Page 66 of Alpha
“Are you ready to start your training?” Cade asked me.
“Yes,” I replied. I was surprised he was thinking about the same thing I had. I’d been blocking my thoughts so there was no way he could have known what I was thinking.
“The sooner you get trained up, the better,” he said as he looked to Hank. “Don’t be too rough with her.”
I gave Cade an annoyed look. I wasn’t that weak and I hated the implication that I was. When Cade caught my look he sighed and cupped my face.
“I just don’t like the thought of you getting hurt, even if it’s for training,” he said as he kissed me again.
“I’ll be okay,” I assured him as I pulled away.
I knew that Cade allowed everyone, including women, to train, but was it too much to hope that he’d changed his mind and he was going to allow me to fight?
He could read my thoughts because he shook his head at me.
“I still won’t allow you to fight,” he told me. “This training is to ensure you are able to protect yourself.”
Would we ever be able to agree on this subject?
I followed Hank out of the study and to the compound gym. On the way there he asked questions about the type of training I’d been doing with Gary.
“This training will be different and, in conjunction, you will need to do some weight-training to build muscle,” he informed me.
“Okay,” I said, following him into the gym.
“Even though you’re stronger than most humans, you are no match against a male werewolf,” he told me as he walked me to the weight machines.
“By building up your muscle, we can increase your strength slightly,” he began to explain.
“It still won’t be enough for you to take on a male werewolf, but that’s why our training will concentrate on speeding up your reactions. The faster you can get away, the better.” He gave me a serious look.
I could see he also wasn’t keen on the idea of me fighting the rogues alongside them. I wasn’t going to try and argue with him because Cade’s mind was the one that needed changing, not Hank’s.
Four hours later, or what honestly felt like forever, I landed with a thud on the gym mat. Winded and in agony, I rolled onto my side, trying to keep from screaming out in pain.
“Have you had enough yet?” Hank asked as he bounced on his feet, waiting for me to get back up. I looked like I’d been at it for hours but Hank had barely broken a sweat.
He was brutal and ruthless with his training. I’d trained on the weights until I couldn’t feel my arms or legs anymore. Then he’d proceeded to kick my ass on the gym mat for the last couple of hours.
I squeezed my eyes closed for a moment to try and wrestle with the aching limbs. I wanted to get back up and fight again but my body had other ideas. Every muscle screamed out in pain.
Breathing hard with the sweat dripping from my face, my clothes drenched in sweat, I lay on the ground unable to get back up.
“I think we are finished for the day,” Hank said as he bent down beside me. It was hard not to show how defeated I felt at that moment. There was no point in arguing with him. I was done for the day.
“What the fuck!” I heard Cade shout as I turned to watch him hurry to me. He was very angry. When he reached me he dropped to his knees beside me and looked over me with concern.
“I told you to go easy on her,” he said angrily as his eyes lifted to clash with Hank’s and he growled at him. Hank leaned back from fear of his alpha.
“I know, but she wanted to keep going,” Hank replied, lifting his hands to show Cade that he wasn’t to blame for the state I was in.
“You’ve been at this for four hours?” Cade directed the question at me in disbelief. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. I watched as he tried to control the anger trembling through him.
“It’s okay,” I said as I gently reached for his hand and squeezed it.
His eyes opened as he looked down at me.
“No, it isn’t.”
