The Unwanted: Changing Fates (Rewriting)

7.

Uncomfortable was one word to describe it, cramp in a tiny room with a bed that Gatlin thought was made of rocks by how hard it was. By about two in the morning as she was so exhausted she finally succumbed to sleep though that was a short-lived enjoyment when the door to the room burst open. Gatlin barely opened her eyes but knew exactly who was standing in the doorway. Her mate's presence was undeniable and as much as Gatlin wished she could ignore it, it was felt impossible to do so "Gatlin" his deep gruff voice was quick to grab her attention. Slowly blinking and revealing her sage-coloured eyes, pupils dilating and adjusting to the harsh light now on in the room "it's four fifteen. You need to get up" his silver eyes were watching closely. As usual a picture of perfection even so early in the morning the young man's hair was perfectly set it wasn't as though he had to go too much effort considering he was already a stunning creature.

"Five more minutes" she grumbled barely registering what he was saying.

"Now, Gatlin" his tone grew more authoritative "don't make me come back here or I will flip you out of that bed" he ordered before storming out of the room. Gatlin sighed practically dragging her body from the bed. She was careless about her appearance tying up her wild hair and pulling on the first tank top and track pants she found before heading out to meet the others "finally come to join us" Onyx said as soon as she was out of the door causing everyone else to turn to her. Gatlin groaned and walked over to join the rest in line "now thanks to your buddy deciding to sleep in that's thirty push-ups for all of you. Let's go!" Onyx ordered to which everyone obeyed. Dropping to the grass thirty push-ups wasn't a lot to werewolves but it wasn't supposed to be hard it was just a lesson to not break the rules.

Gatlin wasn't the most athletic her main skill besides being able to track was her brain so she never focused on fitness much but despite that, she completed the thirty push-ups as ordered even though she was the last one to finish. "You alright?" Arro questioned from behind her when she dragged herself to her feet. To which she simply replied with a nod.

"Looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you" Onyx commented those silver eyes still on her as she finally got to her feet "how about ten laps of the field and see how you feel after that?" that stoic look on his face made it almost impossible to read how he was feeling but she didn't like it whatever it was. Whether he had decided to channel their mate bond into some sort of aggression or what either way Gatlin wasn't having it. She was small and quiet but she refused to be pushed around. Gatlin let out a growl before starting to run she lagged behind the others and to her surprise, Arro lingered further back of the group to keep close to her.

"You don't have to do that" Gatlin spoke between heavy breaths.

"I know" Arro turned around beginning to jog backwards "but I want to and it annoys him" his blue eyes glanced at the young head warrior with a seriously annoyed look on his face.

"Face forward Arro!" he shouted out and Arro simply laughed and turned back around continuing their run. Ten laps later and the rest had finished and stood waiting for Gatlin to catch up. Finally, she reached the group huffing and puffing her hands clutching her hips as she began to feel a cramp in her side "Gatlin, Gatlin, Gatlin" Onyx sighed shaking his head as he began to step towards her but she was already tired and with his attitude was just making her irritation grow.

"Onyx cut her some slack" Arro interrupted.

"Arro, you are here to train not to give opinions. Think about that on another twenty laps" he ordered of his younger cousin. He simply sighed and began his run.

"What's your problem?" Gatlin suddenly snapped at him. Gaining Onyx's full attention.

"My problem is that this is training for you all to be the best you can, Gatlin and so far you've slacked off so if you need that extra push so be it" Onyx was barely a few feet away from her and she knew he wouldn't risk coming any closer, especially after their first encounter.

"I've been trying" she grumbled out.

"Let's see that then shall we? Forty laps, thirty suicides, fifty jumping Jacks, seventy crunches and a hundred push-ups" Onyx ordered.

"What?" she gasped at his request.

"You heard me! Start going or I will make it double" he waved her off.

:::

This went on for days and they had become long and relentless. It was becoming dark, the rain had started to fall and the rest of the group had retired into their rooms everyone except for Gatlin who was still struggling with her push-ups. Her back chatting throughout another embodiment day had earned her three hundred push-ups. Her hair had fallen from the messy bun she had put it in earlier the dark strands were now wet and sticking to her already soaked body, the track pants felt heavy now drenched in water as her arms finally gave out and she fell face-first into the dirt beneath her. Gatlin was exhausted and didn't know if she had it in her to move a single muscle.

“Come on... Get up” she heard Onyx say over the pounding of water droplets on her face “Gatlin, get up” Onyx demanded of the girl “Gatlin...” he reached out to grab hold of her arm.

“f**k you” she growled out with everything she had pushing herself out of the mud and pulling herself away from his potential touch. Dirt was dripping down the side of her face “I thought we had an agreement that we both don’t want to be mates you don’t have to push me to hate you” she spoke standing on shaky legs.

“I don’t hate you, Gatlin” he suddenly sighed his tone softening “we did agree but to follow through with our plans I have to pass you so you can graduate and move and to pass you I have to push you to you’re at the level you need to be” he explained.

“You... Don’t need to push me this hard” she let out a heavy breath trying to take a step but her legs buckled. She didn’t fall into the dirt this time instead she fell right into her mate's arms. The sensation was indescribable the same overwhelming sensation that happened in the classroom. He was breathing shakily clearly it having the same effects but he pushed past and scooped her up in his arms.

“Maybe today was too hard...” he spoke but couldn’t bring himself to look at her “we will get you cleaned up.”