“All right, are you ready for yourfirst pack training session? I can’t have an out of shape second,” he teased.
I stood up and glared at him. “Out ofshape. Oh, really?”
The pack walked a short distance toanother member’s house. We went down into the basement that had been convertedinto a large gym. A boxing ring stood at the far corner and the rest of thefloor was covered in padded mats and free weights. The walls were lined withmirrors.
I had changed into tight yoga pantsand a sports bra. I pulled my hair up into a high bun. I was tempted to wear myblack belt but thought better of it. Better to surprise them. I had beenstudying mixed martial arts since I was twelve.
Kai shouted to the group. “Pair upwith your partners and start defense techniques. Aurora, you partner with Emma.”
Oh my God, he seriously didn’tunderstand what I meant when I said I ran self-defense classes on the weekend.He thought I was weak. No offense to Emma but I was stronger than her. “No,” Itold the room loudly, “I want to partner with you.”
I pulled myself into South Pawfighting position and saw Kai’s eyebrows rise. The pack started whistling andclapping. “Fight, fight, fight.”
Kaishrugged and stepped forward in a relaxed position as the pack made a circlearound us. Kai nodded and I nodded back.Idelivered a front kick to the chest, pushing him back and knocking some windout of him.He stumbled backward and everyone started hollering. Kairubbed his chest. “Aurora, I get it. You have some fighting skill but I don’twant to hurt you.”
I ran at him and launched a flying side kick aimed square at hischin. He did a quick shuffle to the left, ducking and avoiding my move. Heimmediately started to sway to his right and left.
“Okay,” he saidand I recognized the moves as Capoeira. It was a Brazilian from of fighting Iwas less familiar with.In oneswift move he did a front flip and delivered a kick inches from my head.I jumped back as fast as I could to getout of the way but stumbled and landed on my back. Someone in the pack startedto chuckle, but immediately quieted when I shot right back up with a perfectlyexecuted kick-up.
Kai wasgrinning. The pack had abandoned any idea of pairing off. They were cheering uson.Kai charged me again and tried sweeping my feet, but I was quickenough to jump over his leg. We traded several shots for the next couple ofminutes. I managed to dodge a few of his barrage of kicks and checked the rest.There was undeniable beauty in the perfection of his technique and fluidmotion, but that didn't distract from the pain in my shins and arms that I wastrying hard to conceal.
I circled to the left to buy some time. Kai approached thecupboard in the wall. Just when I thought he was going to call an end to thesparring session, he grabbed a Bo, a traditional ninja staff from the cabinetand threw it at me. He grabbed one for himself and charged at me.He ranas fast in human form as he did in wolf form. I would have to try that sometime.I ran at him and attacked first with a precise swing at hishead that he blocked with his Bo.We faced off and I spun mystick in my left dominant hand. I had many hours of practice with weapons. Icharged him giving my loudest battle cry. I brought my stick up and then heblocked it on the way down. We exchanged blows and you could hear the clack,clack of the sticks hitting.He tried a jab at my abdomen,that I read early enough, and I was able to rotate away catching his staffbetween mine and my body.
Sweatshown on both of our skin. I hated to admit it, but I got the feeling Kai wasgoing easy on me. This enraged me more. I feigned right and Kai took the bait.I quickly changed course and struck my stick out while pulling his stick uphigh into the air and out of his hands. I smiled and relaxed a little just ashis leg shot out lightening quick and kicked my legs out from under me. I fellbackwards as he pushed his way on top of me and held my stick lightly againstmy throat.
“I win,” he said softly as some ofthe pack cheered and some booed. Then he kissed me gently and rolled off me.
“How long have you been training?” Iasked him loudly, panting.
A sly grin crept over his face. “Overa century.”
I tried to mask my shock at his age. “Well,I have only been training ten years. Give me more time and I will beat you.” Istated with a grin. Over 100 years? How old was he? Note to self: learn moreabout werewolf aging.
He smiled, appraising me, and tippedhis head to one of the more dominant wolves. Trent was his name. I rememberedhim talking to my mother at the barbeque. He was a nice guy originally fromCalifornia. “Trent, you spar with Aurora. Don’t go easy. Emma, you are withAnna.”
I nodded, thinking Trent was a worthysparring partner. He was packed full of muscle and had a long reach. Max and Kaipartnered up and everyone began sparring with the Bo staff. After a few minutesof sparring, I swept my stick out and Trent tripped backwards and slammed ontothe padded ground. I stuck my hand out to help him up. “Nice move,” he told meas he grabbed my hand. The second our skin touched, I was pulled into a vision.
Kai’s sister Diya was crying, hermother was rubbing her back.
“Please, Papa! Let me go. I don’twant to stay in Delhi. I love him. I want to join Kai’s pack and live withTrent in the States.”
An older man with salt and pepperhair, who was the spitting image of Kai, approached Diya with a stern face.“You are my only daughter. I am happy you have found your mate but I will notpermit you to leave. Kai is a strong Alpha but he is not strict enough to dowhat needs to be done for the good of the pack. His pack is emotional and weak.They cannot protect you like I can. They are not big enough.”
Diya stood defiantly and stared into herfather’s eyes, and her mother looked at the floor in a submissive gesture.“Don’t make me go rouge. I want this, daddy. I’m asking for your blessing, butI will go without it.” She held her chin high and her father gritted his teeth.
He looked to his mate. “Why couldn’tyou bare me a submissive daughter instead of this dominant princess I seebefore me?” His tone was light; he sounded defeated.
Diya softened. “You will allow it? A packtransfer?”
He sighed. “I will talk to Kai abouttransferring your brother, Jai, along with you. Kai’s pack is small. If a warbroke out he wouldn’t have enough numbers to fight larger packs. I’ll transferyou both. Trent needs to start video conferencing us. I need to get to knowthis guy better.” He growled.
Diya flew across the room and huggedher father as her mother smiled.
“Kai has never been concerned withbeing Alpha of a big pack,” Diya stated.
“Well it’s time he started.”
Diya went to leave the room and her fatherstopped her. “The wedding will be in India. That’s not up for discussion.You’re my only daughter and I want a traditional ceremony.”
