The Alpha's Rejected Mate

Tested Grounds (3)

The sun was already seated high in the sky when Ava stepped into the training grounds. The area buzzed with combative energy — the clash of fists and growls of wolves.

Warriors of all sizes trained in sparring matches, their movements precise and deadly. An intimidating sight it was.

"Ava Marshall," Killian's voice rang out, seizing attention.

She turned to find him standing on a raised platform. Beside him stood a tall, muscular man with fiery red hair and jagged scar across his cheek.

"You're to meet Marcus, my Beta. He'll be in charge of assessing your skills.”

Marcus eyed her with a look of disapproval. "Are you sure about this, Alpha? She looks more like a liability."

Ava heard warriors chuckle at the Beta's statement. "I wouldn't underestimate me," she said. There was heat creeping up her neck.

Killian smirked. “Good. Let’s see if you can back that up.”

Marcus motioned for her to step forward, and she obeyed, her heart pounding. He tossed her a wooden staff, and she caught it rather awkwardly.

“You’ll be sparring with me,” Marcus said, twirling his own staff with ease. “Try to keep up.”

Ava gripped the staff tightly, her palms slick with sweat. She had no formal training, but years of defending herself in the Silver Claw Pack had taught her how to fight dirty.

Marcus lunged without warning, his staff slicing through the air. Ava barely had time to raise her own in defense, the impact sending a jolt through her arms.

“Too slow,” he taunted, his movements fluid as he struck again.

Ava gritted her teeth, dodging the next blow and countering with a swing of her own. He blocked it easily, his strength far outmatching hers.

The crowd around them jeered, their laughter cutting through her concentration.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Marcus sneered, his staff whirling in a blur.

Ava’s frustration boiled over. She feinted left, then pivoted sharply, aiming a strike at his unguarded side. The move caught him off guard, and her staff connected with a satisfying thud.

The warriors fell silent as Marcus stumbled back, his expression shifting from amusement to annoyance.

“You’ve got some fire in you,” he admitted, his tone begrudging. “But you’ll need more than that to survive here.”

He came at her harder this time, his strikes relentless. Ava’s arms ached as she blocked and dodged, her movements growing slower with each passing moment. She knew she couldn’t keep up for long.

Finally, Marcus delivered a blow that knocked the staff from her hands. It clattered to the ground, and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath.

“That’s enough,” Killian said, his voice cutting through the tension. He stepped down from the platform, his gaze fixed on Ava.

“She’s not ready,” Marcus dismissed.

Killian ignored him, addressing Ava instead. “You’ve got potential, but you’re untrained. From now on, you’ll train with the warriors every day. Fail to keep up, and you’re out.”

Ava pushed herself to her feet, her body trembling with exhaustion. “I won’t fail,” she said, her voice firm.

"We'll get to see." said the Alpha.

~

Over the next week, Ava threw herself into training. The warriors weren't going easy on her and so every session left her bruised and battered.

Her muscles protested against her repetitive moves as she practiced late into the night. She was an outsider here and every set of eyes felt like a judgement. She had to prove them wrong.

The grueling went past the physical training. The Bloodmoon Pack had a rigid hierarchy that placed outsiders at the bottom. She was tasked with menial chores when she wasn't training, and somehow, the warriors took pleasure and every chance to remind her of her place.

One evening, as she scrubbed the training grounds, a shadow fell over her. She looked up to see Marcus wearing a look she could quite read.

"You're tougher than I thought," he said. His tone was almost grudging.

Ava straightened, wiping her hands on her pants. "I suppose that's your way of saying I'm a complete waste of space."

Marcus chuckled, quite a surprising sound for her. "I guess you could say that."

He hesitated, then added, “Killian doesn’t give second chances often. Don’t waste it.”

Ava’s chest tightened. She had no idea why Killian allowed her to stay, but she had no plans to waste the chance.

“I won’t,” she said firmly.

~

The turning point came during a night training session. The moon hung low in the sky, its light casting an eerie glow over the forest. Ava stood in a clearing, her staff gripped tightly in her hands.

“Again,” Marcus barked.

She lunged at her opponent, a burly warrior named Jax. He was twice her size, but she'd learned to use her speed to her advantage, darting around him and striking at his weak points.

Jax growled, his frustration evident as he tried to pin her down. But Ava was relentless, her movements a blur as she landed blow after blow.

Finally, she disarmed him, her staff pressing against his throat. Jax raised his hands in surrender, and the warriors around them erupted into cheers.

Ava stepped back, her chest heaving as she lowered her staff. For the first time, she saw something other than disdain in their eyes. She saw respect.

Marcus clapped her on the shoulder, a rare smile on his face. “You’ve finally earned your place here.”

A spark of pride igniting in her chest. She had come a long way and was past surviving — here she was, thriving. But as she turned to leave the training grounds, she caught Killian watching her from the shadows. His eyes held a glimmer of something that quickened her heart.