Alpha Orion’s Wolfless Warrior

4| LET’S PLAY

ORION

I braced myself, my fists clenching by my sides as I prepared myself for the searing pain everyone spoke of when it came to rejection. It didn’t come.

My little mate knelt on the ground, clutching her chest and sobbing uncontrollably. Her pain was the only pain I felt. It held me by the throat.

The realization dawned on me. The rejection didn’t work.

I raised a brow at her pain. Or maybe it did, but not fully.

Either way, there was something wrong somewhere. Because despite her ‘tradition’, the bond remained strong. My beast still slammed against my ribs, snarling, desperate to burst through skin and bone to mark her on the spot.

I crouched before her and tipped her chin up, exhaling a sharp breath at the sight of her tears.

Even stained with grief, she was lethal perfection. I did not need the pull of my mate bond to confirm that. As an alpha, I’d commanded packs filled with hundreds of beautiful she-wolves, but there was just something distinct about Haylee Graymore.

It was not her hazel eyes, her long lashes, or her curves that earned a second look from every male in her proximity.

My mate was soft, and yet not fragile. She was forged like steel. She knew how to wield a sword, and definitely knew how to use her fists. She seemed oblivious to the stares she got, always walking with her head held high—except for when she was in the presence of her father.

The thought alone sparked a fresh anger in me. I knew I never liked Beta Harry Graymore—he was a cowardly, scheming leech. Watching him treat his own flesh and blood like trash only confirmed my instincts.

“I don’t accept your rejection, peach.” I finally spoke, my knuckles caressing her teary cheeks. She slapped my hand off.

“You don’t need to accept it. I rejected you, go away!” Her voice was harsh, yet so broken.

I frowned. Was I that repulsive to be close to?

I opened my mouth to tell her that her human-style rejection hadn’t worked, but she rose to her feet quickly and pointed a shaky, dirt-stained finger at my chest.

With her pulse audibly hammering in her throat like a trapped bird, she spoke breathlessly, “Be the best man to Piper. I’m warning you. My sister deserves nothing but the best… and you’ll give it to her.”

My jaw ticked.

“And you?” I demanded, my voice overcome with rage. “What do you deserve?”

She blinked, wiping her cheeks with the back of her palm. Shrugging, she replied, “The title of one of the greatest warriors to exist in my pack and beyond.” She held my eyes, “I don’t need any distractions.”

“Is that what this is?”

She shrugged her shoulders again, then started to move back with trembling lips.

“Peach.” I called out. She turned around and broke out into a run.

I stuck out one foot, ready to chase after her, but after that, what? Force her to submit to me against her will?

I was definitely going on a killing spree tonight. Stray rogues or rival pack scours trespassing near our line would pay for her defiance. Wars didn’t scare me. And she would soon understand that.

***

“You want to… what?”

I nodded. “You heard me, Harry. I did an investigation. Your trainers are not nearly enough. Your warriors are soft, footwork is sloppy, and their instincts are dulled.” I turned to Ink, “If you want to create an alliance with my pack, we have to be serious here. I’m not fighting a war with incapable wolves, weak links.”

Ink straightened in his chair, “My pack warriors are not incapable.”

His jaw was tight. As an alpha—a young alpha like me, he possessed the same pride I had in my people. I understood it, but my observation was true. If he turned this down, he had to be a fool.

I waited.

His fingers twitched on the table as he watched me for a moment. Then he sighed. “And which of your warriors are going to train them?”

“Not my warriors.” I responded. “Me.”

They both exchanged glances, shock evident on their faces. I stayed laid back in my chair, waiting for a response.

Harry was the first to clear his throat.

“That’s a huge responsibility, Alpha Orion. These people train almost all the days of the week. Your duties as an Alpha are already a lot. I understand your concerns, and we can work on them. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll mobilize—”

“My Alpha duties will be perfectly fine. I assure you.” I let out a deep sigh and sat up. “If you believe in your warriors that much, let’s schedule a fight. A friendly battle. I’ll bring my lower ranked warriors.”

Ink snarled, exposing his canines, “That's disrespectful, Orion. They’re not that bad. Bring it on!”

Harry grabbed his arm. “No. No, please.”

Ink’s head snapped towards him, “Are you countering my command?”

Harry bowed his head. “Not at all, alpha. I would never.” He lifted his head, “I just think that this fight would be highly unnecessary, friendly or not. Especially as we just joined forces.”

Ink glared down at his beta, obviously not pacified still. This moron. His hot temper would definitely be the end of his pack.

Finally, he dragged his gaze to me. After a quiet stare-down, he finally mumbled, “Fine. You can teach them, if that’s what you want. Harry, you’ll take him through the arena floor.”

I nodded once. “Good.”

After almost an hour of business discussions, we finally started walking towards the training booth. Harry came to walk beside me.

“They’re training right now. They train for hours. I was surprised about the results of your investigation. These people are well trained for wars…”

I turned to Harry, cutting off his rambling, “Let me be the judge of that, Harry.”

He paused, then his lips pulled up in an awkward smile. “Of course.”

Ink left us, muttering some words under his breath. We got closer to the training booth and I started to smell her—f*****g ripe peaches. The most delicious peach I’d ever smelt in my life.

My steps quickened and my inner wolf roared, surging to the surface, sharpening my sight and driving my focus toward the center of the pit.

Around us, the metallic clash of wooden sparring blades, the thud of bare fists against leather pads, and the heavy breathing of forty plus warriors filled the hall.

I swept my eyes across the dirt floor, pushing past the throngs of sparring pairs until my gaze locked onto her.

Haylee stood mid-stance near the heavy striking posts, her knuckles wrapped in blood-stained canvas. Her skin glistened with sweat, her chest heaving as she drove a brutal side-kick into a wooden target, splitting it.

“Now?” Harry chirped beside me. I nodded once.

“Now.”

“Warriors, halt!” Harry called out immediately.

The clanking of weapons instantly died down. Dozens of fighters stopped and turned, gasping when they saw me standing there.

Haylee snapped her head toward the balcony, her hazel eyes locking onto mine at once. Her body went stiff, her mouth falling open in shock.

Her sister’s face had grown red, resembling that of an overripe tomato.

“This is Alpha Orion, everyone,” Harry began. “And he is your new head trainer.”

Haylee’s eyes widened to that of saucer pans and she blurted out, “What?”

My lip curved on one side in a lopsided smirk.

‘You made the mistake of thinking you could reject me, baby girl. Now, I’ll show you what an Alpha does to reclaim what’s rightfully his.’