Mated to a Mermaid

Chapter 3

Lucas’ POV

I followed Hunter down the corridor to the front of the castle. He leads me through the grounds to a large building with half-dressed men and women walking out the main doors. “Must be where they do their combat training”, Bruce says, eyeing the front of the building as I stop to take in the sight. The building was as big as a school auditorium with two sets of glass doors letting people in and out of it.

“Must be” I answered, shrugging my shoulders. Uncle Steven had already put me through my paces with combat training. Bruce comes forward to be my ears. People don’t realize they can’t sneak up behind me. It’s the same as Helen’s sight. She got her wolf, Caitlyn, who is a real diva for fashion, four months ago. She comes forward and tells Helen how to dress and what matches with what. She is her eyes.

I walk in behind Hunter and we both move to where Kyle, Jacob, Gamma Nathan and another girl, hanging off Kyle’s arm. Is she even wearing a skirt? I’m sure I can see her lady parts if I look close enough. “Didn’t you have a different girl on your arm yesterday?” I asked and Kyle smirked in my direction.

The girl gave me a deathly stare before stomping her foot and walking away. Kyle shrugs while Jacob signs; “You will have to ignore him. He changes girls like he changes his underwear.” A true man w***e. Note to self, don’t let him around my sisters.

“Someone is coming up behind us”, Bruce says, and I turn myself around to see who it is. It was the girl from yesterday. Damn, I wish I could hear. This is going to be good. “No, it’s not. She’s asking who their friend is.”

“Lucas. My name is Lucas, and I’m not interested” I said, trying not to glance below her neckline. Her boobs look like they are about to explode from her green shirt… Is it a shirt? I’m not sure. She quickly scurries away; did I scare her?

“No, Gamma Nathan asked what she was doing here and to leave”, Bruce tells me.

“That was Courtney. One of the many women who want to get into an Alpha’s pants”, Hunter said, and I rolled my eyes at him. I’m not one to sleep around. I’ve only had one serious relationship. No-one else compares to her.

“I prefer my women not to be wearing something their goods will pop out of at any given moment”, I informed the group, and the men began laughing. At least it looks as though they are laughing, including Gamma Nathan.

“Lucas, you look like an alpha; we need to make sure you can fight like an alpha. We will take into consideration your disability and only have an attack from the front”, Gamma Nathan signs and I smirk in his direction.

I’m aware I look like an alpha. Goddess Selene gave me everything I needed to be able to handle myself in a fight and Uncle Steven made sure I could defend myself and others. At 6-foot 6, sandy brown hair and brown eyes like my father and a six-pack to die for; at least that’s what Bridget said; I couldn’t really complain. “No need” I told him and walked my way to the middle of the floor. “Fight as you would normally fight. I can handle it.”

I looked at Jacob, Gamma Nathan and Hunter glanced at one another before moving towards the center. What’s the matter, does a pretty boy, man w***e think I’m going to mess up his good looks? Yes, he is the future king and a few inches taller than I am. I can still give him a run for his money. It’s only sparring after all. “I want to fight Kyle”, I tell them, and they all turn to look at him.

“Josiah won’t fight if his wolf can’t hear. I’ll do one-on-one combat, see if you can keep up”, Kyle signed slowly. I nodded my head and waited for him to come to the center of the training facility.

I get in a crouching position and Kyle does the same, facing towards me. Gamma Nathan stands between us, his hand does a countdown before he drops it and Kyle comes forward; I give Kyle a sidekick, bouncing out of the way and turning to face him. “He growled at you”, Bruce tells me.

Good, I struck a nerve. I run towards him, and he blocks my punch, punching me in the side. Bouncing back; “He’s kicking from the side”, I grabbed his leg and twisted my body, pushing him out of the way and facing myself towards him.

“Someone’s running up behind us.” I shift my stance and kick at the person; Hunter doubles over. “Duck!” I quickly duck my head, missing Kyle’s side punch. He didn’t miss his kick and I fell backwards.

I flick myself onto my feet and let off a growl. “OK, stop”, Gamma Nathan says, and Bruce relays the message. I stood up and looked at him; “Lucas; how can you hear someone coming up behind you?”

“Bruce” I answered, shrugging my shoulders. They turn and speak to one another. That f*****g annoys the living hell out of me. “Bruce… My wolf… Are my ears. He tells me where you are. Can you stop being rude and talking among yourselves? At least let me see your lips, so I know what you are saying.”

“Sorry, we were strategizing the next round”, Hunter signed and I rolled my eyes.

“No, they weren’t. They were asking who Bruce was and were spit-balling”, Bruce states and I was shaking my head. “Kyle and Gamma Nathan figured it out straight away.”

“There are two things I hate; one being treated differently and two; people who talk away from me and then lie about it when they are caught out. At least admit you aren’t used to having someone who can’t hear around you” I shouted, storming off to the entrance of the facility.

“Someone’s running up behind us.” “What?” I yelled, turning around to face Kyle.

“Woah” I read his lips as he put his hands up in front of him. “We’re sorry. You are right, we aren’t used to having someone around that can’t hear. Please, come back” he signed.

“Why?” I asked, getting ready to turn back towards the door. “Why should I bother if you aren’t going to take me or what I need to learn seriously?”

“That’s where you’re wrong”, Kyle signs and I raise my eyebrow at him. “We take everything and I mean everything seriously. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Come back and I will show you. No more island?” Huh? I think he means judging or judgment? “Let me prove it to you.”

“You signed the judgment wrong” I said, trying not to laugh.

“What did I say?” He questions, narrowing his eyebrows at me.

“Island”, I chuckle, and he stops dead behind me. I turned to face him as he doubled over in laughter. “It wasn’t that funny.”

He moved his lips, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying because of his laughter. I didn’t think it was all that funny. “He said to tell you, are you kidding? That’s hilarious” Bruce tells me.

We reached the others; “Sorry man”, Hunter signed, standing up from his seat.

“You took us all by surprise when you ducked Kyle’s fist and heard Hunter from behind” Gamma Nathan says, signing at the same time.

“I didn’t hear them; Bruce did”, I explained again, and they nodded their heads in understanding. “When he says duck, I duck. When he says someone is coming in from behind, I turn and defend myself as quickly as possible.”

“Hookers; 2 o’clock”, Bruce announced and glanced over Jacob’s shoulder. I drop my gaze as Kyle grins from ear to ear when they start heading our way.

“Kyle; I don’t care about your taste in women. f**k; you can sleep with the whole pack for all I care. I’m not interested”, I whispered to him, and he glanced between myself and the ladies coming our way.

“Got a girl back home?” he signs and I shake my head. I’m not going to get into the whole; no-one compares to Bridget speech again. I’ve had Peter, Eden, even Elizabeth trying to set me up with random women. I’m just not interested.

“Not exactly, and before you go there, I’m not gay.” Not that I find anything wrong with that. I just don’t want him to go there. “It’s a long story and I would rather not tell it at the moment”, I explain, and he gives me an understanding wink.

He moves towards the ladies and pulls them away from me. He’s not as bad as I thought he was. Maybe we could be friends. “He is proving himself, like he said he would. He’s won some brownie points back” Bruce snorts, sitting down in my mind.

“Looks like we are calling it a day” Hunter signed, turning to head for the door.

“I didn’t say you could go” Gamma Nathan announced, forgetting to sign. It’s going to take time for them to remember to sign when I am around. I can understand that; I just don’t like it when they completely ignore me.

“It’s OK; I read his lips” I told Bruce. He doesn’t have to answer, we have a natural understanding of one another. “Let’s do this”, I told the other two, who looked as though they groaned as we walked back to the center of the facility.