Training the Alpha’s Mate
682 Words
I never imagined survival would begin in the woods.
Yet here I was, standing at the edge of the forest just before dawn, cold air biting into my skin as Ronan watched me with sharp, assessing eyes.
“You’re late,” he said.
I glanced at my phone. “I’m exactly on time.”
“For a human,” he corrected.
I scowled. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
A corner of his mouth lifted. “A little.”
Despite everything—the danger, the pack, Seraphine—I felt strangely calmer standing beside him. The bond hummed softly between us, no longer frantic, but alert. Awake.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
“Because the pack grounds aren’t forgiving,” Ronan replied. “And neither are wolves.”
He stepped closer, circling me slowly. “You’ll be watched. Judged. Tested.”
My stomach tightened. “Tested how?”
“Physically. Mentally.” His gaze locked onto mine. “Emotionally.”
“That’s reassuring,” I muttered.
Ronan stopped in front of me. “I won’t always be there to shield you.”
The words stung more than I expected.
“So this is about making me stronger,” I said quietly.
“Yes.” He paused. “And about helping you survive the bond.”
Before I could ask what that meant, he moved—fast.
I barely had time to gasp before his hand shot out, gripping my wrist and twisting just enough to unbalance me. I stumbled, heart racing, but he caught me before I fell.
“Hey!” I protested.
“Again,” he said.
“What?”
“Attack me.”
I stared at him. “You’re insane.”
“Probably.” He released me. “But do it anyway.”
I hesitated, then swung clumsily at his chest.
He blocked me effortlessly.
“Too slow.”
Anger flared. “You didn’t say there were rules!”
“There are no rules in a fight,” he said calmly.
I tried again—harder this time. He dodged, caught my arm, and suddenly I was pressed against a tree, his body a solid wall of heat and strength.
My breath caught.
The bond surged.
Ronan froze.
For a heartbeat, neither of us moved.
“This is dangerous,” I whispered.
“Yes,” he said hoarsely. “That’s why you need control.”
He stepped back, breaking contact, his jaw clenched.
“Again,” he repeated.
We trained until my muscles burned and sweat soaked through my clothes. I fell more times than I could count, but each time, I got back up.
Ronan watched with something like pride in his eyes.
“You don’t quit,” he said.
“I’ve been quitting my whole life,” I replied breathlessly. “I’m done with that.”
Something shifted in his expression—respect, maybe.
A sudden sharp pain pierced my chest.
I gasped, clutching my heart.
Ronan was at my side instantly. “What did you feel?”
“Fear,” I whispered. “Not mine.”
His eyes darkened. “Seraphine.”
“She can feel us?”
“She can feel me,” he corrected. “And through the bond… you.”
That explained the icy chill crawling up my spine.
“She hates me,” I said.
“Yes.”
“And she’s not done.”
“No.”
Ronan cupped my face, his touch gentle despite the power behind it. “Listen to me, Elara. The pack will try to break you. She’ll try hardest of all.”
I swallowed. “Then don’t let her.”
His thumb brushed my cheek. “I won’t.”
Our gazes locked, the bond pulsing strong and steady.
In that moment, I understood something terrifying and exhilarating all at once—
I wasn’t just the Alpha’s forbidden human mate anymore.
I was becoming his weakness.
And his strength.
Somewhere deep in the forest, a howl echoed—low, warning, and full of promise.
The full moon was coming.
And with it, my real test.
- Writer
