“I just realized you look different to the last time I saw you.”
“Yeah, that’s what happens when you don’t see someone for years.”
Can I kick his ass?Darien asks.
He is mad at me,I tell him.
I know, obviously,Darien grumbles.
And he is right to be.
Yeah, again, obviously.Darien frowns.Why not spar with him?
Maybe he has a point. “You haven’t answered my question,” I say. “Are you heading home, or do you still train after a shift?”
“Both,” he sighs. “I train, but I do so at home.”
“Do you need a sparring partner?”
He stares at me. “Are you fucking kidding me, Forest?”
Part of me wants to apologize for intruding and leave like I usually would, but the other part knows we have come too far now to back down, and frankly, I don’t want to. Even when Griffin is mad at me, I still feel more relaxed around him than around most other pack members.
“No,” I say.
“Fuck!” Griffin drops the bag and brushes his fingers through his hair. “Fine,” he says, his tone annoyed. “Fine, let’s spar.”
When Griffin said he trains at home, I wasn’t aware of how well prepared he is. There is a whole little training area in his backyard. We both spend some time warming up properly, passing the time in awkward silence.
“I am ready,” Griffin says.
I nod, stretching my arms once more before getting up from the ground. I am barely back on my feet when Griffin jumps forward and punches me so hard that it makes me almost drop down again. “What the fuck, dude?!”
“You are the world’s shittiest friend,” Griffin snarls.
I wipe the blood off my nose.Now, we are getting somewhere!Darien growls, sounding much too happy for my liking.All this talking pissed me off! This is so much better. Can we now? Can we?!
Not like we have a choice. But don’t come forward fully. I want to beat him as myself.
I can respect that.
I can feel my strength rising, thanks to my wolf, and my senses heighten much more now. Finally, someone who doesn’t bore me to death while training,Darien says.
Something in Griffin’s eyes flashes as his wolf comes forward, too. He obviously doesn’t give a flying fuck about playing fair now, but I guess I get where he is coming from. My wolf doesn’t mind, either; he is just happy to have someone to properly fight with.
He lands a kick against Griffin’s stomach, sending him flying, but Griffin is up on his feet immediately. He has really improved tremendously. Martin told me he didn’t have anyone good enough to train with. Was he lying? Or did my parents make sure that Martin’s path didn’t cross with Griffin’s either?
Somehow, I have the inkling it’s the latter.
Judging by how little I have seen Griffin around, it looks like he was truly being kept away from most other pack members.
Griffin lunges forward, making me step sideways instead, but it was just a mock attack. Good move. Almost made me stumble. But he is not the only one who has upped their training, and Darien is in full fighting mode now. The next punch and the one after are ours. But then, Griffin finds his footing and rhythm again, knocking me over once.
I am up on my feet immediately, though, dashing forward to tackle him. I toss him to the ground, rolling over him before he can kick me, and then hover above him. Griffin tugs one of his hands free, though, punching my shoulder until I loosen the grip. Before he can kick me off him, I jump up, dodging his attack.
Griffin lunges forward, grabbing me by my middle and rolling over together with me.
We keep at it until the sun starts rising slowly, and Griffin finally taps out. We both drop onto the ground in exhaustion, catching our breath.
