Page 20 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
“Carla. Glad you could join us,” I said flatly, shooting her a look that she knew meantwe’ll talk later. “All right, everyone, gather around. Now that we’ve warmed up, we’ll start, but first I want to make a quick introduction.” I gestured towards Carla. “This is Carla Winton. She’ll be helping me teach the class.”
It was interesting to witness the range of reactions. Some were obviously disappointed that I wouldn’t be their exclusive tutor. Others, like Zoey, visibly relaxed.
“Over the next six weeks, we’ll cover fundamental self-defense techniques, strikes, blocks, and evasion tactics. You’ll learn how to assess threats and react under pressure.” I paused, scanning their faces. “But I want to know what you aim to achieve personally by the end of this course.”
A few hands shot up immediately. One woman wanted to feel safe walking at night, another wanted to gain confidence. I nodded along to their answers, but I was waiting for one voice in particular.
“Zoey?” I asked, careful to keep my tone neutral. “What about you?”
She hesitated, her eyes darting around before they met mine. “I... I want to protect myself. So I can’t be hurt again.”
“Thank you.” I nodded, acknowledging her courage to speak up.
“Let’s split into two groups now,” I said, pointing to six of the twelve women. “Ladies, you are group one. You will work with me. Group two, you’re with Carla.”
Zoey’s shoulders relaxed as she walked over to Carla, some of her tension fading. Bringing Carla on board had been the right move. For Zoey and other women, a female instructor could ease some of the intimidation they might feel from me.
I deliberately avoided making eye contact with Zoey, despite my strong urge to ensure her well-being. My wolf didn’t like this. He was an alpha. It was his job to protect his mate, not watch passively as his mate learned how to take care of herself.
Throughout the class, I kept stealing glances at the second group. Zoey followed Carla’s instructions intently. She moved with purpose, and I was sure her trauma fueled her determination. I made a mental note to tailor the sessions to her needs so she could reclaim the strength I could see within her.
After class, I caught up with Carla and reminded her of my expectations. I was happy to let trainers determine their own timetables, but punctuality was important. It didn’t give off a good impression if instructors were late.
We also discussed the curriculum I had put together for the self-defense class. While I emphasized disciplined techniques, she pointed out that those might slip the mind in intensesituations. Teaching additional methods, such as targeting vulnerable areas like the eyes and groin, could be more effective.
I was wiping down some of the equipment when Zoey and Heather came out of the changing room. “What did you two think of the class today?” I asked them.
Heather’s smile lit up her face. “It was great, Noah. Really interesting.”
I turned to Zoey.
She nodded. “Yeah, it feels... promising.”
I wished Zoey would look up at me just once, but she didn’t. Her gaze was fixed to the floor, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. It pissed me off that the fucker had broken her spirit so much, she couldn’t meet a man’s eyes.
“Zoey?”
My wolf’s anger must have bled into my voice because Heather flinched, instinctively starting to bare her throat in submission before she caught herself. When Zoey took a hesitant step back, her body trembling slightly, I realized I was the one making her feel cornered now.
“Sorry,” I muttered, clenching and unclenching my fists in an effort to leash my temper. “Didn’t mean to... I’ll see you both next class.”
I turned on my heel and stalked away, my hands itching to hit something, to channel the fury raging inside me.
In the public part of the gym, the familiar sounds of gloves hitting bags and grunts of exertion did nothing to calm me down. My next client was due any minute now, yet I found my attention drawn to the boys sparring in the ring. They fought with a rawness that usually grounded me, reminded me why I did this job: to teach control, strength, and defense. But today, all I could think about was the fear on Zoey’s face.
“Fuck,” I said under my breath, scrubbing a hand over my face. Guilt twisted in my gut. I’d wanted to make her feel safe, not remind her of the terror she’d lived through.
“Focus,” I muttered to myself. “You’ve got work to do.” But as I wrapped my hands, I knew it wouldn’t be easy to shake off the image of Zoey Lester looking so haunted.
Ky leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. “Earth to Noah, where’s your head at?”
The question snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced at him as I finished wrapping my hands with tape. “Just... thinking about Zoey,” I admitted.
“Zoey, huh?” A frown creased his brow.
“I spoke to her earlier. She seems so incredibly fragile, Ky. I have this overwhelming urge to take care of her every need, but she won’t even acknowledge my presence.”
Ky watched me closely, his brows furrowing in concern. “She’s got a lot going on, Noah. I watched my mom struggle for a long time to recover from the shit my old man put her through. You sure that’s something you wanna take on right now?”
