Lycan’s Kiss — Bending not breaking

Meet-cute… or meat cut?

Ezekiel

The training session went well. So did my classes for the new medics afterward. Cole was right; we have some promising recruits this year. Two specifically caught my eye. One a panther shifter with a background in nursing and a fae who has no previous training apart from what they teach at their schools. Both excelled at today's tasks and earned themselves a nod.

Following my lesson plan, I started by assessing the new recruits' abilities. First things first… simple first aid. Everything from clearing the airway, CPR to how to cauterize a wound. Then for the second part, on to planning a rescue mission, but mostly how to transport a wounded soldier. All of them did fine. Some better than others, but training not necessarily a factor, as many years of experience have taught me. But I was still antsy the whole time. In a pissy mood, even though it went as planned, and except for two minor mishaps, there was no reason for me to be upset. The intruder arriving in half an hour was still at the forefront of my mind the whole day. Cole going over my head pissed me off so much, I yelled a little more than necessary during the last drill of the day and may have miscounted their number of push-ups on purpose.

Now it’s almost 5:30 pm, and I’m waiting for Cole to meet me at the headquarters entrance to greet ‘HER’. Can you imagine I don’t even recall my Alpha telling me her name. And I can’t find it in me to care… if that makes me sound like a d**k, so be it.

I had an idea during training today. If I have to put up with this chick, I’m going to make her time here as miserable as possible. Everyone else here, recruits and instructors alike, had to earn their spot, so why shouldn’t she? Why should she have it easy because of some fabricated birthright? I feel the corners of my mouth twitch. Oh, you won’t know what hit you, girly, and I know I can steamroll Cole on this…. I have just the way.

I made it a point not to change.No need to put in effort for someone who probably never had to work or ever had a hard day in their entire life. The three-step plan I devised while watching my soldiers trying to stop a dummy from bleeding out included: 1. Intimidation, 2. Humiliation, 3. Send her home humbled… and preferably early.

The Blood Forrest Guard is my life. Those men and women are my family now, and I will not tolerate someone breezing in, having never worked or earned it, and treating this like it’s some kind of retreat you take a vacation at when you're not quite feeling yourself. I need people who can keep up and focus solely on serving the community by helping the men and women under their watch achieve the best. And you can call me judgmental all you want, even if she is a ‘nice girl’ and a ‘good fighter too’, I doubt that she has the skill set that it takes or simply the will to take part in the way I expect her to…. In the way, I expect anybody to if they come here. That probably is also why I have the highest number of dropouts among all the instructors.

Firstly: I train field medics. If you can’t keep calm and handle a little yelling, what will you do in an actual stressful situation? And secondly: ‘just fine’ is simply not good enough. The tracker you want to find your baby shouldn’t be ‘just fine’. The men and women who are supposed to guard a volatile prisoner and ensure he doesn’t escape shouldn’t be ‘just fine’ at their jobs. I don’t expect perfection, but I expect effort and improvement, and if I don’t see it, you’re out.

Looking up at the clock on the wall, I hear an engine rear. Mmh, at least she is punctual. Cole jogs over to me, his blond hair slightly disheveled, and the cloud of cologne wafting around him makes me want to gag.

“Ready?”

I just nod toward the door. Playing chaperon for what feels like him going on his first date with this chick is my worst nightmare. I keep my hands at my sides. Introduction, then ditch them and go for a run. Five minutes. Endure them for five minutes.

The silver Volvo pulls into a spot a few rows down when we stop at the edge of the parking lot. I scoff. Of course, she’s driving a car that could fit a family of five, and that sparkles like someone washes that thing at least once a week. Can’t really see through the tinted windows, but a figure moves inside, and I reflexively cross my hands behind my back, my feet spreading apart. I’m still so used to standing like this when I’m ‘At Ease’…. Hard habit to break.

“Showtime.”, Cole next to me mutters when the door clicks. And since the driver's side door is angled toward us, we see her the moment she moves out. The first thing to exit are her legs… and they go on for days.

‘Jesus Christ, I get the puppy’s excitement now.’

Rex almost purrs in my head when our new colleague pulls down her dress and stands, closing the door. Which has my nostrils flare with my distaste. The girl is beautiful, that much I have to admit. Thick brown hair pulled in a ponytail and a physique any model would kill for. Can’t quite make out her face yet, but I doubt a body like this comes with an ugly mug.

And I want to vomit at the sight of her waving back at Cole, at Rex’s obvious interest in her, at the scent of lemon and hand sanitizer that is wafting my way.

I register when her gaze hits me like she hasn’t noticed me before. She slows down a little, and her smile glitches just a tiny bit as her eyes move over me. I give her credit for them just grazing over my prosthetics and then focusing on my face as she makes her way over. The only time she seems to swallow a little harder is when her eyes meet mine. I put all the emotions the pure thought of her evoke in me in them, and they make her shudder. Yeah, I guess my three-phase plan will work.

“Elli!”

Cole bridges the remaining two steps and pulls the woman into a tight hug. No..that is not a girl. Even though she is younger than Cole by a few years from the looks of it. Smiling when he pulls back, she gives him a good-natured jab to the arm, and my Alpha rubs it dramatically. Goddess, how old are we, five? And this time, I do roll my eyes, but none of them see.

“That’s for going through my brother instead of just asking me out, jerk.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t want to be on Theo‘s bad side, and it’s not like I had a way to contact you directly. After you ditched me, I thought you went back to traveling.”

Her grey eyes regard him with fake anger, but a second later, the practiced smile is back on her face.

“I know.”, her voice an octave lower and comforting now.

“Thank you for the opportunity. I really appreciate it.”

Since he hasn’t let go of her hand yet, she squeezes it.

“I think I can learn a lot from you guys.”

“Speaking of the ‘guys’. Elodie meet my Beta Zeke. Zeke, Elodie Hartgrave.”

I cringe at the nickname as Cole gestures to me. Then, turning her with a hand at the small of her back, her eyes follow, and now that thousand-watt pageant queen smile is directed at me.

‘Hello, there, little birdy.’

Goddess, how do you turn off your Lycan? The horny bastard is making me sick to the stomach, my toenails curling with revulsion at his train of thought.

‘Not at all. I’m part of your conscience. So technically, you think those things too.’

‘F**k off. If I ever look at someone like HER that way, I’ll get some silver and be done with it.’

“Elodie Hartgrave.”

She stretches one of her slender hands out to me, and I notice a thin blue string with a charm on it on her wrist.

“Ezekiel Sharp.”

I nod, not taking the hand she offers, and after a few seconds and another glitch in her smile, she lets it sink.

“Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Beta Z—

“No. It’s Colonel Sharp or Beta Sharp for you, Miss Hartgrave.”, I interrupt her. “I would appreciate it if you could keep that in mind since we will be working together.”

“Oh, sure. I look forward to learning from you. You can call me Elodie, though.”

She tries to smile through her obvious discomfort, but it seems like it won’t work too well.

“I won’t.”

Aannnd now I have upset or at least confused her. But she hides her emotions very well, this Ms. Hartgrave. Mmh, I’ll crush her regardless.

________________

Elodie

What the f**k is this guy's problem? Beta Sharp. Ugh. I keep the smile plastered on my face as I turn to Cole.

“Soooo… I have a room set up for you with the high ra—

“Actually, that’s something I wanted to talk to you about, Alpha.” The Beta interrupts in a tone so sharp I guess that’s where his last name comes from.

“Oh, OK.” Cole looks confused but lets the guy continue. They seem to have more of an 'older-brother- younger-brother-dynamic'. And even though the tone was sharp but respectful, in the way he holds himself, you can see Beta Sharp doesn’t a hundred percent agree with Cole. That and then the pure hate and disdain in his eyes whenever he looks at me are probably not because he just LOOOOOVVVESS the idea of working with me.

“I think that if Ms. Hartgrave will be working here, taking on the responsibilities of an instructor, it’s only fair if she takes part in the basic training as well.”, he says calmly. “All the others did, and it would leave a bad taste in people's mouths if you let her just breeze through without having her earn her keep.”

Beta Sharp straightens and continues before Cole can interrupt him.

“The basic training sessions are held in the morning so they won’t interfere with her…teaching.” And no, I don’t miss the little pause and the sneer at that last word. Did I really say he was handsome? Yeah, scratch that. Most vile man I have ever seen, ugh. But I keep on my practiced smile and shrug, turning toward Cole.

“If everyone else has done it, I’ll gladly go through basic training and work with the Beta in the afternoon. Learning new skills and techniques never hurts anybody. Who knows when this knowledge might come in handy?”

The Beta scoffs lowly, but my friend doesn’t seem to hear him.

“Sure, if you want to do that… you can still stay with the other high-ranking wolves and me.” He winks, and Sharp’s mouth turns into a thin line.

“See, I think she should bunk with the other recruits. Wouldn’t want anybody getting the wrong idea…. And the barracks for the new recruits are comfortable and not too far from our accommodation. Very well lit path, easy to find at night.”

And for the first time since I came back, I scowl in the presence of someone. SCOWL! What he is insinuating irks me, and even though I drop it within seconds by the almost content look that passes his face, I know he saw.

F**k you, Beta. My hands ball into fists. I’m not going to let him get under my skin. This is a great opportunity. He’s just a minor bump in the road.

“I think that is going a little….far. She is our guest, after all….”

“No, she’s here to work. And that is where everyone that works here lived for at least some time. Even me and your Gamma.”

“But…” Cole moves uncomfortably from one foot to the other, and I feel like someone has to come to his rescue.

“I have no problem bunking with the recruits.”, I smile at both of them widely.

“You’ll get tired of seeing me around anyway. Gotta keep the mystery alive.” I wink.

Cole chuckles. “I doubt anyone ever gets tired of seeing you.” And I swear his Beta gags a little.

There you go, a**hole.