The Training Ground
1081 Words
The evening air tasted like iron.
Cold. Sharp. Watching.
Olivia felt it the moment she stepped onto the training grounds.
The entire pack was already gathered.
Warriors in black training gear stood in formation. Women in fitted combat suits stretched near the edges of the field. Senior members clustered in quiet groups, their voices low but their eyes alert. Even a few elders had taken their seats along the stone ridge that overlooked the grounds.
This wasn’t ordinary training.
They were waiting.
For her.
A murmur rippled through the crowd as she walked forward.
“That’s her?”
“She’s bigger than I imagined.”
“She won’t last five minutes.”
Olivia kept her chin high.
Her palms were damp, but she refused to show it.
This was deliberate. They had never required her presence at training before. Not once.
Until now.
A sharp whistle sliced through the noise.
Beta Andrew stood in the open field, arms folded behind his back.
“Today,” he announced, his voice carrying across the grounds, “we will have a friendly sparring session to sharpen our skills and learn from one another. No shifting. No claws. No weapons.”
A few warriors nodded.
“Everyone, line up according to rank and skill level.”
The pack began to move, forming ordered lines while leaving a wide circle open in the center for the duels.
Olivia remained near the edge, unsure where she belonged.
Her gaze moved across the field.
Kingsley was nowhere to be found.
A part of her was relieved.
Another part… wasn’t.
Why would I want to see him after what happened at the dinner hall?
He had stood there while they mocked her. Watched her humiliation. Said nothing.
And yet, the absence of his presence unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
A young man stepped into the center of the ring.
He looked about her age—maybe slightly older. Broad shoulders. Confident stance.
He bowed toward the elders.
“I, Henry Maxwell of the Ancient Moon Pack, challenge Ethan Stone to a duel.”
Another young man stepped forward immediately and returned the bow.
“Prepare to get your ass whooped,” he said with a smirk.
Henry grinned. “It’s a little early for conclusions.”
At the sound of the whistle, they lunged at each other.
Henry threw a swift kick. Ethan blocked it and retaliated with a sharp punch to the ribs. The impact echoed through the quiet field.
They moved with skill—fast, precise, controlled. Blow after blow. Block after block.
The crowd watched intently.
After several minutes, both were breathing heavily, sweat glistening along their brows. Beta Andrew called it a tie.
They bowed to one another before stepping out of the circle.
Another pair entered immediately.
The sound of fists colliding filled the air. A miscalculated kick sent one warrior flying backward. He landed hard, groaning as two others helped him up and carried him away.
Some walked off with quiet dignity.
Others left in shame.
The training continued.
Then a voice cut through the noise.
“I, Isabel, challenge Olivia to a duel.”
The world went still.
Olivia blinked.
Maybe she misheard.
But when she turned, every eye was on her.
Some filled with pity.
Some with excitement.
Some with open ridicule.
The girl who had spoken stepped forward. Slim. Athletic. Sharp eyes. Olivia recognized her vaguely but couldn’t place where from.
Isabel walked toward her slowly.
“Are you not sparring?” she asked sweetly. Then she tilted her head. “Oh, I forgot. All fat and no wolf.”
A few people snickered.
The words hit deeper than they should have.
“I can’t fight,” Olivia said evenly.
Isabel’s smile widened. “Our beloved Luna is fat, wolfless, and can’t fight.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Olivia felt something cold settle in her chest.
Isabel stepped closer, lowering her voice so only Olivia could hear.
“You’re nothing but a temporary distraction,” she whispered. “The Alpha will get rid of you once he’s tired of your body. Don’t think you can compete with Kate for Luna. You’re just a placeholder.”
Olivia’s throat tightened.
“No wonder he hasn’t marked you yet,” Isabel continued, her grin wicked. “Even he knows you’re not worthy.”
The humiliation cut deeper than any blade.
The dinner hall.
The whispers.
The stares.
It all rushed back at once.
Something inside her snapped.
She didn’t remember deciding to move.
Her hand flew upward.
Isabel caught her wrist easily.
“Is that all you can do?” she sneered. “Pathetic.”
And then—
Isabel screamed.
A sharp, startled cry.
She released Olivia instantly as if she had grabbed burning metal.
Gasps erupted around them.
Isabel stumbled back, clutching her palm.
Her skin was red.
Blistering.
As though she had been burned.
Olivia stared at her own hands.
A strange sensation flooded her body.
Not pain.
Energy.
It spread from her chest outward, pulsing through her veins like liquid fire. The air around her felt charged. Heavy.
The temperature dropped.
A wind stirred across the training grounds though the sky remained clear.
The murmuring stopped.
Everyone felt it.
Olivia’s breathing became uneven.
Her vision blurred at the edges.
“What did you do?” Isabel whispered, fear replacing her arrogance.
Olivia didn’t know.
She truly didn’t.
The energy intensified, pressing outward from her like an invisible wave. A few warriors took instinctive steps back.
Beta Andrew moved forward cautiously.
“Olivia—”
She swayed.
The power inside her felt too big.
Too wild.
Too ancient.
Her knees buckled.
Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.
A familiar scent wrapped around her.
Dark cedar.
Smoke.
Alpha.
Her heart skipped.
Through fading vision, she caught a glimpse of broad shoulders and sharp jawline.
Kingsley.
He hadn’t been absent.
He had been watching.
The crowd had gone completely silent.
“What happened?” someone whispered.
Kingsley’s expression was unreadable as he lifted Olivia into his arms effortlessly.
His eyes flicked briefly to Isabel’s burned hand.
Then to the elders.
Then back to Olivia.
“Training is over,” he said coldly.
No one argued.
As darkness closed in around her, Olivia felt his grip tighten slightly—possessive, protective.
And just before she lost consciousness completely, she heard him murmur low enough that only she could hear—
“Interesting.”
Then everything went black.
- Writer
