The Alpha Trio’s Human Mate

Chapter Six

"Let's go, little human," Lynx said, leaning against my doorway.

"Go where? It's Solstice week. I don't have class or training, and I'm not interested in decorating ornaments." I kept one hand behind the door cautiously, ready to slam it shut if he tried anything. But his amber eyes only flared with curiosity, and he ran a hand over his jaw, fighting a smile.

"You said yourself that you barely passed your initiate exams. I need you here with me at the Academy, Emmarie," his voice was low and sultry, and I pressed my thighs together, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to train you. Especially now, while everyone else is taking a break, you have a chance to get ahead. I need my mate to be strong." Lynx leaned in a bit closer, and his spicy, smoky scent started a fire in my belly.

"I'm not your mate," I grimaced at him.

"We'll see about that," he threatened, eyes darkening. "Now get dressed." I didn't stand there another second, where I'd have to watch his gaze rake over my body until I squirmed. I turned and slammed the door in his face, and did as he said. There was little point arguing. Lynx didn't seem like a man who liked to be challenged. None of them did.

"How long are we going to be training for?" I asked, shutting my door behind me and bouncing down the dorm hallway.

"As long as it takes," Lynx smiled down at me, and put his hand on my back.

"Don't touch me," I flinched. "Boundaries."

"I'm sorry," he smirked.

"No you're not," I said, shaking my head. I hugged my arms around myself protectively, and walked briskly to the training room. I was trying to stay out of arm's reach.

"You're fast, I'll give you that," Lynx whispered in my ear as I passed through the training room door.

"Ah!" I turned to him with a look of disgust, wondering how he caught up to me so quickly.

"I can work with fast." He grabbed my wrist, and I tried to pull away, but it was no use. He pressed something cool into my palm. I looked down to find a dagger.

"First years don't use daggers in combat," I frowned up at him, trying not to breathe in his scent or be intimidated by his proximity.

"We could be attacked at any time by any faction. If there's a vampire coming for your pretty little throat..." Lynx looked down, turning his liquid gold gaze on me. My breath caught in my throat as his hand came up gently, wrapping around it. My pulse quickened under his warm fingertips, and though he didn't squeeze, and he wasn't hurting me, I found myself dizzy at his touch.

"...I'd like you to be capable of using a silver dagger to defend yourself," he pulled back, dropping his hand. My own came up to cup my throat, replacing his touch, and I gazed up at him.

"That's...valid," I muttered, waiting for my heart rate to come down.

"Although," Lynx dropped his voice impossibly lower, and a smile tugged at his lips. "I doubt you'll be alone or lacking in protection any time soon." His eyes wandered across the training room, and a flush crept up my neck.

"What are they doing here?" I squeaked. Lynx touched my back again, guiding me toward the mat, and this time, I let him.

"Well, I don't really like to share, but we're all squad leaders, and we have responsibilities. We'll have to take turns training you in our free time. They're just here to...observe. See what we're working with." All of their eyes were glued to my body now, and I regretted my choice of clothing. It was the same blue spandex unitard and tan tactical vest that I'd worn for my initiate combat exam. I didn't dress for the male gaze, but with so many of them looking at me at once...I couldn't help but feel self-conscious.

"Let's just get started," I huffed, planting my combat boot into the mat and shifting my weight, finding my balance. I sheathed the dagger in my vest for now, and pushed my short hair back, out of my face, and didn't give a s**t about my ears for once. I tucked it behind them. I motioned for Lynx to come at me, and the stance he took made me forget that he wanted to protect me, not hurt me.

His thick thighs flexed as he shifted his weight into a fighting stance. His casual black t-shirt strained against his muscles as he lifted his arms, biceps bulging. He rolled his shoulders, and even the muscles around his neck flexed. The skin on his jaw tightened as he smiled ferociously, and his light black stubble curved with it.

"Are you ready Emmarie? Try to dodge me." My heart plummeted into my stomach. That was all the notice he gave before he was across the mat, quick as lightning. But I was fast. That much was true. I dodged to the side, rolling as I fell on my hip to lessen the impact. I got back up immediately, grinning.

"Okay, that was level one. Beginner stuff. Here comes level two," Lynx licked his lips before he pounced on me again. This time, I was flat on my back in an instant, and would have had the wind knocked out of me if Lynx hadn't intentionally grabbed my shoulders and lowered me gently to the ground. Something about the motion, sweet and gentle despite being in the middle of combat training...my heart fluttered. I couldn't pretend that I didn't find all three of the Alphas attractive. I did. Extremely attractive. But it was just not something I needed right now. I had to stay strong.

"Let me give her a try," Kai said, approaching the mat. I nearly choked at his words. "What?"

"That's Lynx's level two. Let me give you mine," Kai came up beside Lynx, clapping him on the shoulder. He looked like he had just swallowed something sour.

"Do you three even like each other?" I looked at them in amusement.

"No," Kai and Lynx said in unison. "But," Kai added, "short of a duel to the death, there's no fair way to determine who gets you. So we all do, for now. Plus, I'd rather have more protection for you, even if it's against my nature to share." Kai approached me as he spoke, that ocean scent washing over me. Lynx rolled his eyes and walked away. He grasped my shoulders, bending down to my eye level, and I flinched at the contact.

"Relax, Emmarie. I'm going to help you with your center of balance. You're not grounded. That's how Lynx got you last time; you weren't ready to move. You should have ducked rather than trying to shuffle to the side. He's taller than you, and you could have gotten behind him and taken him down."

"Okay then, help me," I said finally, and I scowled at him. He'd been studying me with those navy blue eyes for far too long after speaking.

"Sorry. Your ears are cute. I got distracted." A flush crept up my neck. Not my ears. Of all the things he could find cute!

"Anyway," Kai bit his bottom lip, fighting a smile. "Widen your stance. Especially when you start using a dagger, you're going to need to be balanced. If you swipe out with it when you're not, you'll fall over." Kai guided me into whatever position it was he was envisioning. "Now, I'm going to try to push you over. If I can do it easily, then you're not balanced."

I was very nearly on my back again seconds later, but Kai caught me by my waist halfway to the floor, smirking at me. With one leg of his between mine, holding me there, bad ideas flooded my head. Very bad ideas. My core clenched, and if he'd tried to kiss me, I would have let him.

"Can you pull me back up please so we can try again?" I rasped, cutting the tension. He yanked me back up with a knowing look, as if he knew what he was doing to me.

"This is going to be fun," I heard Zeph say from the corner, and I shook my head. This was going to be humiliating.