Shit, this is going to be bad! He was so pissed when he left, I can only imagine what he had plans for. I was standing in front of the gym door, pacing. I really do not want to go inside and face him. I have full confidence I can at least keep up with him, but I will probably be leaving with a few bruises.
WACK! The floor flies open. I turned quickly as it startled me and I saw Wyatt standing there. His eyes were black, so at least he calmed down? His arms were folded over his chest and he was tense. “You have been pacing here for five minutes now? Why haven’t you come inside?” he said, clearly irritated.
“I don’t really need to train today.”
“Oh really? When was the last time you fought?”
“Um, when I saved your sister unless you forgot?”
His eyes went to slits, “I meant trained smartass, now get inside.” He turned and walked back inside. He had on grey sweats with a black tank on. I could watch him walk away any day.
“We will start with hand-to-hand combat”, he positioned himself on the mat and got into a starting position. Sighing, I rolled my neck and stretched my arms, losing myself. I got on the mat and also signaled I was ready to begin. He went for the obvious right-hand jab that I blocked and went to counter with a left jab that he also saw coming. He went to swipe he legs as I jumped over them and pushed off his body to spin and kick him in the back of the head. I landed the kick but he managed not to fall completely and recover. I landed on my feet in a crouch. We went back and forth for a solid hour. Neither of us managed to submit to the other but kept a constant tit-for-tat battle.
“ENOUGH” We heard someone bellow out. Turning, we saw Zach looking pissed as hell walking up to us. “Exactly what is this?”
“Making sure she can defend herself”
Zach raised an eyebrow at me. “I let it slip what Damian said about making me a sex slave and now he thinks he can teach me some moves”, I said, rolling my eyes.
Zach’s mouth slightly twitched but he held his composure. “And did you learn anything?”
“No” I said stubbornly. I actually learned I need to work on being quicker, but I was not about to admit to that.
“Brooke was looking for you two. Why haven’t you guys come to visit her?”
We both looked at each other ashamed. “Yes dad, we will leave now” It was only because he was Brooke’s mate that Wyatt didn’t punch him for speaking to him like that, I am sure but if looks could kill….
“Come on.” I grabbed Wyatt’s arm and drug him out of the gym.
“Are you ever not sarcastic?” Wyatt asked as we walked slowly to the hospital.
“I can be serious if the situation causes for it. Zach is very protective over people who he loves. Nothing I would have said back there would have made a difference. I could have easily commanded him to back off but he was right. I do need to visit Brooke and I was done sparing with you anyway. Apparently, we are evenly matched.”
“Shit, who taught you to fight?”
I took a deep breath and let it out. He knew that answer. Why did he want to talk about that? “My dad did and you already knew that.”
“Yes, I did. What was your childhood like?”
“Aren’t these dates kinds of questions?”
“Just taking the opportunity, princess, so his name is Damian, huh? Would he really have kept you as a sex slave?”
“I saw a whole different side of him when he mated with Holly. I considered myself lucky to have gotten out when I did, thanks to Zach. His parents are watching my house there. I have never beat Damian in a fight, but I haven’t lost either. My dad taught me to always stay strong. Hide your emotions, never show anything on your face. I went through hours of training to keep my heartbeat steady in the face of danger. I was trained to be the perfect warrior. We went outside of the pack, secretively to train me in different forms of fighting. I haven’t mastered them all, but I haven’t lost a fight either. So no, I wouldn’t have been a sex slave. I would have died fighting before I let that happen.” I got flash backs to being in the woods with my dad and I watched him and my mom fight, drawling blood and I had to force my heart to be still.
“Are you happy here?”
“I..” I didn’t know how to answer that question. “I mean, I have no family. I have Zach, who will be staying here. He belongs here with Brooke. I don’t have anything keeping me anywhere. I need to find a place to belong. It isn’t at my old pack either. I would have found my mate at the funeral if he had been there.”
“Unless he wasn’t old enough”
“Wyatt, I don’t do submissive. I want an equal mate. Someone who I can stand beside. My parents had an amazing marriage of love and understanding. I will not hide behind a man. That pack does not always believe that. I will not accept less.”
Wyatt had a strange look on his face. He placed his hands in his pockets and kept walking. We walked in silence till we got to the hospital. Wyatt opened the door for me and we walked in. The receptionist saw Wyatt and bowed her head and pointed to a room off to the right. He nodded in return and walked over to the door and knocked on it. We heard a faint ‘come in’ and he opened the door and allowed me to walk inside first. I felt his hand rest on my lower back.
“NINA!” Brooke squealed weakly.
I ran to her bedside and grabbed her hand. “How are you? I am so sorry I didn’t get to you faster!”
Brooke had tears in her eyes, “I am so glad you were okay. I wasn’t sure if you would be able to kill them on your own and I didn’t know if you got hurt before I passed out. I am so sorry I wasn’t strong enough!” she was in full hysterics when she got done talking.
“Shhh, don’t cry! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, ask Wyatt here!” I said, looking over at Wyatt with a smirk on my face. He was looking at me with an amused look on his face and a soft expression in his eyes.
“I went easy on you”, Wyatt said to me. He walked to Brooke’s other side and put his hand on her head. “I am so glad you are okay! I was really worried about you.”
“I am good and if Zach would chill out, I would be home by now, but he insists I stay here in case something happens. Has he always been this paranoid?” Brooke said, looking over at me.
I busted out laughing, “Oh yes! It will not get better either! He will treat you like a glass doll from now on!”
Groaning but smiling, she said, “Oh great!”
“He is just treating you like the princess you are!”
“And what would you do if your mate treated you like that?”
“I am no princess, I would beat his ass black and blue!”
“Can you beat Zach’s ass for me?”
“HAHAHAHA of course! Ask him about his and my sparring matches. He has yet to beat me and is a bit sour about that fact!”
“What the fuck Nina! I told you to come cheer her up not tell her you would kick my ass for loving her!” Zach looked irritated.
“Oh baby, I asked! Plus, I would like to see you guys’ spar! Maybe you can teach me to fight Nina?”
“Absolutely not! If anyone will teach you it will be me!” I walked to the end of the bed smiling as Zach took my seat. “Besides, she has had, like assassin training, I wasn’t given that privilege.”
Brooke looked shocked and a little scared, “It was not assassin training! It had more intense fighting techniques than the average warrior had! Stop being so dramatic, Zach!” I said, and Brooke, visibly relaxed. “But between you and me Brooke, I will put a hurt on Zach if you need me too”
Brooke busted out laughing but stopped quickly and started coughing, “Okay and we are done here! Thanks for coming, now get out!” Zach said smiling
“Bye!” I said and waved. Wyatt nodded his head and opened the door for me again and we left the hospital.
“Why did Zach call it assassin training?” Wyatt asked as we started our walk back to the packhouse.
“Oh, mom and dad told me I couldn’t tell anyone about the extra training. I don’t remember why, but I told my friends since I had bruises on my body and they thought I was being abused at home. They kept my secret and nicknamed it assassin training since it was so secretive. I didn’t understand why mom and dad would train me like that so hard when I was little. It gave me an out to think of it as fun.”
“Like they were grooming you”, Wyatt said mindlessly.
I stopped mid step. Grooming me? Like for the prophesy? Did they know what my blood line was and what it meant? Were they trying to prepare me for this? I was stunned into silence. I almost feel betrayed that they didn’t tell me, they didn’t warn me.
“Nina?” Wyatt asked finally. I looked at him and he had a concerned look on his face. I didn’t realize a tear had escaped my eye until he brushed it away with his hand. He took a step closer to me and grabbed my face with his hands. His thumbs were stroking my cheeks and I could have melted right into it. “Why won’t you open up to me and tell me what your secret is or what you are keeping from me?”
“It isn’t your burden to bare” I whispered quietly.
“Let me help Nina.”
"Last person I let in betrayed me.”
Wyatt looked into my eyes and it felt like he was looking deep into my soul. Slowly, he lowered himself until his lips grazed mine. He kept the kiss for a few seconds before pulling me tight up against his body and deepening the kiss. It was the most intimate kiss I have ever had. There was no feeling other than comfort in this kiss. Wyatt stopped kissing me but kept his forehead against mine. “I will never betray you”