The training yard was empty when she arrived. She saw a very fine, properly toned, shirtless man leaning against a post with arms crossed, watching her as she approached. The man looked like the Moon Goddess had spent extra time sculpting him. His hair was messy and he was sweaty, but damn, did he look hot.
Kade pushed off the post and stepped closer, looking her up and down. "Alpha Lucas seems to think you have potential." Well, I guess we aren't doing pleasantries. "He also told me you do not have a wolf, which means either you have a death wish for yourself or he has a death wish for you."
"I asked for this."
"Then you have the death wish. Never mind, you're here now. Let's begin." Kade tossed a wooden sword at her. She barely caught it, and when she did, it eventually clattered to the ground.
Kade growled at her as she quickly scrambled to pick up the sword. She stood standing with the sword looking ridiculous with her shorts and tank top. "Okay. What next?"
Kade fought a smile. "I like that you think you are ready for what is next."
Kade swung his own wooden sword at her, hitting her in the ribs. The impact sent her stumbling back.
"What the hell?!" she snapped.
Kade held his sword to the side, his abs glistening with sweat. "Never let your opponent make the first move."
Ava stood firm. She wanted to learn; she would.
She lunged at him with a ridiculously feminine war cry and swung wildly. Kade stepped to the side effortlessly and hit her in the back with his sword.
Ava was tired of being the weak one. She remembered all the times at the Crimson pack when she wished she had a wolf to help her. All the times she had been beaten, all the pain she suffered because everyone saw her as weak.
She swung again, but Kade blocked the strike. "Anger is good. But that alone won't keep you alive."
He stepped back and waited for her move. This time, she waited. Watched his arrogance and the look of underestimation in his eyes. Then she struck.
Kade was fast enough to dodge, but barely. He smiled, "You are a fast learner."
Ava felt satisfied and proud of herself, but the next second, Kade had disarmed her.
"Still slow. You have me for a month. If you cannot learn in that time, there is nothing more I can do for you."
Ava wasn't planning on giving up. She balled her hands into fists, causing Kade to laugh. She knew she wasn't going to win; in fact, she wasn't planning on winning. She just wanted to learn by failing continuously. So she threw a fist, which he caught and twisted behind her back.
His naked chest was firm behind her back. She felt a jolt of electricity but ignored it.
They continued to train well into the night; Kade found every opportunity to humiliate her, and she continued to get back on her feet. She was not going to lose this opportunity. No matter how many times, she landed on her backside.
By the time she headed back to her room, she was limping. She was used to being beaten up, but this time, it was a good kind of beating. She felt like she was doing something useful for the first time in her life.
She headed in to her bathroom and soaked her aching body in warm water and thought back to the way she felt when Kade's body had touched hers. She felt alive.
The last time she had felt that way was with Leon, but Leon had been more powerful than the feeling she got with Kade because Leon was her supposed fated mate.
Well, the Moon Goddess flopped on that one, didn't she? Aside from having to endure Alpha Raventhorn's presence and his weird sexual appetite, Silver Pack wasn't so bad. This was one step to the top, and she planned on taking the next and the next.
In every pack, an Alpha is the most powerful. Next to that was his Luna. Being that Luna was already out of the equation, what with Lucas having four concubines already, Ava included.
She needed to ask around why the Alpha didn't have a Luna. Even if he didn't have a fated mate, he was obligated to choose someone. With what she had seen, Lucas wasn't one to play by the rules.
She needed information; information would help her determine what next she needed in her quest for power.
*****
Ava was quite famished the next morning, she hurried to the dining hall to get something in her stomach before it was time for her training. She had looked forward to it all night. Despite the aches in her muscles, she was still excited.
Getting to the dining room, the concubines were already there. Nelly, as usual, looked elegant as she buttered a slice of bread. Sarah had her head buried in a book beside her breakfast. Lily quickly signaled to one of the servants to get Ava's breakfast as soon as she stepped in.
"You are looking better, Ava. You have some colour in your cheeks now." Nelly observed.
"Thank you," she responded and sat down to wait for the servants to serve her food.
"You are going training again today?" Lily asked, noting Ava's get-up.
"Yes. I have a month until Kade moves on to other things."
"How was it?" Nelly asked, filling her empty cup with coffee.
"I got hit. Repeatedly. But that's nothing new. At least this time I am allowed to fight back."
"Kade doesn't go easy on anyone. He is the chief Gamma. Maybe he enjoys smacking your around. There is a bit of Alpha Lucas in him." Lily giggled.
"I am sure he did." Ava muttered thinking back to the way Kade's eyes sparkled whenever she landed on her ass.
"It makes my day to know that you are suffering. Maybe I will come watch one of these days."
"I'm sure you would love to see me." Ava glared at her and picked up a toast to butter. She took a bite of her toast. "I have a question. Why hasn't Alpha Lucas made one of you his Luna already?"