Chapter-6

Alex's POV

"Thank you, Gamma." We all thank him as the training for today completes. Everyone starts going back to the pack house. My friend Erica turns to me.

"I am so tired today." She stretches her body. "You coming?" She asks.

"No. I am going to stay for a while. I want to go for a walk." We are in the clearing where we usually train. "I want to practice a little more." She sighs.

"Alex, we have trained for more than four hours today. You shouldn't tire yourself like this." Concern is clear in her voice.

"I am not. It's still afternoon. I will go for a hunt and train some more." I want to be the best warrior in the pack. The Best.

"Okay. You want me to come along?" She asks.

"No. It's fine, Ric. I just want to... be alone." I want to be alone after last night.

"Is Greg giving you a hard time again?"

Greg was the pack's Beta and is my Godfather. My parents died when I was eight in a pack war and even though they didn't want to, it was Dad's wish. So they took me in. I tried to like them, but I am just a burden for them. I wanted to move out when I was twelve and go to the pack house. But, Greg didn't want me to. He didn't want the Alpha or the pack to think that he doesn't care for me.

He is worried about his reputation. He keeps making me do stuff around the house. His mate, Jamie, is no good either. There is no physical abuse or verbal abuse. But I would say there is emotional abuse. Last night he wanted me to sleep in the kitchen since his wife's parents were visiting. The issue escalated when he refused to give me a blanket since there weren't enough.

"It's nothing new."

"Okay. Just take care. Also don't forget about the math assignment." She reminds me and I sigh. As if everything is not enough, I am going to graduate high school this year. It is supposed to be a good thing, but not for me. Trying to be invisible and completing the school is my goal.

"I hate you." I roll my eyes. She chuckles at my words

"Bye." She smiles as she goes off. She is my only true friend and the only thing that keeps me sane.

Walking along the woods, I slowly start jogging and reach the pack boarders. Ricky, the patrol member that I know very well, looks at me.

"You are going off again?" He asks.

"Yeah, just a run." There is no rule that we can't run in the forest. We just shouldn't enter other packs without permission.

"Fine. But this time, it's going on record. I have report to Beta this time." The current Beta of the pack is Oliver. He is Greg's son. We grew up together. He saw all that's being done with me, but never spoke about it or against it. He never did anything to me or made me feel bad. He just stood there in silence. We barely ever spoke.

"Do you have to?" I ask. I don't want him to know. If he tells Greg, it's going to be a whole another thing.

"I do." He looks sympathetically. Ricky lives is our neighbour. He knows what happens. Not his parents, only him. He has seen me sleep on the couch a lot of times. He used to come for Oliver in the morning for run and find me on the couch. He might not know everything, but he knows a bit of it.

"Okay. I just need to go." I give him a smile and he lets me go off pack boarders.

"Be safe." He yells.

"Will do." I whisper knowing he can hear me by his wolf hearing. I jog off into the forest.

"This meat is good." I whisper to myself once I am done and go to the lake to wash my hands. My small tent is set up. I have put up small camping equipment outside the pack grounds in the forest and come out there sometimes.

It's the middle of the afternoon. I have hunted a small rabbit and fried it on a stick. It's time to practice again.

I go to the bush where I have dug a hole in the ground to put a large box filled with stuff that I use to practice. I open it and find all the stuff still in there. My bow and arrow. My stick. I pull out the punching bag and the gloves and tie it up to a tree. I practice boxing too.

I am not kidding when I say that I practice.

Removing my shirt, now I am only in my bra and pants. I start practicing. I start hitting the punch bag.

Hit. Hit. Hit.

The day that I saw my father and mother fight the battle comes to my mind. I start punching harder.

Both Mom and Dad are pack warriors. They were the best warriors of their time. Me... I am goof at fighting too. All the emotions that I have kept suppressing since their death have been slowly coming out once I started to train when I was sixteen. I am good at fighting. So, that's what I am going to do.

I am going to be the best warrior. My father and mother lost their life as warriors fighting for the pack. I want to be a warrior that they are proud of. For that, I will work as hard as I can.

I am just six months away from being eighteen. I will be a wolf. There is this pack tradition every year where wolves who want to be promoted to higher rank will be given a chance. Every position in the pack can be challenged, including the Alpha's. I am currently given no rank since I am yet to turn into a wolf. Once I do, I want to be ready for it. For the Annual Challenge.

The Annual Challenge Day is celebrated once a year in the pack a week before the Anniversary of our pack. Our pack is very traditional and I love the Annual celebrations done every year. I always attend no matter what. Our pack is centuries old and on that day, after the ranks have been given again, the elders of the pack share the pack history. It is all so beautiful.

We honor the wolves that gave their lives for this pack and remember the tales from centuries ago. It is a deep moment for everyone.

I smile thinking back to the times I visited the celebrations with my parents. Mom and Dad were so in love. I once wondered what it feels like to have a mate. I have to turn into a wolf to find my mate. Until then even if my mate is around, he wouldn't know it is me. He can't identify me as his mate.

I start to sweat and the time slowly passes by. I am still doing my punching when I hear the leaves rustling. My senses heighten. I turn around. No one is there. Someone is definitely out here. I hear rustling again to my right and I turn. Still no one there.

Who might it be?

With only few months away from my birthday, my senses are slowly heightening and I can feel the power and energy of my wolf building in me. It happens to all the wolves.

I hear footsteps and turn around to finally see who it is. My eyes widen at the sight.

It is a man. A man in pants with no shirt. He is a wolf obviously. He has brown eyes and his hair is short and pushed to a side. He is looking fit. Very fit. His six pack abs are dripping with sweat and he looks like he has been running for a while. He is tall and as my eyes slowly travel up his body and meet his, he is smirking.

My breath is caught in my throat. As I look at him, only one thought occurs in my mind.

He is one sexy guy.

He is leaning against a tree and chuckles once I look away. He stands up straight and comes to me. I feel so... so... hot... being in his presence. What the hell is happening to me?

"Stop." I say trying to sound confident. He doesn't stop.

"Never seen anyone practice punching in the woods." He is still walking to me.

"Who are you?" Once he is near me he scans me. As his eyes roam on me I try to catch his scent.

He smells like a rogue.

He takes a sniff of my scent once he stands in front of me. My heart is beating fast. He is so so sexy! Come on! Get it together Alex! But he is so sexy!

"You smell like you are from a pack. What are you doing out here in the woods?" He doesn't look like a danger. As a wolf, we can sense if someone is danger. I can tell that he is not.

"What's it to you?" He might not be a danger, but I am not answering anything. He raises his eyebrow and I raise mine too. He is not my superior. He chuckles at me. There is this energy about him though. It's very powerful. He must be the son of a higher rank person from a pack.

"It's not safe out here. Not when you are still human." I roll my eyes. I can be strong without my wolf. "Do not roll your eyes at me." He commands and I scoff. Who does he think he is?

"Well, I can defend myself." I fold my arms near my chest. "This is not a pack ground so anyone is free to roam. If that answers all your questions, would you leave me alone now?"

"If you have a pack, why are you training out here?" He leans against the tree and I can't help but stare at him. Fuck! Just bring your mind back to talking, Alex!

"That's none of your business." Why is he being nosy?

"You should inform someone in your pack before coming out here. It's safe-" I cut him off. He is sexy, but he is just getting on my nerves.

"Look dude. If you are trying to hit on me, it's not going to work."

"I disagree on that, but, go on." He smirks and I just want to pull his hair out.

"But if you are truly concerned about my safety, I get it. It's not safe. But let me tell you." He just stares at me as I speak. "I can take you down any time" He looks at me pauses for a second and shakes his head.

"You are cute to think that."

"What you think I can't take you down?" Okay! Slow down there, Alex! You are one of the good fighters, not the best yet! I don't listen to my inner self. I just have to challenge. He gets off from the tree and takes a step towards me. He is just a step away from me and I just want to lick his abs. What's wrong with me?

"I don't." He straight out tells me that. I stare at him in shock. "But how about a deal?" I frown at his words.

"A deal?"

"Yeah. Let's have a fight. If you win, I will not disturb you anymore. But, if I win, you have to tell me why you are practicing out here instead of your pack." I think about it for a second. What have I got to lose? He didn't say that I can't practice here anymore if I lose. Also, practicing with the same pack mates makes me guess their moves. This would actually test my ability and show me where I should build.

"Deal." He smirks as I say that.

He moves to the clearing right behind us. I turn to him and he is standing there waiting for me.

"Ready?" He asks.

"You bet I am."

Iam fighting this sexy man!