"For those of you who don't know I am Asher Frasier your new Gamma. I will be training you for the upcoming war against the hunters. I won't go easy on you so bring your best." I start my speech.
"Shut it pup! We know how to fight!" An older pack member says. I turn to address him when a young teen tears through the crowd drawing my attention.
"You killed her!" The boy lunges at me. I dodge him.
"Who did he kill?" The man from before asks.
"My sister!" He throws a punch and I dodge. "My family!" I dodge a kick. "My pack!" He tries to tackle me but I throw him off. He rolls on the ground and someone helps him up. "He's one of them! I saw him leave my house! He killed her! My baby sister! She was 10!"
Many gasps cross the crowd. The boy lunges for me but the people hold him back.
"Is it true?" One of them asks.
"Let the boy go." I command.
As soon as he is released he charges.
"Focus." I tell him as he throws a wild punch. "You want to hurt me? Punish me? Make me pay? You need to control your anger." He charges again. Another uncontrolled punch throws him off balance as I dodge him and he growls. "Use your anger as horsepower, don't let it in the driver's seat." He continues his wild attack panting with tears staining his cheeks. "If you let it control you you will never win. Focus on what you are doing." I see the anger bubble up and he starts to shift.
I wait for the nearly 2 minutes it takes for him to shift. That will need to improve. Eventually a black wolf stands before me snarling. He jumps at my throat and I slide under him popping back up onto my feet. "An unfocused wolf is no better than an unfocused human." He rears up and begins slashing at me with his paws. I dive out of the way as his front paws reconnect with the ground. "You won't win with wild attacks." He charges. I dive over his head. landing on his back I put him in a headlock and twist my body so I am on my back with the wolf held tightly on top of me by his throat.
"I can't bring them back. I can't ease your pain. I'm here to train you. If you want I can help you tear down the Bastards who are behind this. When it's all over I'll probably be dead anyway. The question is are you willing to learn from me? Can you tolerate me enough to learn how to kill them? Or will you stay a reckless pup who would probably die in the first wave? The choice is yours." I whisper in his ear. I feel him start to shift so I let go and stand up.
"I'll never forgive you." He hisses.
"I don't expect you to... you want to hit me?" I ask. He just nods with a clinched jaw. I lock my hands behind my back.
"You have 30 seconds. Do your worst pup." I say. He looks shocked a moment. "27... 26..." before the next number comes out of my mouth he is on me. I let him punch, kick, and claw at me until the time is up. When I stand I can feel the bruising on my face. I can taste the blood in my mouth. A few of my ribs are broken. The boy is strong just undisciplined.
"Now as I was saying. We will start with endurance training in human form. They expect you to rely on your wolf... let's surprise them. I want you running laps. Don't stop until 0700 then get breakfast. Shifting training will start at 1300 and run until 1500 wolf endurance at 1900 until 2000. I assume that one won't need to much work." I explain.
"We do two a days not three!" Someone yells.
"Not any more." I respond.
"We know how to shift pup!" An older one yells. It is the same man from before and he is starting to tick me off. "I've been shifting since before you were born!"
"Show me what you got then. You want to challenge me be my guest!" I say.
The man smirks and starts to shift. About a minute later his sandy wolf stands in front of me.
"You gonna shift pup?" He links.
"Just worry about yourself." I say aloud.
He charges me and I jump over him shifting in seconds I drop on him teeth embedded in his scruff I pin him. He tries to shake me and I dig in deeper.I growl and he stops moving. Eventually he goes limp submitting to me I let him go and shift back.
"What was that?" He asks as he shifts back.
"You should be able to shift in under 5 seconds. This way you are not limited to one form. I'm going to make you into living weapons. That is how we are going to take down the hunters." I explain. Everyone stands around staring at me in shock. "I thought I said to RUN!" I yell and they scatter. I turn to face the Beta.
"You look like crap." He says laughing. I give him a chuckle.
"I'm sure I do... the boy needed to let off some of that anger... it's not like I don't deserve this and more." I tell him.
"Do you even remember his family?" He asks.
"No... I try not to remember faces... it makes it harder... I've killed hundreds of men women and children. Thousands on my head when you count those my men killed... I can't remember just one." I can't keep contact with his eyes. I don't want to see the look when he realizes just how much a monster I truly am.
"I'm sorry Asher... I know it must be hard on you. You'll do good with the pack. They may be afraid of you now but I think after today they may begin to respect you... at the very least trust you to train them... one more thing." He reaches forward grabbing my nose. A swift move and a crack make me groan. "Gotta fix that pretty face of yours." He laughs.
"Yea thanks!" I growl holding my nose. He continues to laugh then joins the men running.
I grab a towel, wet it with a water bottle, and begin cleaning the blood off. I watch as the men run. Most of them have removed their shirts. I notice that many have a bite mark on their shoulder by their necks. Wonder what that means.
My wolf begins to pur picturing me with a similar scar.
"What is it?" I ask only to hear more purring. "What ever!"
I judge the men and start them on intervals to build speed and endurance.
"Asher." A small voice sounds as the next group passes. I see Matthias leading and sure enough behind him is Emily. She is the only woman here. She stops in front of me panting. "Can I talk to you?" I look over to Beta Malak who was helping me instruct the men.
"Can you take over a minute?" I ask. He grins and nods.
"So... Matty talked to you?" She asks as we get away from the crowd. Matty?... who's?... Matthias!
"Yea." I answer.
"Well I just... you aren't going to die Asher! And even if you are I still want to get to know you first! You are my mate!" She yells... crap these people tell each other everything!
"No Meme!" I kinda like the nick name her father used. "I won't let you! It will only hurt you."
"I can make my own decisions Asher!" She growls.
"As can I and I won't allow myself to hurt you." I respond.
"I know you want me so stop this! Give us a chance!" She screams.
"I can't... you deserve so much more." I tell her.
"I want you! You are my mate! I think I deserve my mate!" She attacks me with another kiss which I find myself returning. Next thing I know I have her pinned against a tree deepening the kiss. After a moment I come to my senses and push myself away.
"Dang it woman!" I yell. Our time ends when the Beta comes up to me.
"Alpha wants you in his office Asher." He says.
Well he said he wanted to talk to me after so I'm not surprised. With one last look at my little mate a turn and run home.
When I enter the office Alpha Alic starts laughing. "So I'm guessing by your face it didn't go smoothly." He says.
"You didn't mention there is a survivor from the packs I destroyed." I answer.
"And that pup got the better of you?... I'm questioning my decision to make you Gamma." He is still laughing so I assume the Beta already filled him in.
"I let him... which I assume you already know... the commander would be disappointed. He boasted our 100% success rate." I tell him.
"Randy's the only one. He was on a run when you attacked. He ran after seeing the carnage. Ended up here." Alpha explains.
"Poor kid... I'm sure it was a mess... he's strong tho. If he can learn discipline he could be a top fighter." I say. He nods
"As a whole what do you think?" He asks.
"They are slow. They tire easily... but they have heart... if they choose to they can become a force to be reckoned with." I tell him.
"Good... thank you Asher... you may save us all." He says. I nod but don't say anything. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?" He asks.
"Ummm... yea... well keep in mind that as far as wolf culture is concerned I am the equivalent of a ten year old." I start. He chuckles and nods so I ask my question. "I noticed many men with bites on them." I point to the location of the mark. "What does it mean?" He laughs and I look away embarrased.
"Did Trent not tell you anything about Mates?" He asks. (Trent is my father's name.)
"Well... he would get all nervous and tell me he'd explain when I got older... that didn't happen. And Mum would just get all happy and tell me how amazing it is and how beautiful my mate will be... then she would get all serious and tell me if I hurt her she would use my head as a bowling ball." I tell him.
"I think I would have liked your mother... what about your wolf surely he would explain it to you!" He says.
"I asked... he just keeps picturing me with a similar scar and purring." I say.
"Ha ha... yea he would... you realize this is awkward considering your mate is my daughter right?" He asks.
"I know nothing! I didn't even know it had to do with mates! Who else can I ask?" He just sighs.
"When you accept your mate you mark each other with a bite. Claiming them as yours... it's like a wedding band. A permanent one. It also strengthens your bond. It should be done at a mates ceremony... and you will not be marking my daughter without one." He explains. I nod unable to speak. "Promise me boy!"
"You don't have to worry. I will not mark Emily." I tell him.
"Outside of a ceremony." He finishes for me... I don't plan on doing it at all... I can't strengthen the bond just to break it.
"Sure... I won't mark her outside of a mates ceremony." I say.
"Good! Go. Eat. I'm excited to see what you will do with the men." He says.
"Yes sir." I turn and leave.
I make my way to the dining hall and get some food.
"Knock it off you! I'm not marking her!" I scold my wolf as he floods my mind with images of Emily with my mark.
"You will... I'm still working on how... but you will." He says picturing her biting me.
I can't help but want it... but I won't do it... she will be better off when I'm gone.
I do some rapid shift training on my own in preparation for mid day training. Then head back to the field.