Chapter 8
Chapter
Eight
Aries
My muscles ached as my foot struck the punching bag over and over again. I quickly landed a flurry of hits against it, using my hands, legs, and feet to strike out, raining every bit of fury I had in my body upon the punching bag.
This was my favorite form of release since casual sex was off the table. I took out the last lingering remnants of my nightmare.
Sweat had my matching red workout set sticking to my skin, outlining every curve along my body, showcasing the well-honed muscles that I’d worked hard for. I’d have to shower sooner rather than later, it wasn’t exactly appropriate to meet clients while sweating like you just dunked in a pool.
I took my clients seriously and wanted them to be comfortable here.
I’d heard so many horror stories from all the omegas and betas that have come through here.
This world was fucked up in ways that most of us could never fathom, and if they gave me half a chance, I’d never allow any of them to feel helpless again.
No one was going to save us, so we had to save ourselves.
My friends and I did it when we made our escape, and I made sure that if I was ever put in a position like that again, then I would survive.
My name echoed out in the mostly-empty gym. It was one of those quiet times of day when not many people came in.
But god it was a welcome distraction.
When I heard Lexi’s voice again, I reached out to stop the punching bag from swinging back at me before I made my way to the front desk. It was Lexi, which meant she wasn’t here to work out.
I didn’t expect to find her standing there with two strangers. They were standing close enough they were touching, one was a female omega with wide, terrified eyes. The other was a male beta who looked ready to bolt. They both stood slightly hunched in as if that would make them smaller.
I knew that stance, and I loathed the people that caused it.
“Hey there,” I greeted in a soft voice, giving them a gentle smile.
I relaxed my muscles and softened my features, making myself appear almost normal for once. It was a well-practiced mask, one meant to put others at ease and hide away the anger that still burned through me any time I saw the pain that would linger on for years.
Because nine times out of ten the ones who caused it faced no consequences. At least we’d made sure that Gideon faced his.
“I wanted to introduce you to Cassie and Leon. They’re new to town and from a similar background to ours,” Lexi said pointedly.
“Really?” Cassie questioned, perking up a little.
Her curiosity seemed to almost startle her. She quickly snapped her mouth shut and shifted a little closer to Leon.
“A lot of us in town have been through hell,” I said simply.
“I’ve channeled my time and energy into this place.
” I gestured around. “If you’re interested, I teach self-defense classes.
For those who aren’t ready for a full class, I’m willing to do sessions.
If you want to start building your muscles and learning how to fight back, I’m here for you. ”
“I’m interested,” Leon said, almost too quickly. Then he quickly wilted before my eyes. It was like everything they said seemed to shock them. That would fade with time. It always did.
We’d all come into this town like them. Terrified and looking over our shoulders.
Hell, I was only just starting to settle until the nightmares flared up again, and then I felt like I started right back over.
“I’ll be ready to start when you are, but it won’t be easy,” I warned them. “We’ll work on building your muscles first, and then go from there.”
“Can we start now?” Leon asked, glancing at Cassie. He was desperate to find some semblance of control and I respected his determination.
Cassie just nodded along.
I looked up at Lexi, and she gave me a shrug.
“The only place we had left was their house.” She handed over a piece of paper with the address on it and a set of keys. “If you want to show them the place and have the time…”
She left it open-ended like a question, giving me a chance to say no.
My eyes flicked back to the pair in front of me. Leon was staring back at me, as if seeing if I truly was safe.
He had dark brown hair that was long enough to hang over his eyes. It was parted in the middle and straight. It wasn’t a cut that most men could pull off.
He had a few scars on his face, but I tried not to stare long enough to catalog them all.
Cassie was pretty in a classic way. She had red hair, a dusting of freckles across her nose, and wide, green eyes. Unlike her counterpart’s all-black wardrobe, she had on a pink hoodie and torn jeans.
They also had matching sets of dark circles under their eyes. Their gaunt features and scars were enough to tell me they’d been through hell.
“I’ve got time,” I found myself saying, unsure why I agreed to it. But maybe they were the exact distraction I needed.
Part of me felt a little bit guilty for using them for my own reasons, but I knew I was doing a good thing as well. I’d make them feel comfortable and give them a confidence they didn’t know they needed.
“Do you have anything you can work out in?” I questioned.
There it was, that look of terror again, like I was about to snap at them for not having everything.
I held up a hand before they could freak out. “Don’t worry. I keep a whole store’s worth of extras. Let’s go see if we can find you something.”
I gestured for them to follow me.
“Thanks, Lexi,” I called over my shoulder as we walked away.
She didn’t hesitate to send her own farewell back before rushing out. She was always busy. Between having a pack and a family now, plus helping around Club 21 with her sister Silva, she was likely never bored.
“I’m sure Lexi gave you the same intro spiel she gives everyone,” I said as we walked down the back hallway where I kept our extras, “but you really are safe here. We run a tight ship. No one here causes trouble, and if anyone makes you uncomfortable, you can tell Lexi, Silva—hell, come get me. Any of us will take care of it for you.”
“Are you guys like royalty around here?” Cassie asked.
Most people that said it like that were being smart asses. She just seemed confused.
“No, but we founded this town. We escaped together from a bad place. This was our safe haven away from all of that. We stuck together, and we built this town from the ground up. It’s quiet here, but, most importantly, safe.
We don’t have to look over our shoulders all the time, and we learned to forge our own future.
When new people arrive, we find them a good job placement and a place to live. Seems she already took care of that.”
I glanced at the address in my hand.
“Oh, you guys aren’t far from here. Did she set you up with a job already?”
“Not yet. We are supposed to meet with her tomorrow,” Leon answered.
“I’ve got a couple openings here, if you want to add them to your options,” I offered before I could even stop myself.
I wasn’t sure what the fuck I was doing, but, apparently, I’d decided these two were my problem now. Not exactly my usual way of operating, but there was no taking it back.
“Thanks,” Cassie managed. The relief in her voice told me I’d made the right choice.
Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, I nodded once and turned my attention back to what was essentially a giant closet, flipping on the lights and stepping aside.
“Everything’s organized by size. Shoes are in the back.
Women’s on the left, men’s on the right, but honestly, you can take whatever you want.
Clothes or shoes. Make sure you take at least a few outfits to get you through.
If we’re going to keep doing these classes after today you’ll need them.
The locker room is across the hall. You can try anything on.
If it doesn’t fit, just toss it in that hamper there.
” I pointed to it. “Then meet me back out front.”
I didn’t wait for an answer before I walked out, leaving them a moment of privacy.
On my way back to the lobby I stopped in our other storage area, grabbing my usual welcome bag for new gym-goers.
It included a gym bag, a water bottle, a few pamphlets of information, a couple booklets on proper nutrition and tips for taking care of aching muscles.
I also put a few protein bars and things like that in there.
Not everybody wanted to rush to the store right away.
I knew Lexi always got our newcomers set up with housing and some cash to get them through, but freedom could be overwhelming. Especially if it was their first time on their own.
Since I didn’t have any other staff at the moment I put up the out to lunch sign before setting up the workout room. I dragged out a few mats and placed them in the center, mine in front of theirs.
I noticed that sometimes it was easier to do guided stretches then laps first to gauge their fitness level and see where they were at before I started on heavier equipment.
Cassie and Leon walked out just as I finished and a smile broke across my face.
Leon was wearing a black tank and gym shorts, and he had appropriate shoes now. Cassie was wearing a hot pink matching set that was similar to mine, her bare stomach showing.
They were both a little too skinny, but they’d gain that healthy weight back. If we could add a little muscle and confidence in there, too, they’d be golden.
“I’m glad you found something,” I said before handing them each their gym bag.
Her eyes lit up at the pink when I handed to her, and Leon nodded once at the black. I had them all figured out already.
As they moved past me, I froze. The scent of lemonade and sweet, tart blueberries hit me. It was too tart, twisted a bit, but it lingered long after they moved onto their mats.
My entire being seemed to focus on it and I had to forcibly push it aside as I led them through stretches.
They were honestly great students and followed each move. There weren’t even complaints as I got them running laps. Of course, I jogged alongside them.
Soon, the only thing you could hear was the faint music filtering through the gym, our heavy breathing, and our sneakers hitting the mats. It was an easy way to clear your mind and it felt like the tension slowly seeped out of them each time we rounded the main workout room.
They surprised the hell out of me, keeping up with every lap. I kept an eye on them, stopping when it looked like they’d had enough. It was my job to make sure they were enjoying it, but not taking it too far.
If only I took my own advice. Earlier, I was ready to push my body past its limits to chase away the shadows.
“Alright, time to cool down.” We slowed down to a walk.
I waited until their breathing evened out before starting a conversation. They were red faced now but looked much more settled, at least.
“You guys kept up better than I expected,” I teased.
I earned a shaky grin from Cassie. Leon just gave me an exasperated look.
“I don’t want to end today with no self-defense training, but I also don’t want to trigger you.
So, this is the part where you tell me your limits.
There are stances where we have a partner grab you from behind, and I teach you how to get out of it.
I can have someone grab you in front, and you learn to break free.
Or we can simply work on proper hitting and punching with the bags.
You tell me where you feel the most comfortable. ”
Cassie’s breathing picked up again as she answered, “Definitely no grabbing me just yet. I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
“Noted,” I said easily. “Leon?”
“I’ll follow her lead,” he said quickly.
That was enough for me.
“Alright, let’s head back,” I said, leading them to the room with the punching bags and smaller equipment.
I fitted them with gloves, wanting to protect their hands before showing them some techniques. I stationed Cassie in front of the first punching bag, asking her to hold a position. She looked unsure and a little too shaky.
“Is it okay if I adjust your hands? I don’t want to touch you without permission,” I said gently.
Her features softened at my question. She gave me a quick nod, and I adjusted her stance, making sure she was ready.
“Take your hit,” I said, watching as she punched out.
It was weak and unsure.
“Again,” I said, my voice firm.
She did it without hesitation this time, her body almost following through before her mind.
“Left,” I said, and she struck out with that gloved hand. “Right,” I barked next.
We continued, shifting through until her moves were second nature and she’d shed some of her hesitation.
She was red-faced and sweating, but a smile was on her face by the time I called for her to stop.
“Hell yeah, Cassie,” I celebrated, my smile wide as if I’d done it myself.
This was what I loved about owning my own gym and running these classes. I got to see people come in looking terrified and leave with just a hint more confidence.
They deserved that.
The world had stolen enough from all of us here in Widow’s Peak, and I wanted nothing more than to be a positive influence in their lives. Someone who could help them forge a new path, finding the confidence to protect themselves and face the world in a way they never could before.
I moved onto Leon next, repeating it. Only, his scent had me far more distracted. It was still a bit too tart, enough it stung my nose.
As he let loose some of his frustrations on the punching bag, it shifted. A bit of that beta gentleness came back, softening the jagged edges into something I could drown in happily.
This beta wasn’t just a random stranger, he was a scent match.