was born to do this, and they all do as instructed. The less dominant wolves are a bit more hesitant to find a partner, but eventually everyone is paired up.
I walk up to Alex and her partner of choice first, with Jerek following behind. She chose a dominant male whose name I remember is Gabe. I sense that he is fairly high in the pack’s rank. He looks unsure about fighting a girl, but they face each other regardless. I signal for them to begin.
Gabe delivers a barrage of attacks. Darien has trained him well, and Alex is blocking and defending each strike, but is unable to counter attack. As I watch, I can see her begin to tire. She can only take so many more hits.
Alex takes a chance to strike, but he blocks her hand before pushing her back. It’s hard enough to have her stumbling backwards. He steps forward to deliver more, but I’m already in his path. Blocking, ducking, and punching, I push him back. His brows knit together in concentration and frustration. Right where I want him.
I sweep low to take his footing out, but he jumps back. That’s why I always have a back-up plan. Before his feet touch the ground, I am up in a flash and deliver a kick to his chest, using his backwards movement to knock him onto his back. I’m above him in an instant, hands around his throat, and posed to strike, and it reminds me of my fight with Jerek when we first met.
Gabe isn’t happy, but he can’t hide that he’s impressed as well. I back off and give him a hand up. My cheeks burn when everyone starts clapping and whistling. I signal Alex to stand beside me and have both her and Gabe bow like I have seen in karate movies. The clapping grows, but when I start to speak, they simmer down.
“Gabe is strong and surprisingly quick. Alex did an excellent job deflecting, but that drains your endurance. You must be smart, but swift. Take a risk. Endure a hit to deliver a stronger one. Give them a chance to make a mistake, and then use it against them,” I say, and the determination in everyone’s eyes reflects my own. I feel like a true leader.
The sparring continues as Jerek and I move from pair to pair, taking turns fighting and giving tips. After the first round, seeing everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, we change up a few partners.
Before we begin the next round, I feel eyes on us.
Scanning the area, I find Darien watching me in surprised amusement. When the hell did he get here? I hadn’t even heard his truck come up the driveway. I’m getting sloppy.
He comes closer once he knows I’ve spotted him. The pack looks nervous at his arrival. When they see the pride in their Alpha’s eyes though, their determination is restored. Packs mostly train on their own or when their Alpha calls for it, which is typically only a few times a year. Usually it is to test out who is dominant, and determine everyone’s order in the pack.
Is that why everyone is here? Are they all trying to step up their game and see who can move higher in rank now that Braden is dead? Or is it because of the imminent war that his stupidity instigated?
Darien joins our training, fighting and giving advice when needed. I catch his eye and he is genuinely smiling at me across the field. Through our bond, I can feel his pride in me.
Everyone is exhausted but smiling when it’s over. Just one day of training and they are all several steps up from where they started. The three of us make a good training team.
“Same time tomorrow?” Gabe’s question catches me off guard. He wants to come back? I look to the pack, my pack, and they are all giving me the same hopeful look.
“Same time. I’ll even get all the guys from Shield logging here,” Darien answers for me.
“Great job today everyone,” I finish for him, doing my best to appear strong in front of them. They all nod and disperse, except Alex who comes and barrels into me.
“You are so awesome,” she squeals, “I mean I heard from some of the guys about yesterday, but seeing you fight in person is something else.” Her words flatter me.
Thanks to my uncles and hard work, I have always been confident in my skills, but it’s not often that I, as a woman, am praised for my abilities. Maybe there was just something different about the women in the Alaska pack. Or maybe they just had an issue with me personally. Unfortunately, it’s probably the latter. I won’t make the mistake of being that selfish girl again.
Jerek walks up beside me, and I notice a faint flush on Alex’s skin. I smile, but quickly hide it.
“Thanks, Alex. You know Jerek, right?” I try not to be too obvious, but I’ve never played matchmaker before. Alex nods, looking up at him as if it’s the first time that she is really seeing him.
“You did well today,” Jerek says a little shyly, and hope blooms in my heart for these two. She nods in thanks, and attempts to hide her reddening cheeks. Jerek looks pretty clueless though since he hasn’t ta
lked to another woman, other than me, in who knows how long. This is going to take some work.
“Hey Alex, can I ask you a favor?” I ask as an idea comes to me, and I try to mask my excitement. “I’m working with Jerek and trying to post pictures of his inventory on the website I created for him. My phone pictures hardly cut it, but since you know your way around a camera better, would you mind coming by to help out?”
“Not at all,” she beams at me, “I can come by tomorrow.”
Jerek gives me a sideways glance when she waves and walks away, but I ignore him. I haven’t known Alexia long, but I never expected to see a shy side of her. Jerek is a special case though, so she is most likely trying to tread carefully. He pats me on the back, and I smile up at him before he leaves with the rest of the pack.
“Well that was new,” Darien’s voice purrs behind me.
“Yeah, I guess they all sense that there is a war coming, or they must want a higher position in the pack,” I say absentmindedly, but Darien spins me to face him. The sudden motion has me in a daze for a moment. He smirks down at me in his arms.
“That might be part of it, but you earned their respect. They didn’t come here to train and learn from me,” he points out. “What’s more is you did an excellent job. In just one day, they are twice the fighters they were before today. You were born for this, Ari. I’m putting you in charge of training,” he declares, and my eyes all but pop out of my head. Trainers were usually the Alpha himself or his seconds.
“Are you serious?” I ask, and he smiles in confirmation. “Trace is gonna be so pissed!” and I can’t hold back a chuckle. Maybe he’d pick a fight with me over it. That would be awesome going head to head with Darien’s second.
Unaware of my insane thoughts, Darien laughs with me. He would kill Trace before he let him pick a fight with me. He wanted to kill Asher the first day in the hotel room when he tried to make a move. I’d saved his life by flipping him on his ass.
“Does this mean you’ll let me go on missions and into battle?” his laughter dissipates immediately.
“No Ari,” I open my mouth to respond, but he cuts me off, “You are MINE, and I won’t put you at risk.” His possessiveness seems to have grown over the short time we’ve been together. That’s unfortunate for me.
“But you can put yourself at risk?” I protest. “You know that I can protect myself and the other members of this pack.”
“Ari,” he says sharply, making me flinch. I know that it’s not really allowed and that I’m pushing him, but I thought he understood.
Once again, my immaturity shines through as I shift and run off, ignoring his desperate pleas behind me.
It’s not fair. Him, and any male, can go off and risk their lives, but I’m supposed to wait at home when I could be watching my mate’s back.
I never imagined I’d find my true mate, but I should have known it wouldn’t change anything. I’m still female. I’m the mate of an Alpha; a cherished member of the pack to be protected. Not sent out into danger, even if they have been training to do just that for most of their lives.
It may not be everything I want, but I have to admit that it is generous enough that Darien is giving me full charge of training. Why can’t I be satisfied with that?
Gunfire rings out not far from me. I hit the ground mid-stride and stay down low, unsure of where the shots are coming from. I’m so stupid coming out here alone during hunting season on wolves. How did I miss their scent?
Putting my nose to work I smell beer, smoke, and sweaty human. Their scent is far away, which is why I didn’t smell them sooner.
I’m too far for the human eye to see, so I quickly realize that I’m not the object of their fire. I stay low and creep over the hillside. Bile rises in my throat at the scene I come upon.
A gray wolf, a real one is caught in a trap. Blood seeps out of her from buck or birdshot that has sprayed into her.
My blood boils as their laughter meets my ears. They shoot all around and at her feet, making her flinch and dodge in her weakened state.
Before I can stop myself, my paws pound against the earth. I will myself to be quiet just like when I hunt, but the wolf has only moments left before they tire of their sick game.
Humans aren’t supposed to see us. We just look like wolves, but larger, especially the males. Hopefully they will just think I’m just a very large, strange colored wolf. I won’t just sit by and watch this happen. Not when I have the power to stop it.
Darien must have heard the gunshots and sensed the adrenaline coursing through me.
‘Ari! Where are you?’ his voice booms into my head, and I’m not sure how, but I know he’s running. I can’t respond though because they’ve seen me now.
The three humans turn and the one with the shotgun takes aim at me. I dodge at the last second as I watch his finger pull the trigger, then leap onto him, using my teeth to rip the gun from his hands. I head-butt him, knocking him unconscious before turning just in time to see one of the men pull a pistol on me.
Pain rips into my hind leg, but it would have been my head if I hadn’t moved as quick as I did.
‘Ari!’ I can hear the distress in his voice, and I feel bad for the worry I’m causing him. On top of being a part of the pack, I am his true mate so he can sense and feel my pain when something happens to me.
His howl follows my lack of response. I’m too focused on not getting killed as the guy with the gun keeps firing, but I’m too quick. I’ve never had to dodge bullets before, but I knew I didn’t want to get shot again so my adrenaline gives me the ability to stay a step ahead.
When he runs out of ammo, I pounce. The fear on their faces makes me smile. Now they know what it feels like when the hunter becomes the hunted, except I’m giving them a justice they don’t deserve. Hunting is a part of life, but torture is something dark and twisted. These assholes should be wiped from this earth.
Knocking over the human with the pistol, he screams in terror, and the other guy takes off running. I quickly knock the first one out and chase after the other. Causing a little head trauma will help make their stories invalid. I take the coward down and he begs me for mercy. Tears stream down his face as my jaw hovers over his throat. I watch his eyes roll back, but I hit him over the head for good measure.
‘I’m fine,’ I send a quick message through the bond as I make my way back to the wolf, slowing my pace as I near her frazzled form. She holds my gaze, unsure of what to think of me.
Stopping in front of her, I shift into human form. She flinches back, growling and trying to get away, but I don’t move a muscle towards her. When her eyes finally come back to mine, I stare her down, showing her who is in charge, and that I’m not going to hurt her. I’m not like the others.
She whines when I urge her to lie down, but eventually she gives in and lies back on her good side.
Slowly, I move toward her broken form. She whines, but I quickly get to work pulling shot out of her as best I can. Her whining settles as she begins to trust me, but her body still jerks at the pain from my fingers digging into her.
Once I get out as much as I can, I shift back. My wolf starts licking over her wounds. Animal’s wounds can heal with their own saliva usually, but werewolf saliva speeds up the healing process. I wasn’t sure how it would work on anyone or anything other than a werewolf, but the wounds look better already.
I take the trap that holds her paw in my jaws and shatter it into a million pieces. The poor girl is lucky her leg isn’t broken, but it is pretty mangled. Though she wants to run, she stays still a few moments longer to let me heal the wound on her leg. She will be limping for a while, but she should make a full recovery.
Backing off to let her stand, she rises weakly. Her legs shake in exhaustion after the ordeal she has been through. She holds my gaze, but not in a challenging way. Her eyes look over my shoulder, and I follow her gaze to find Darien’s wolf walking towards me. When I turn back, she is already limping away.
Darie
n’s anger thunders into me as he takes in the scene around us.
Three unconscious humans, bullets and shotgun shells litter the ground. It must be quite a sight to find your mate in the center of. I can tell that he wants to yell at me. He holds his tongue though, knowing he would have done the same thing. Besides, I kept it clean, saved a wolf, and I’m fine.
‘You’re bleeding,’ he growls. Okay so I’m mostly fine. Luckily it seems the bullet went straight through due to the close-range shot. As I did for the other wolf, Darien licks my wound, and it’s healing faster than anything I have seen before. Must be crazy Alpha mojo.
It’s time to go before these assholes wake up. Hopefully they won’t be hunting again any time soon. I’m sure I at least scared them enough to never pull that bullshit again.
My limp is slight, but Darien makes us walk slowly. Moving too fast with an open wound could make a wolf bleed out, but it’s basically already closed.
The walk back is quiet. I can feel the tornado of emotions swirling through him, but I am still upset with him as well. Even though I made him worry, that wolf would be dead now if I hadn’t done what I did. We can’t have people coming around torturing and killing wolves so close to home.
Once we are inside the comfort of our home, we shift back to humans. My body sways from all the shifting I’ve done. Darien catches me before I can fall over.
I try to tell him that I’m fine, but I’m in his strong arms before I can finish the sentence.
He carries me upstairs and draws a bath for me before looking over my almost fully healed bullet wound. In truth, I actually was a little freaked out since this is my first time ever being shot at, but I don’t tell him that. He would be even more concerned than he is now. I need to act like I don’t care, and show him that one little bullet won’t change my mind.
I’m submerged in water now, and Darien sits on the edge of the tub. I just stare at him, waiting for him to yell at me for running off, and tell me how I’ll never be able to go on missions.
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