15

I huffed out of breath and my knee buckled, shaking about to collapse. I had forgotten how tedious the training was. Hiking from mountains to keep up form. I felt like my lungs could collapse any second. And the alpha just had to be the one leading this training session.

I panted, resting my palm on my knees a little. everyone had run ahead of me, keeping up with him.

I sat down on the ground with the leaves under my butt. They made a small crunch as I sat fully on the ground.

I rested on the bark of a tree listening to the serene sound of the early morning birds. I could feel my whole body aching in pain.

" didn't know you were the type to slack off" I jolted from the floor recognising the voice. It was the alpha.

He folded his arm across his chest, bulging his bicep in the process. He had a stern look on his face.

I gulp in fear, lowering myself.

"I'm sorry I just needed to rest a bit."

He eyed me up and down with a dissatisfied look on his face.

"From first glance, one would think you were starved for a century" my palm went to my elbow holding my body closer.

I was palely thin, there wasn't much food coming my way in my former packs.

"You need this exercise more than anyone here, now run ahead and I don't want to see you behind me," he ordered, waiting for me to scurry off. Which I did.

Back at the pack, some people stretched while others drank water to hydrate. I was one of those few gulping down a bottle of water. The alpha stood in the middle of an open ground.

"You know the drill pair in groups" he clasped his hands together watching as everyone moved around. Looking both ways in confusion since I was new to this.

There was a girl left on the open ground without a partner. She looked around making eye contact with me and then making her way towards my side.

"Hi, let's be partners." She said I just nodded, not giving much of a response. I had promised myself not to get close to any other person.

"The name is Percy" she gave me her palm,

"Nice to meet you" I answered and faced the alpha.

Her expression darkened at my cold attitude. She folded her hands, facing away from me. I think I heard her mutter, "so much for being nice"

I wasn't bothered by a reaction. I told myself it was for the best to keep my distance.

I noticed the alpha giving me a disappointed glare. Did he see it?

"So now we are all in pairs, I will explain for those who don't remember. We are sparring today. Human form and wolf form. In your human form, we fight till defeat. You aren't allowed to transform. However, half transformation is allowed. In your wolf form, you will be pinned down for thirty seconds then you're defeated. Do you all understand?"

"Yes!!!!" They shouted in unison.

"Gary and Mark, you go first," he said to two males in the crowd. They came shirtless and the crowd cheered for them.

It started, with effective speed and clashing of fists. It was beyond bloody but not enough to kill. Captivated by their skilled movement, I watched in awe. My supposed partner cheered for a particular person, one named mark. She jumped and hollered at him.

I felt shivers from her excitement and my heart thumped excitedly at the match happening before us. A slow smile crept up my face.

After some time they tied a draw, covered in bruises and gnash, blood dripping from parts of their bodies. Percy ran towards Mark, swinging her body around him. They laughed together and he winced a little as she pressed into his wounds. I didn't know how to explain the joy I felt for them. This was a first for me.

"Percy and Esme" I flinched at the sound of my name.

I walked to the centre where those two guys had just fought. Percy stood with him by his side, a determined look on her face. All eyes were focused on me, as I walked to his side.

"You know the drill" he looked at me. I nodded as the alpha left the space. It was me and Percy left in this open space.

The signals set off for the spar and she came at me full speed, her claws outstretched at me. It was my full instincts that made me dodge the strikes on time.

A growl escaped her lips at her miss and she went in for another. I had always been fast on my feet to dodge any danger. It came to effective use at this moment.

"Why aren't you fighting back?" she said between gritted teeth.

Out of breath and in shock, realising I had just been dodging all the while. I propped my fist into a knuckle, getting the feel of going into an offence.

After some minutes,

My back was against the ground, she pummeled me hard onto the solid ground. I winced in pain staying motionless against the floor.

The alpha came to the centre pulling me up. He called the next teammates.

The spar came to an end and everyone retreated to their houses. Following close behind the alpha all the time. Like a lost puppy. He turned around to me.

"How was today," he said to me as we walked back to the pack house.

" good" silence, his gaze was on me the whole time I kept quiet.

"And…?" He asked

What else was there?

"I noticed you enjoyed watching them spar together"

"It was a good spar" the conversation ended when a distressed Trevor walked up to the alpha.

"There is a situation," he said with a hushed breath.

I followed them back to the pack house where a woman lay on the floor covered in beads of sweat, crying.

"My child is missing please help me find him," she said wailing on the ground.