We talked for another hour, our lunch finished long before Caelan ran out of stories. I ate every one of them up, mesmerized by his every word.
“Thank you for indulging me,” I said as I cleaned up. “I think I’ve kept you from your training long enough.”
“Nonsense. I’m always happy to get to spend some time with you,” he replied sincerely. “What do you have planned for the rest of the afternoon?”
“Nothing, really.” I shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll find something.” “Why don’t you stay and train with me?”
“You want me to stay?” I asked, a little surprised.
“Yeah. I think it could be fun,” he said, looking me up and down. “I’ve never got to see you in action. How about a little light sparring session?”
“I’m not really dressed for it,” I remarked, gesturing toward the little pink sundress I had worn for tea with his mother.
“You won’t always be dressed appropriately when an attack happens. But if you’re worried about it, we usually keep extra workout clothes in the gym,” he suggested, taking the basket from me and setting it aside.
He’s not wrong, and it could be fun. Maybe I could get him back a little for all the teasing he did during lunch. Give him a taste of his own medicine.“Are you sure that you’re up for this?” I pressed, kicking off my shoes and dropping into a defensive stance. “Don’t want you to get distracted.”
“Baby, I promise I’m prepared for whatever your father andHuxley can throw at me.” He winked, flexing his bicep and shooting me a cocky grin.Goddess, he is a fine wolf.
He mirrored my stance, his hands held loosely at his sides as he crouched. “Show me what you got, baby.”
I swung low, his knee effortlessly blocking my strike. I darted back as he parried my attack, dodging him just barely. He was fast, and after a few moves, I knew I was hopelessly outmatched. But I wasn’t going to give up so easily.
I went to strike again, but he was ready for me. He grabbed my wrist, spinning me around and trapping me against his body. His hard chest pressed against my back, his arms pinning me in place.
“You’re good, baby. I’ll give you that,” he whispered softly in my ear, his breath hot against my neck. “You’re fast, and you’ve got power. But you need to leverage your strengths more. Use all the advantages at your disposal. Get creative.”
“You mean like this?” I asked, my voice breathy as I pushed my ass back against his crotch.
He groaned, his arms tightening around me as I rubbed against him. I waited until his hands started to drift toward my hips before pivoting and throwing him over my shoulder. He landed on his feet, jumping back as I reassumed a defensive stance.
His brow arched in surprise, a playful smile crossing his lips. “Oh, so you want to play like that, huh? All right, baby. Let’s do it your way.”
Challenge Pending
SHADE
The day of the challenge with Thunder Moon had arrived, and I couldn’t untangle the knot of anxiety that had settled in my stomach.
I felt apprehensive, doing my best to hide it as Caelan and I shared breakfast together in my rooms before he left to prepare. I wouldn’t be able to see him again until just before the challenge tonight.
Honestly, I didn’t want him to fight at all. I was angry at my father for putting us in this position and just had a feeling that something was going to happen. There was this ominous charge in the air that made me nervous, but I wasn’t sure why. This wasn’t the fight I was truly worried about.
I paced in my room, certain that my father was up to something. I had to figure out how to protect Caelan from whatever he had in store.
Why couldn’t he just leave well enough alone? Is he that determined to keep me in my so-called place? I don’t even understand it. My father’s wanted me out of his life for so long that he told others I was dead. You’d think he’d be happy that I’m no longer his burden.
“Is there any way that we can stop this?” I asked Taffy, a frustrated sigh slipping past my lips. “I’d rather have to fight my father myself than risk Caelan getting hurt.”
“No, Shade,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “For the hundredth time, there’s no way to stop the challenge. Your father issued it, and Caelan accepted. He has to see it through. If we back out, then it will be seen as a forfeit, and your father can demand your return. Caelan knows what he’s doing.”
I knew she was right. If I tried to intervene, then it might come off as a sign of weakness for Caelan, and a weak alpha was a liability to his pack.
I’d realized after watching the wolves at Harvest Moon that my father’s grasp over his pack was tenuous at best. To be honest, I wasn’t sure why no one had challenged him yet. There were other more capable wolves at Thunder Moon, but my father somehow managed to stay in power.
The only real weapon he’d ever had at his disposal besides his alpha command had been me. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d used the threat of my abilities or my curse to force everyone into submission.
“The best thing you can do right now for Caelan is be there to support him,” Taffy continued. “When you see him before the fight, let him feel how much you believe in him. As your mate, if he knows you’re with him, he’ll fight harder because he knows what he stands to lose if he doesn’t win.”
