My Ex's Father Is My Alpha Daddy

Chapter 6: Not your average healer

Elara

Even though I'd rather be on my way to literally anywhere else right now, I had no other choice. For one, I couldn't be a healer. And that wasn't just because I had absolutely zero knowledge of the art. Fighting was the only thing that kept me grounded. It was the only thing that helped me keep my emotions in check and made me forget every unfortunate event that had ruined my past.

So, if meeting Alpha Damon, who, if I'm being honest, was the absolute last person I wanted to see right now would somehow help me switch to being a pack warrior, I'd bite the bullet and do it.

Helena told me I'd find him here.

I shut my eyes to suppress the thoughts roaring through my head as I stepped onto the training grounds. I'm not going to lie, it was just a sea of muscle and sweat here.

People were sparring in groups, but I definitely wasn't expecting the particular sight unfolding right in front of me.

Alpha Damon was sparring with another male wolf who was completely shirtless. Even though Alpha Damon still had a white, body-hugging shirt on, the fabric was drenched in sweat, clinging to him like a second skin and making it agonizingly easy to trace every hard line of his rigid muscles.

His opponent suddenly let out a low growl and charged at him with full force, but Alpha Damon barely even flinched. With a fluid, almost lazy motion, he side-stepped the attack, grabbed the charging wolf by the arm, and used the man's own momentum to slam him effortlessly into the dirt.

It had to be a crime to look that insanely hot and dangerous at the same time.

But it was as if I'd spoken out loud. His dark green eyes suddenly snapped in my direction. I wasn't fast enough to avert my gaze, so he definitely caught me staring.

But his attention barely lingered for a second before he turned back to the ring, pointing out another male wolf to step up.

What the? How can he be so dismissive?

Even though I definitely wasn't expecting a warm welcome from him, after all, I had only come here to prove I was capable of being a warrior. At the very least, being in the guard would let me sharpen my skills in the meantime, right before I got the hell out of here.

That's right, I wasn't here to stay long-term. I had a feeling Mom planned to, but I certainly didn't.

I was still lost in my thoughts when I suddenly heard someone call out.

”Hey!”

My head instantly snapped in that direction to see the tall, dark-haired man who had helped stamp my files earlier that day.

“Are you among the warriors?”

I shook my head. His cold eyes settled on me for a few more seconds before he spoke again.

“If you're just here to watch, then you might want to step back a little. It gets rough out here.”

I nodded in understanding, though I didn't actually step back.

My eyes drifted to Alpha Damon once again, just in time to see him slam yet another opponent to the ground.

I swallowed hard without meaning to.

But then a new, grating voice cut through my thoughts. “What are you doing just standing there? Didn't you hear Beta Dan?”

My gaze flew to a man sneering at me like I was something he'd scraped off his shoe.

“If you're just going to stand around, why not get closer and see what a real fight looks like?”

I didn't answer him, but he continued anyway.

“What? Are you afraid you'll catch a stray punch? Or maybe the little lady can't stomach the sight of blood?”

That earned a few chuckles from the surrounding guys who were waiting for their turn in the ring.

Being ignored clearly annoyed him even more. He took a threatening step forward. “Who the hell do you think you are to ignore me? Do you have a death wish?” he sneered.

Beta Dan finally intervened, his tone authoritative. “You're not fighting a lady outside the ring, Ray. If you're really that thirsty for a fight, pick a male opponent like you and step inside the ring.”

Ray's eyes burned with resentment as he glared at me and snarled, “Whore.”

That crossed the line. I stepped forward, my voice dangerously calm. “Actually, I'd love to accept his challenge.”

Everyone's attention snapped to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I caught Alpha Damon’s gaze on me again, though it was so brief I might have just imagined it.

“You can't fight Ray, he's—” Beta Dan tried to talk me out of it, but I didn't let him finish.

“We'll see about that.”

Ray and I stepped into the center. The rest of the fighters cleared out, giving us a wide space and leaving us alone in the ring.

I could feel the burning weight of dozens of eyes on me. Glancing around, I even spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd, two of which were Jason's friends.

I averted my gaze from them and face Ray, whose lips was now curled into a condescending smirk as he looked down his nose at me.

”Is this the part where you kick me in the nuts and have me kissing the sand?” he mocked.

“Maybe,” I answered coolly as I threw the first punch.

Though Ray was visibly taller and heavier than me, he was slow and arrogant. He easily dodged my initial jab, letting out a haughty laugh, but that was exactly what I wanted him to do. He left his entire lower half wide open. Without missing a beat, I dropped my stance, pivoted on my heel, and drove my heavy boot directly upward between his legs with crushing force.

All the air left his lungs in a high-pitched squeak. As he folded in half, clutching his crotch, I grabbed the back of his neck and shoved his face hard into the dirt.

He kissed the sand, exactly as he had predicted.

A collective, shocked gasp swept across the training grounds. I didn't stick around to gloat. I immediately turned to look at where Alpha Damon had previously stood, only to see the spot was empty. He was no longer there.

I quickly scanned the area and, fortunately, spotted him just in time. His broad figure was disappearing into the large pack house across the training ground.

Without a second thought, I sprinted after him.