Morning Training
Jayce
“Let me fight for you.”
My eyes open at the sound of birds chirping outside, and I sit up slowly.
Her words from last night had crept through my dreams as I drifted in and out of sleep, restless and unable to sleep properly.
“Let me fight for you,” I murmur the words out loud, raking my hand through my hair. Fight for me? Why is she so fucking adamant?
I get out of bed and look out of the window. It’s still early; I think I’ll head to training, and I can make it in time.
Grabbing some sweatpants and a tank top, I head to the bathroom, pausing when the faint smell of brownies baking makes me smile. Guess Grandma is making them for later.
Fifteen minutes later, I reach the training grounds, entering one of the four yards where training is commencing between the best of the Blood Moon warriors.
I stand there watching as the highest-ranked warriors spar against one another.
Despite keeping my aura reined in, they are all aware of my presence.
Some glance my way, but most return to sparring after lowering their heads in respect to me.
“It’s Alpha Jayce!” one of the women whispers. I ignore the excited whisper that ripples through the group. I walk over to the head trainer, hands in my pockets, turning my head towards him in a way that no one can miss the glistening mark on my neck.
“Morning, Anthony,” I say lightly, not missing the whisper that travels through the group.
“He’s marked.”
“We have a future Luna!”
“Sienna Rossi, rumours are she’s here. One of the pups was talking about it yesterday.”
“Yeah, she is here,” I say, now turning back to the group. “But I’m sure we’re here to train.”
“Sorry, Alpha, but if our Luna is here, then will we get to meet her?” one of the men asks with a grin.
“Sure, Mark, when you nail that uppercut,” I remark with playful mockery.
A few of the others snicker. “Then we’ll never get to meet her.”
“Well, I’ve heard she’s the most beautiful woman around. She’s part demon, right?” one of the women asks, a smile on her lips. She’s one of the mated ones, and the genuine happiness in her eyes makes me answer her.
“She is, but don’t take my word for it; I’m probably biased,” I reply with a smirk. “Get back to training.”
They all obey, although one of them has the cheek to pause for a moment and speak. “If we train well, do we get to meet her?”
“No.”
“Oh, man.”
I shake my head as everyone gets back to their drills.
I don’t want to let her back in, but I still can’t deny that she’s the only one I can imagine as the future Luna of this pack.
The only one I’d want by my side. It’s her or no one, and I can’t seem to bring myself to clarify that we aren’t together.
“Want to spar, Alpha?” Anthony asks. He’s in his early thirties, and he became head trainer not long ago, when our last head trainer was killed in the same attack as Mom.
I nod. “Sure.”
“Hopefully the Deimos King will go easy on me,” he answers with a grin.
I stretch, rolling my neck before I fall into position. “Let’s see what you got.”
An hour later, I’m out of breath. He’s good; even if I’m faster and stronger, he held up well. I rotated between a few of the others, not taking a break until now.
“Alright, take five!” Anthony says to the group. He and I had just ended another round.
I step back, wiping my face with my sweatband. I’m sweating. The sun is up, and the weather is getting warm. “We haven’t sparred in ages, you…” He trails off just as I sense her.
Before I even glance over my shoulder, everyone’s attention has already shifted to somewhere behind me.
I turn to see Sienna, dressed in baggy sweats that only accentuate her tiny waist and a baggy crop top that is off one shoulder.
Her hair is up in a messy bun; the sunshine causing the tips to glow a vivid red.
My attention falls to what she’s holding: a large tray with two large bowls and a ton of bottles of what looks like shakes.
The smell of brownies, nuts and honey reaches my nose. I hadn’t seen anyone in the kitchen on my way out; she must have been the one making the brownies, not Grandma.
So, she made them for the warriors.
“Hi… Hope I’m not intruding; I wanted to introduce myself and bring a little snack for your break,” she says with a tilt of her head and one of her gorgeous smiles. Her grey eyes are sparkling as she looks at everyone.
“Whoa…”
“Damn…”
“Oh wow, Luna, thank you, but you didn’t need to!” Anthony is the first to actually move, as he rushes to take the tray from her.
“You made these?” someone else asks.
“Sienna Rossi, right?”
“Yes, what’s your name?”
“Corbyn. Damn, these are delicious!”
I stand there as the group clusters around her. I notice staff members are carrying similar trays to the other training fields.
“The Alpha wasn’t wrong, you’re gorgeous!” one of the women says, taking what looks like a protein ball.
What time was she even up?
“Oh my Goddess, these are fucking divine! Did you make these?”
“The brownies… Damn! Just like Luna Scarlett’s! A fine baker!”
I stand there, no longer able to see her amongst the crowd, while the warriors compliment her treats and chatter away.
After a moment, one of the men looks over at me, stepping back so I can see her side profile again. “Alpha, want some before they finish? They’re really delicious, and they’re full of protein. I can already feel the energy return.”
“They may have a touch of magic to them,” Sienna admits with a small smile.
“Talented all-rounder!”
The crowd parts, allowing Sienna to walk through the crowd, holding a napkin with a protein ball and a brownie on it. She holds the napkin up to me, and I tilt my head.
“Let me fight for you.”
By reminding me of all the things I love about her…
“Want one?” she asks, holding them up to me.
I hold her gaze before I take the protein ball and bite into it; honey, nuts, chocolate chips and something else – delicious. I feel the zing of energy and nod.
“It’s good, not the best thing I’ve tasted, but good,” I say arrogantly, the image of her with her legs spread open as I devour her flashes through my mind, and I remember just how fucking good she tastes.
The same thought clearly crosses her mind, her eyes widening. Her cheeks flush as the crowd starts snickering and whistling, clearly thinking along the same lines as I did, too.
“Thank you,” she says as she holds out the shake she had tucked in her arm for me. I accept it, ignoring the rest who have their eyes glued on us, a little too fucking interested in every action.
“Breaks over, get back to training,” I command, dragging my eyes away from my mate, who, even with her glamour on, is fucking divine.
“You guys carry on… I’m going to stop by the other fields,” she says, glancing towards them before hesitating. Is that alright? I don’t want to interrupt their training, she adds through the mind-link, clearly having timed her entrance to our field for break time.
Yeah, it’s fine. You didn’t know I would be attending training, so how come you decided to make these? I ask through the mind-link.
I genuinely wanted to stop by, not because of you, Alpha, she responds, with a playful tilt of her head before she raises the piece of brownie to my lips. Without thinking, I bite into it, her fingertips brushing against my lips, sending every one of my senses haywire.
Our eyes meet as she takes her hand back before she smiles and sucks the crumbs off her own fingers.
Tease.
“Well, I’ll be going now,” she says, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear before waving at the few warriors still lingering, having nabbed the last few brownies and protein balls.
“Won’t you stay to spar with us? I mean, none of us are really up to par with Alpha Jayce, but we’ve heard you’re incredibly strong. Maybe you can give him a run for his money,” Anthony says, making me cock a brow. Really?
Everyone else starts shouting their agreement. They act like a bunch of fucking barbarians.
“I don’t think-” I begin, but Sienna looks over at me, a slight smile on her lips.
“I’m up for it,” she cuts in, a challenging spark in her eyes.
“Really?” I say. Refuse.
“Really,” she responds, ignoring what I just said through the mind-link.
“I won’t hold back,” I reply arrogantly.
“Did I ask you to?” she questions with amusement. “I had a fine instructor back at the Academy. I think he might just be proud of my progress.”
I’ve seen you in action, I remind her.
Of course, but not against you. For old times’ sake? Shall we? she replies with a faint smile.
Fine. I glance around at the assholes present and shake my head.
They want a fucking show, and I can tell from their smirks that they’re going to enjoy this.
And word has gotten around because the other three groups have begun walking towards the fences that cordoned off each training field, carrying their shakes and snacks, ready for the show.
Sienna smiles as she steps forward towards the large clearing that the warriors have made as they move towards the fences. I remove my shirt, tossing it to the ground, not missing the way her eyes rake over me, a little pout appearing on her face.
Seems I’m a bit of a distraction.
I smirk as I step forward. “I’ll go easy on you,” I remark arrogantly.
“Please don’t. I can handle you,” she replies with a small smirk, her eyes sparkling. She doesn’t need me to go easy on her. I’ve seen her fight.
Sienna steps into the clearing without hesitation, taking her spot opposite me.
I watch her as she rolls her shoulders, loosening herself, her fingers flexing once at her sides before she faces me, that same faint smile playing on her lips.
But where there was once a girl who was full of uncertainty, there is now a woman with pure confidence. No hesitation, no second-guessing, just that steady, burning confidence that proves the vast difference from back then.
“Try not to get distracted, Alpha,” she says playfully. A strand of her hair falls across her cheek.