Shit.
Ayla
Thane has training sessions planned all day in shifts for the pack fighters. He has requested that Raven watch in hopes of teaching them increased speed and agility without a gifting. I thought it would be a good opportunity for she–wolf bonding, and inviting Amani felt right. Thane made Damon take time off to get his bond figured out, but Damon trains the fighters and wants to be here anyway, so I’m guaranteed bonding time with Amani, and I can hardly wait.
Numerous pack members of both sexes are standing in a line, awaiting orders from Thane as Raven and I sit on the bleachers at the sidelines of the indoor training complex. Thane and Cyrus stand tall with arms folded over their chest as the doors open and Damon enters, holding hands with his mate.
I notice they remain unbonded immediately, which sends a little pang of sadness through me, but I know it will work out.
It always does.
I smile and wave as Amani heads over to us, taking a seat next to me. “Holding hands, that’s a good sign.” I smile, welcoming her with a side hug.
“Yeah, we’re going to take it slow. I did not realize how strong the mating bond pull is. It’s a lot to work through when you’re trying your hardest not to act on it.”
“Don’t I know it…” Raven says stoically as she watches shifters practice combat maneuvers slowly with each other, allowing her to see their form and intentions before they shift to their real speed.
Which is a bunch of stuff I do not understand, but my mate is standing in black combat pants and a tight black tee that accentuates his muscles. His eyes meet mine, and he gets a cocky grin, obviously feeling my lust through the bond.
I should clamp down on it, or training will not work out well for him today.
“How long have you been mated?” Amani asks me while we watch our men in action with the pack fighters.
“Around four months, I respond, reaching down into my purse, pulling out a pickle. “I never thought I would be mated, pulling out a pickle, or owning a purse, but here I am doing it all.” I smile, unwrapping my treat and shoving it into my mouth.
Dang, that is good.
“Damon told me your back story when he was asking me questions about the brothel and the Triad Group. I am sorry for what you have been through, and I plan on helping in any way that I can.”
“Thank you. That means a lot. How are things going with you and Damon?” I ask apprehensively, hoping things are going better for them than they did for Raven and Cyrus. Not that what they went through was terrible, but Raven fought the bond so hard, it was concerning.
“Things are going great. I think he will start opening up to me more soon. I need to open up to him as well. I do nove the best backstory, but I feel that he doesn’t either.”
‘I don’t..”
“STOP DROPPING YOUR ARM, YOUR LEFT SIDE IS OPEN ALL DAY LONG!” Raven yells, interrupting my conversation with
1/3
Shit.
Amani.
I do not know anything about his history, but I do feel the fates bless us with a mate who has some of the same trauma as we do. At least, to some degree, we help each other overcome it, change for the better, and heal.”
Wise words. You wear your Luna hat well.” Amani compliments me while we watch our men grapple with fighters, throwing them in different directions on the mats as I sit and eat my pickle,
TUCK THOSE LEGS WHEN YOU ROLL!” I jump as Raven yells.
“Damon is sweet…”
“Don’t tell Cyrus.” Raven interrupts.
“He is very quiet and shy right now.” Amani smiles while watching her mate shove his feet into a fighter’s stomach, throwing the fighter completely over himself.
“Definitely don’t tell Cyrus.” Raven interrupts again.
“I’m glad to hear he is sweet. Sweet must be what you need. Thane is gruff to others, but he has worshipped me since he found me, and I needed it. We had a few hiccups, but it is perfect now.”
“Mine’s crazy,” Raven states. “This morning, he threw down a huge chunk of callous that he ripped off the side of his toe
and asked if I wanted to keep a part of him forever. He said it didn’t make him ‘Della Crazy‘ because we are mated.
Whatever the hell that means.”
“Ew.” Amani and I say in unison as Raven shrugs.
Our men give the fighters a break and remove their shirts from their sweaty bodies, leaving them to stand in their combat pants with their full muscles on display as they start circling each other.
“Hot damn….” Amani says, elbowing me in the side.
“I think my brain just forgot whatever it is that I was. I’m not even…” I swallow hard as my mind glitches, watching these
abdominals on display before me contract.
1
“Holy reverse harem wet dream. The pants hang so low that we get to see their yummy lines leading down to their trouser snakes.” Raven watches, transfixed on the grappling in front of us, and probably not the speed at which they are moving.
“SHIFTER HEARING FIREBALL,” Cyrus yells as he dives for Damon’s legs.
We giggle as Thane–leaves the mat to answer his ringing phone. A few minutes later, he calls for a break and walks over to us with Cyrus and Damon following. “That was Alpha Stevens. He says he has a missing beta and will not be able to attend the alliance meeting I have planned on the ring.”
“A missing beta? How do you lose your second in command?” Amani asks.
“You lose him when I feed him his intestines after my girl pulverizes his face with a meat tenderizer. Cyrus winks at Raven, and she smiles joyfully at him.
“Not how I wanted Amani to find out how crazy you two are,” Damon speaks up.
2/3
Shit.
“Damn it, Cyrus. Thane sighs and looks at a wide–eyed Amani.
“Um. right….I have been on my own for a while and have not lived in a pack as an adult, so I mean…I do not have anything to compare this pack behavior to, if that makes you feel better about me knowing.”
“I was more concerned about you leaving.” Thane expresses.
and down before turning her lips “I thought for sure you would puke.” Raven looks over at Amani and looks her up downward and nodding her head to herself like she just decided to give Amani a chance.
My heart hurts for a second, thinking back to when she gave Monica a chance.
“I most certainly don’t find it appealing.” Amani responds.
“If it makes you feel better, the beta was my father.” Raven offers with a shoulder shrug while staring at her mate’s
stomach.
“No, that actually makes me sad for you.” Amani frowns at Raven. ·
“I’m over it.” Raven leaps into Cyrus‘ arms and wraps her legs around his hips as he carries her off.
“I’m suddenly having flashbacks to when they stumbled into the house covered in gore and ripping each other’s clothes off.” I shudder at the memory of Raven having parts of her father….everywhere.
“Hey, we aren’t done here…” Thane yells out. “You have five minutes.”
I’ll have her finished three times in that period,” Cyrus yells back as he goes through the double doors.
“Anyway. The problem is, I did not tell Stevens about the alliance meeting.” Thane explains with his hands on his hips that I currently find very interesting.
“You think he is on to us?” Damon asks.
“That or we have a traitor that we already deemed clean in the alliance.”
Shit.
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