Chapter 58
Chapter Fifty-Eight
ONE MONTH LATER
Harlow
I’m sparring with Leo, and I am drenched in sweat. My clothes stick to me like a second skin when he finally stops. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he pulls his whistle from his pocket.
He blows the whistle, signaling the end of class. Murmurs amongst the other Omegas break out through the enormous room. A few even let out sighs of relief as they move toward the bathrooms to change and leave. Leo really made us work tonight.
Exhausted, I flop back down on the mat. Leo walks over, peering down at me with his hands on his hips and an amused expression on his face. “I would get up if I were you. Training may have finished, but you know someone will be here soon to pick you up.”
I groan, quite content with dying here on this mat. I had a good run. I will risk their wrath.
“Come on. You don’t want your mates to think you’re slacking,” Leo scolds. I roll my eyes at him and sit up. Leo chuckles at my reluctance to move. Every muscle aches, I am saturated in sweat, and I know my ass will hurt when I peel it up off the mat.
We’re at the Omega refuge. Leo is one of the self-defense trainers here.
Thane makes me attend every single class, never allowing me a night off.
Despite most of the Omegas here only having to train three times a week, Thane makes me train all five, with no exceptions.
Leo runs three classes a week. Raidon and Rhen alternate between the other two days.
Leo offers me his hand and I grab it, letting him pull me to my feet.
“Elaine told me Charles got your medical license reinstated?” I question, and he shrugs as we make our way across the room to the bleachers.
Pushing the hair that escaped from my ponytail off my face, I reach for my water bottle. I snatch it off the bleachers, and drink deeply.
“Charles got me a job at the hospital, but I turned it down,” Leo tells me, drinking his own water before moving to pack up the mats.
I follow, helping him clean up and pack away all the equipment. “So, you don’t want to go back?” I ask him.
“I can do more to help here. Besides, I already asked Thane if I can work as the refuge’s doctor on staff as well as handle the training, so I’ll have plenty of work to do,” Leo tells me with a shrug.
He grabs one of the blue mats, dragging it to the closet while I remove the velcro tabs on the next as he returns, bending down to grab it.
“Because of Emily?” I guess, and he smiles.
“Yeah, she loves it here. She signed up for some of the night classes they offer, and Elaine got her a job at the clinic as a secretary four days a week,” Leo tells me, and I smile.
“Anyway, go on. One of your mates will be outside waiting. I’ll finish up here,” he tells me, taking the mat I’m unsuccessfully trying to drag to the closet.
Walking out of the gym, I move down the long corridors toward the rec room, which is being painted today. I know Thane is coming to pick me up, but I have no intentions of going to meet him. Rhen, Leon, and Raidon all made excuses about being unable to pick me up, knowing they’d already be here.
Walking into the rec room, I find the artist almost finished. Raidon is sitting on the couch with Scarlett, who is happily munching on her hand as if it is the tastiest thing in the world. Leon and Rhen are helping clean up and setting ‘wet paint’ signs out.
Leaning over the couch, I kiss Scarlett’s cheek, and she blows raspberry spit bubbles at me before going back to gnawing on her hand.
“Where is mine?” Raidon pouts when I stand. He lifts his face up, and I smile, leaning down to kiss him.
'Low! I’ve been out front for ten minutes now!' comes Thane’s voice through the mind-link. I ignore him, and Raidon gives me a knowing look.
I walk over to watch the artist finish before he packs everything up. When he’s done, I pay him, only to hear Thane’s angry voice again.
'Harlow!' he barks through the mind-link.
“Oh, he is going to be pissed,” Rhen laughs as Leon walks over to me.
“Hmm, you smell so divine. All nice and sweaty for me,” he says. I push him away as he nips at my skin, knowing if he keeps going, it will alert Thane that they are also here.
'Harlow!' Thane growls in annoyance. I know I am pissing him off because he rarely uses my full name, always calling me by the nickname he gave me.
“I can’t wait to show your mother tomorrow. She’ll love it,” I tell Raidon, and he nods, looking up at the giant mural on the wall.
“Yeah, he did an amazing job,” Raidon admits, his eyes scanning it. “He’s gonna love it,” he assures me with a smile. I nod, hoping he’s right because it took me ages to think of.
'What are you doing? Do I need to come in there?' Thane snaps. I can feel his annoyance. 'Right, you better have a good excuse for bloody ignoring me!'
I feel how pissed off he is through the bond. I can also feel him getting closer, making me giddy.
'You seriously think you’re being funny right now? Where are you? Wait, I can feel you’re close. Why are the others here?'
I continue ignoring him as he opens the mind-link to our other mates. 'I swear, if you all run from me, I will turn each of your asses red,' he growls at us, earning a laugh from Raidon and Rhen.
'Maybe I like being spanked,' I retort.
'Oh, I wanna watch you spank her,' Leon chimes in.
'Your ass will be the first one over my damn knee for lying to me!' Thane growls at him.
'I’d like to see you bend me over your knee,' Raidon mocks.
'Don’t tempt me, Raidon,' Thane growls.
Rhen laughs, and I turn to see him reach down and grab Scarlett. Raidon reaches for her, wanting to keep her as a shield, knowing he’s safe from Thane while holding her.
“Nope, you antagonized the beast; you can deal with him,” Rhen scolds.
“Because you’re a chicken little brown noser,” Raidon taunts.
“No, I just know better!” Rhen chuckles.
'Uh, why are you in the rec room?' Thane asks, and I peek out the door to see him walking down the corridor.
I turn my attention back to the mural and laugh when I see Leon trying to take Scarlett from Rhen.
When he realizes he isn’t going to get her, he hides behind Rhen.
I lean on the door frame, and I hear Thane growl as he comes up behind me.
His arms wrap around my waist, and his lips press against my neck.
“You’re in so much trouble,” he growls, nipping at my mark. “You all are—” His words cut off when he lifts his head and sees the wall.