Mallory considered the matter. Then she shrugged, twisted her body to face Kevin and kicked him hard in his stuffed groin. ‘Now Kevin is crying.’
Alexander blinked rapidly. ‘I think I might be crying on his behalf, too. That was a good move, Mallory. Do you have anything else?’
She slammed the base of her palm into Kevin’s head and the dummy fell backwards. ‘Don’t bother me again, Kevin!’ she yelled. ‘I’m friends with Alexander MacTire. I’ll tell him about you and next time he’ll bite you!’
She looked up at Alexander, who was gazing at her with an odd look on his face. ‘We’re friends now?’ he asked.
Mallory shrugged and returned her attention to the dummy. ‘I’mnotfriends with Alexander MacTire, but he’ll still bite you because he’s an over-protective alpha!’
Alexander hissed and she grinned. ‘Alright,’ she said. ‘We’re friends. But stop shouting at Kevin.’
‘Okay.’
He picked up Kevin and returned him to his original position by the wall. Mallory shook her fist. ‘Nobody puts Kevin in the corner!’
‘Let’s forget about Kevin,’ Alexander said dryly. He moved to one of the doors and pulled it open. ‘Out you come,’ he said. A moment later his nephew Nick appeared.
The teenager grinned awkwardly. ‘Hi, Mallory!’
‘Hi, Nick.’ She glanced questioningly at Alexander.
‘You can beat up a dummy, but can you beat up a real person?’ he asked.
‘Nick?’ Mallory squeaked. ‘He’s a kid! I’m not going to beat him up.’
‘Nick is young but he’s still a werewolf. Before I put you up against someone stronger, I thought it would be wise to try you against someone your own size.’
She looked at the boy dubiously; Nick might be young but he was at least a foot taller than Mallory.
‘He’s the best I could get on short notice,’ Alexander continued as he pointed them to opposite sides of the room.
‘I’ve been practising, Mallory,’ Nick assured her. ‘I won’t hurt you much.’
‘Much?’
‘He knows what he’s doing. Now concentrate. You’re walking down the street. Nick is coming towards you and it’s clear he’s planning to attack.’
Nick pasted on a mock-angry expression and clenched his fists. ‘What’s your first thought, Mallory?’
‘Avoid him.’
‘Good instinct.’
She nodded and turned away to walk in the opposite direction.
‘Nick is on a mission and you have no choice but to defend yourself,’ Alexander went on. ‘He’s coming from behind. What’s your plan now?’
Mallory paused. ‘I can’t get away?’
‘No.’
‘He’s definitely going to attack me?’
‘Yes.’
She thought about it, then turned and swung her fist at Nick’s head. He dodged it easily – but what he didn’t see was her right foot snaking out and connecting with his ankle. He yelled sharply and collapsed onto the mat with a thud.
Mallory winced. ‘Oops. Sorry, Nick. I tried not to kick you too hard.’ She held out a hand to help him up.
