The weather's too hot for comfort. Though fall is almost nearing its end, the day did not even give way to the cold. It's too hot for the pack trainees scattered in the training grounds. I don't even know why I'm here.
"You sure your palms fine now?" asked Logan beside me. I've talked to Wyatt about Logan's training, and he allowed me to spar with him in moderation.
"It's a little tender, but it's fine." I grinned at his too manly face and ruffled his hair. He beamed back at me. I gestured my head to one of the shaded parts of the grounds and walked in that direction. We've met Wyatt on the way.
"Make sure to listen and observe well, Logan. Safety first, Mavis. I'll leave him to you." he said, patting Logan's shoulder and proceeding to roam around the grounds supervising the ongoing training routines.
"Yes, Sir!" he hollered at the already distant head pack warrior. I grinned at his enthusiasm. The pack might be a good community, supportive of their members, but there are times that a member gets isolated from the others. Logan was an ideal example of it. Since he's manly for his age, others tend to gravitate away from him. Other adults also get confused about how to treat him. That's maybe why I'm closer to this kid than the other, and the fact that I'm his godmother.
"Enough with that, get yourself in one of the rings," I called out to him, and he was quick to do so. The spar rings were made of a bunch of smooth rocks. It was neatly placed next to each other to form an almost perfect circle. One can tell that the rocks went through a lot, with some of the stones chipping from some angles.
It must have been caused by the parts of equipment hitting it from time to time. They're the type of rocks that won't easily give way to impact, and my confident smile wobbled upon remembering the time when I was training myself.
Through all that growth spurt and puberty raging, I wasn't even aware of the force we spent back then training. The trainers must've had an exhausting day every sunset from receiving all those attacks. I silently salute them all.
"Ma'am, I'm ready." I was startled by Logan's call. I snapped myself out of my reverie and concentrated on the task at hand. I commend him for being formal during this moment, calling me Ma'am instead of Mavis.
The moment I entered the ring, I dashed towards Logan whose totally off-guard. With controlled force, my clenched fist stopped midway upon hitting his midsection. Logan stumbled. I mentally facepalm. So, there's really a reason why he wasn't ready for sparring yet. He wasn't being isolated.
"In position Logan." I firmly instructed, and his blushing face did just what I told him to do.
"I was caught off-guard, I'm sorry." he apologized and resumed his prior position. The tinge of pink on his cheeks wasn't fading a little.
"You don't apologize to your enemy when you're being killed, Logan.
Eyes on me. Listen." I said and dashed my way towards him again. Instead of going straight for his midsection, I slide my way down, slightly to the side. Entirely out of his sight, and tapped his hipbone.
"That's a dislocated hipbone," I murmured enough for him to hear. I took some quick steps back, a safety distance from him but not before noticing how his body stiffened from my attack.
"Eyes on me." Again, he wasn't able to do anything and remained in his defensive position. I was able to move out of his sight and tap his shoulder from the back. Since I'm petite and light, I was known for my agility and flexibility. It was why I was known as one of the best warriors in the pack, though inactive.
"Dislocated shoulder."
"Broken femur."
"Spinal collapse right there."
"Broken neck."
"Fractured skull." another hit.
"Dead."
"Ass."
"Funeral." hits.
"Stop!" that yell startled me. It was Logan's.
I stopped from my relentless attack and looked at Logan's devastated face. The grown man of his physique gave way to his childlike innocence. I snapped from plotting my next moves when I saw him closed-off. Did I go too far? But there's no such thing as going too far in our pack's training. We've been through worse.
"Logan--" I sensed it late and was barely able to dodge the incoming attack for my neck. I stumbled a little.
"Excellent." is what I heard, and my guards and walls went from rocks to steel. How the hell is he allowed in the training grounds? Does the Alpha trust him this much?
"Warrior, you move aside and watch every move. Gather yourself. Do you copy?" the smooth authority ensued was received without protest at all.
It wasn't an Alpha command.
It is a known fact. If a werewolf isn't a part of your pack, you have to give that person the Alpha command just to make them follow the orders. But in this instance, it was smoothly executed. No Alpha command is needed.
I looked up at the face of my mate in front of me. I felt fear and proud at the same time. He is something. Someone who isn't the usual Alpha you'll meet. I've never heard of anyone commanding another pack member this easily.
"Y-Yes, Alpha." The shudder in Logan's voice made me aware that it doesn't only make one obedient. It also instills fear.
"You'll spar with me," he said, gesturing Logan to step out of the ring. I took a glance around, and everyone's eyes were on us. Just when did all of them start looking at us?
My gaze reached Beta Wyatt's eyes, and he gave me a nod. I turned back at Atlas and silently assumed my offensive position.
My thoughts were already plotting my moves. Dallying would be pointless at this point when I clearly see Atlas's sharp gaze waiting for my move, so I did.
I went ahead with a light jab in his direction. It was easily dodged. From seeing Atlas' calculating eyes, I know that he knew that my attack was just testing the waters.
I skipped back a safe distance from his reach. Atlas might be way taller than me, but he's got a lean physique. Who knows, he might be agile and swift enough to reach for an attack and would have me on my back down the grassy ground in a minute. Keeping the distance would give me room to move.
I scanned my surrounding using my eyes. My peripheral vision tells me that one move and I'll be at the edge of the ring. Stones were just a few steps away if I would step back a little more.
"Mavis is sure gutsy to attack the Alpha right away without a plan." that pesky comment caught my attention, and it was wrong of me to pay it a mind. I lost focus, and Atlas was in front of me in a blink of an eye, stealthily hitting my left shoulder with his open palm.
I staggered as I felt the force of his attack vibrate through me. I gaped in surprise. It was unusual. I was expecting a damage-inducing attack that would make one's bones collapse, leading to an exploding pain on impact. But then, this is definitely unheard of. His palm hit me on one specific spot then the pain spread out on the entirety of my left shoulder. The vibrating pain went through my back like pins and needles.
"Mavis!" I heard Logan exclaim along with the gasp of the surrounding crowd. My knees buckled a bit as I straightened my posture into a defensive state.
The pain on my shoulder wouldn't let me counter without causing more aches, so I'll have to be on the defensive and be keen enough for a sneaky knockout attack.
A searing glare was the only thing sent in his direction. Atlas looks at me funny. His supple lips were straining to say the words of apology. The searing glare sure did its job as he chose to shut his mouth instead of apologizing.
"I'm fine, Logan," I assured the worried teenager judging from his voice. I cemented my resolve and did my best not to add more strain to my paining shoulder.
Do you ever feel that kind of moment where you just move without thinking? My body got ahead of my brain as I sprung into the air a few inches and focused my gaze on his right tempolar. "Dang it," I muttered as I mistakenly abandoned my defensive stance on a whim.
My real target was Atlas's jaw. I focused hard on his temple to hoodwink the stupid man. This is going to be a knockout attack and only a single chance to offer.
Body in the air, I launch my clenched fist in his direction, but Atlas was able to grab my attacking left fist. Abandoning my previous plan, I went straight for his jaw to try shaking him, but it was no use as he caught my other hand.
I'm awkwardly shaking my forearms from his bruising grip, but it did nothing but add to my aching shoulder. Atlas grabbed both of my hands up in the air. I pulled a face when the position added pressure on my paining shoulder. This damn Alpha is not joking. This is one of a hell spar.
From the outsider's view, it would look like I'm a doll dangling from his hands, facing him. Snatching my right hand from his grip, of course, it did nothing. Though, it gave me a little legroom. I sent a flip sign to my aching shoulder mentally and twisted my body to the side. I squirmed a little more.
"Stop moving!" Atlas hissed on my face as I continued squirming. I get that he's worried about my shoulder. The one he attacked earlier, but I don't give a damn. The warning fell onto deaf ears.
The punishing grip of his hands was immovable. Hence, I wasn't able to twist to a complete one-eighty. In desperation, I angled my right leg in a ninety-degree, bringing it up in a flash, kicking his guts.
The solid muscles of his abdominals under my dirty training shoe strained on impact. It gave me enough space as he took a step back, quickly regaining his balance.
As he was busy regaining his hold on me. I brought my leg again to target his jaw this time. I was planning a straight vertical kick, but he was able to read my intention easily.
Atlas gripped my hands one last time and decided to just shove me just in time to avoid the kick. It propelled me into the air.
"Atlas!" Luke's voice filled the air, and I saw how Atlas looked back in Luke's direction because of his alarmed tone. That made me feel bitter while I tried to catch myself from an imminent drop.
I heard thudding steps, but it faded into nothing when I landed on my butt and my hands on a stone. One of the stone rings.
A resounding pop.
"Fuck!" I screamed as my open palm, wet with sweat and a little tender from yesterday's thorns, slipped on the stone. My hands lost their strength from the scuffle a while ago. That's why I couldn't catch myself the second time. The impact of the drop and the strained shoulder caused my weak arms to give away.
"Oh god, fuck." I hissed as I tried to cuddle my right arm. It's a grotesque sight. You can clearly see my wrist dangle from the rest of my arm. My whole frame fell to the ground in a thud. The impact of the drop hurt my back.
"Link Amalia or Craig right now!" that tense voice of Wyatt reached my dimming sight. I saw the pack trainees crowding me with shock on their faces. Also, on the side, Luke is clinging to Atlas' arm. No, more like stopping him. From approaching me? I don't know. I tried to search for Atlas' face to assure him that it was not his fault. It's the bond thing, but before my eyes meet his gaze, the dark spots closed in on me, and I was a goner.