Filed To Story: Secret with Betas Daughter: Skylar Story Series
“I’m not. I just want to get to the bottom of it. I can’t control how she acts, but if I understand why she acts that way I can control my reactions and responses.
“Are you sure you’re only fifteen? That sounds like something my mom would say.”
Nathaniel laughs.
“When you spend a lot of time teaching pups, you learn to look at the bigger picture and not react emotionally, no matter how bad you want to. I won’t give anyone control over my emotions. It’s the one thing that no one can take from me, my control on how I react.
He’s saved the necessity of responding when Warrior Nickolas steps in front of us. “We are sparring as wolves today, so we won’t divide like we normally do. We are working on evasion and submissions today. There should be no injuries. The goal is to capture your opponent with no way for them to escape or need medical attention from you. You should always have at least one person to interrogate, especially when they are attacking. Head to the green and Warrior Brogen and I will divide you up.
We all start moving and I can feel myself start to get anxious. This means I will have to change in front of these people and I don’t want to have to answer any questions. I can feel my breathing pick up as we move closer to the open space he called the green.
“Hey Midge, you alright? You look a little pale.”
Wyatt asks, getting Lillian and Nathaniel’s attention too.
“No. I mean yeah, I’m good.”
I can’t look him in the eye though.
“You can shift, right? I mean, I guess you wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t yet.”
Nathaniel says to himself more than to me.
“Yeah, no, I’m okay, I can shift. I just don’t really like changing in front of people. I’ll be fine, I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”
I take a deep breath trying to control my breathing. I can get through this, I have to get through this. I chose to keep the scars when I was given the chance to get rid of them, now I have to live with my decision. One more big deep breath as we all set our bags down and turn to get instructions.
“Alright, those of you that were at trials got a glimpse of this technique. Those of you who were unable to go this is what we are trying to accomplish, Skylar, step up.”
Nathaniel calls out and looks directly at me. I stop breathing and freeze. “I did not stutter, move!”
I jump like my ass was bit and move forward. “Lose the shirt, you’re going to shift mid fight. THe less clothes we have to replace the better.
I turn and slowly take my shirt off with shaky hands. I keep my eyes closed as I turn back towards him , take another deep breath, open my eyes and move to the center of the circle towards Warrior Nickolas.
I can hear murmurs, but nothing any of them are saying. I keep my focus on Nickolas in case he plans on throwing some kind of surprise attack after obviously getting me emotionally disoriented.
“We are going to spar for 5 minutes, you must stay in the circle the entire time. When I shift you do. Your one goal is to evade capture. Do you understand your assignment?”
I nod, it’s all I’ve got to give at this moment.
He doesn’t spare me much more than that moment before he starts to circle me like a predator does his prey. His eyes are calculating, he’s sizing me up even though we have fought a few times now. I have changed a bit since the locker room and haven’t actually done any kind of sparring for over a month now. As the thought hits me, I realize I am nervous for the first time in a very long time. But I can’t decide if it is a good thing or a bad thing. I’m weak and out of shape, but I have enough training that muscle memory should kick in and help me out.
Don’t worry sweet girl, we will do this together. My wolf reminds me she’s here with me. I’m not alone.
Save your energy as much as possible. We have no idea when he’s going to shift and that is the one thing we are lacking experience in, shifting and fighting immediately following.
No sooner did I say that than Warrior Nickloas charged at me. I blocked his arms but wasn’t quick enough to stop the leg sweep that followed and I started to fall towards my back. I used the momentum to grab at his arm and pull him back with me throwing him back over my shoulder as I rolled backwards, he was forced to release his grip and tuck and roll forward. I was quicker to my feet and stepped back. I wasn’t going to charge at him yet. I need to get him to use up some of his energy first, especially before he forces us to shift.
He jumps up, turns and starts moving forward in a fluid motion someone his size shouldn’t be able to do, but he made it look like nothing. He reaches me and grabs for my arm and I turn out of his grasp only to be caught by his other arm. I take a swing of my own making an attempt to free myself from his massive hand. He didn’t let go, but I know the contact affected him by the look on his face. We keep this dance up for a little while. Close combat is something I am good at. My size usually requires it, but it is difficult for my larger friends. I will take any advantage I can get.
He grabs my wrist and spins me, aiming for a headlock, but he overestimates my height and I slip back under his arm, pulling him with me. He aims a punch at my rib cage which knocks all of my breath out of my body and I see a flash of white for a brief second with the pain. He pulls down on my wrist trying to get me to the ground again. I roll and hit him in the chest with as strong a kick as I can muster at this point, but it was enough. He stumbles back, looks at me and smiles. It is the most wickedly playful smile I have ever seen. The fire in his eyes let’s me know I am in deep sh*t.
He takes two running steps and jumps shifting in mid air. I don’t even hesitate to run forward, slide under his shifting form and shift to my wolf as I stand to all fours and he lands facing me. His massive rust colored wolf has his head tipped low to the ground, both amber eyes locked on me, muscles rippling, tensed and ready to pounce on me.
My wolf shifts her chest low to the ground ready for anything. We can jump head on or dodge either right or left. The benefit to being small is I am always close to the ground and I know how to brace my center of gravity.
He charges at me and my wolf dodges right and aims a bite at his front left leg. He’s too quick for us though and pivots just out of reach and whips his hind legs around to barrel into our side. We take the hit and absorb it in a roll, back to our feet before he can pounce. We charge at him this time taking the offense, he lowers his head anticipating a head on attack. Instead we jump up and over his head landing on his back, another benefit to being smaller. We sink our teeth into the scruff of his neck and clamp down like our life depends on it.
He flails around trying to knock us off, but we extend our claws and hang on for the ride. When I look back on this I may laugh at the idea of me riding on his back like a horse. But, right now, I’m determined to win this battle and survive. He whips his head down trying to throw me forward, but my claws are doing me proud right now. As I have the thought though I feel a ripple under his skin and he shifts below me and drops to the ground in human form. My weight follows him down, but he tosses me sideways and I shit to match him, shoving the thought of being completely naked to the very back of my mind so it can’t distract me.
He runs at me and drops low, shoving his shoulder into my hips and lifting me off the ground. We are both so sweaty at this point he can’t get a good hold on me and I go up and over his shoulder. Whipping my arm over his shoulder and putting him in a headlock. My height gives me an advantage since he has to bend backward almost in half in this position.
“TIME!”
Another trainer shouts.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.