☽ Chapter 22: Sharpening the Hidden Claws ☾

?Chapter 22 – Sharpening the Hidden Claws?

As I stand on the side of the familiar outdoors training ground, I watch as wolves pile in, some whispering about my wolves stationed at equal intervals around the grounds, some questioning why I’m here when I left the pack three years ago. I just keep a stoic smile on my face, Ariven chuckling as he watches the wolves stretch, each breaking into their own cliques. I spy the Hunters that used to make my life a living nightmare, wolves I am itching to destroy in a fight. Then I see the trackers that ignored my existence, their excuse always being their job is more important than a “Lowly Omega”. I am neutral towards them as they neither joined in my abuse nor stepped into help me. My eyes wander to the Omegas, their malnourished bodies still a sight to see, one which I know will change under Lace’s rule with time. Seeing Misbah and Lilly again, their skinny bodies still the same as usual but the two hold their heads high with pride. “See those two wolves over there?” I ask Ariven, pointing out my two friends whom I missed these last few years. “Yes, why?” He asks and I smile. “I plan to take them and their families back to Silver Crystal Crescent with us. They helped me when I became an Omega, and I have a feeling they would agree to moving.” I answer happily, already planning the two empty cabins that the ladies would adore. Ariven chuckles as Mika and Lace finally appears on the training ground, making their way towards us with apologetic looks. “Sorry, Mika was placing all the pack assets into my name and we lost track of time.” Lace explains as soon as she reaches my side. I understand and just motion for her to stand beside me as I turn my attention to Mika. “For now, you are still the Alpha. This means today, you lead the training. I want to see where every wolf is at and how they are trained to be able to restructure your training procedures.” I state, watching as he bristles at my command. I take a deep breath, waiting for Mika to argue back with me as Lace walks away towards the Omegas to what I hopefully assume is explain the training today. “Oy, Mika, what’s with this bitch Geminie being back at the pack?” Sebastian Bright calls out, a shit-eating grin on his face. Trailing behind him is his brother Samule and a group of Hunters. I frown as they come to stand before the three of us, seeing Lace and the Omegas look on with worry. [Lace, up to making a bet?] I ask, linking the she-wolf as I smirk. [What do you have in mind?] She asks, a familiar mischievous glint in her eyes that I haven’t seen in years. [If I can beat these six punks in a fight, Misbah, Lilly and their families can relocate with me.] I state, watching Lace roll her eyes. [Cocky, are we?] [Very. I may have seemed weak to the pack, but I had an ancient Elf training me for years to fight.] I retort, watching her eye widen in shock. “Look at me when I’m speaking to you!” Samule shouts, Ariven stepping in front of me protectively. “Oh, I’m sorry, were you speaking to me Sammy boy?” I ask with mock concern, leaning against a tree and twirling a strand of hair between my fingers. “You damn well know I was, bitch!” He curses, anger radiating off of this ignorant wolf in waves. Mika and Ariven let out a growl of warning, but I stop them, a smirk on my face as I look at the Warriors before me. “Sorry, but I was dealing with Alpha things, you wouldn’t understand. I missed whatever you were saying completely.” My answer infuriates the group further and a ripple of whispers break out between the wolves watching. My packmates chuckle, guessing where this is headed. [Ten minutes. Beat them in ten and you win the bet. If not, I want to meet this Elf and have her train me for a month!] Lace replies, and it is the motivation I need to continue taunting these all-brawn-no-brain men. Pushing off from the tree, I slowly walk towards the group of Hunters, taking in their appearance and stance, looking for any weak spot. “You’re not an Alpha.” A tanned boy calls out and I recognize him as Amir. I chuckle, taking in his cocky stance as he favours the left side. “Want to bet?” I ask, coming to stand beside Ariven who just looks at me with a raised brow. “I bet fucking tall, dark and broody here is the Alpha and you're just his whore but you are no Alpha Geminie.” Sebastian calls out. Mika lets out a feral growl at his insubordinate packmate. I roll my eyes at his possessive attitude and send him a warning growl of my own, happy when Mika begrudgingly backs down. These pups are mine to deal with. “And I bet I can beat the six of you in a fight at once.” I egg him on, taking another step forward. This catches everyone’s attention as the six males weigh their options. If my hunch is correct, they must assume that I am still the same old weak Geminie who is unable to defend herself and won’t want to fight a weakling because they will be considered heartless and cruel. That’s fine with me. After a few minutes of the group using their singular brain cell to answer, I push past them, bumping my shoulder into Sebastian and watching the Hunter stumble to the right, his anger reaching new limits. “That’s it. You’re on you bitch! Just don’t go crying when you’re near death!” Sebastian screams as his arm swings in my direction. [Start the timer.] I link Lace as I drop down into a crouch narrowly missing a fist to the face. Pushing back up, I use my momentum to throw my own punch, catching Sebastian in the chin and hearing a satisfying crunch as blood seeps out of his mouth. Sebastian falls backwards, eyes rolling to the back of his head comically as he passes out. `“Someone roll him onto his side so he doesn’t choke on his own blood. His jaw and teeth may be broken.” I state in a monotone voice and turn around just in time to dodge Samule’s kick. “You bitch, that’s my brother you just injured!” He seethes, spit flying from his lips. I roll my eyes, instinct telling me to crouch just in time to miss another fist being thrown my way by Amir. [Eight minutes, thirty seconds left.] Lace links me, and I wink in her direction before swinging my leg out to trip Amir sending him tumbling into a blond haired blue eyed Hunter named Jordan who looked ready to kick me as well. The two fall to the ground, leaving Samule and two wolves facing me for a moment. I had about thirty seconds before Amir and Jordan untangle their limbs from each other to defeat one of the three. A black-haired wolf I finally recognize as Alex’s ex-friend James takes the first swing, his rage clouding his judgement as I roll my eyes at him stupidly screaming. What are we, an anime? With a sigh, I dodge his attempt at a punch, turning my body behind him where I send a swift kick to the back of his femur, hearing a loud crack. This time his scream of anger turns into a blood-curdling scream of pain and I wince, my ears sore from this banshee like wolf. Amir and Jordan are up on their feet, the blond ready to fight but Amir slowly backs away with his hands held up in the air. “I was wrong to fight against you, Geminie. I’m sorry.” The tanned man states as he limps away to join the rest of the pack in watching the fight. I taste the air for any hint of trickery, but all I taste is truth. Amir is smart, knowing when to back down and submit. [Does that count as a defeat?] I ask Lace, dodging Samule and Jordan, then wincing as their fists connect with the other’s nose in a crunch. Blood flows down their face as their shocked looks stare at one another, causing me to chuckle. These Hunters are not the brightest. [Yes. Amir submitted, so you beat him.] I smile at Lace’s reluctant response but frown at her next words. [Six minutes. Time is ticking away, and you have three more to deal with.] Her reminder dampens the fun I am having and fuels the need to win this bet. Now is the time to get serious. A red-headed wolf I have never seen before today comes rushing at me, his fist inches from connecting with my face. Just as he is about to hit me, I grab his wrist, using the wolf’s momentum to throw him face first onto the ground and making him gather a mouth full of dirt. With a stomp of my foot and a twist of my wrist, his right arm and left leg snap. This wolf is down for the count. Jordan and Samule are next, both recovering from the shock of breaking each other’s noses and focusing their anger in my direction. I want to leave Samuel for last. Without hesitation, I grab the blond by his ankle as he aims a kick in my direction. With a chuckle, I watch fear enter his eyes as I snap the ankle under my grasp, pulling the blond closer to me by the broken limb and sending a fist to his face. His body goes limp and the wolf is out cold. Slowly lowering his limp body to the ground, I feel a fist connect to the right side of my face and am sent sprawling to the ground. Surprised, I roll to my feet and turn to glare at Samule who has a smug look on his bloody face. “Why so happy?” I ask chuckling, ignoring the sting on my cheek. “I’ve already beaten everyone else. You’re just left for last,” His smug look falls from my taunting and the laughter from my wolves, his anger growing at the humiliation. Samule says nothing as he rushes to me and I to him. Then the unthinkable happens. Samule leaps into the air shifting into a grey and brown wolf. He knows the rules to a fight. Unless told to shift by the Alpha watching on, you fight in human form. Samule just broke this cardinal rule. I drop to my knees just in time to slide under his huge body, the ground rough on my skin. In moments though I am up on my feet and twirl around just in time to send a roundhouse kick to Samule’s face, the wolf whimpering as he is sent sprawling to the ground. I waste no time in rushing to his body and grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, where I hold him down and send punch after punch to any part of his body that I can. Samule flails in my grasp, his claws leaving shallow cuts in my leg that I ignore as I continue to send punches into his body. “Submit!” I order, allowing my Alpha blood to surface and bring power into my command. He fights it, sending me a growl, to which I answer with a swift fist to his snout. “I said, submit!” My command is a growl as I fight the urge to shift and tear into this disrespectful wolf with claws and teeth. I wait for a moment as Samule has an inner battle until finally, his body goes limp, and he shows his neck as much as possible. He has submitted to me. “Lace, time?” I call out for all to hear and the she-wolf chuckles as I drop Samule none to gently onto the ground and walk away. “Thirty seconds left. You won the bet.” The Alpha she-wolf calls out, and I cheer triumphantly. I see the confusion in everyone else’s eyes for a moment as Ariven walks over and hands me a much needed bottle of water that I chug immediately. “Mika, is Geminie here for you two to reconcile and mate?” A confused wolf asks, causing me to nearly choke on the water and send a glare in this wolf’s direction. “No, I am not and never will be Mika’s mate. He lost that the day he rejected me on my birthday!” I answer cutting off whatever Mika was going to say. A hushed whisper crawls through the crowd of Hidden Claws wolves that I ignore, motioning for ten of my own wolves to come forward. “Get these five to the infirmary ASAP. They won’t be able to train for the next few days.” I order. I allow silence to settle over the training field while my pack mates carry the injured wolves away, Mika standing under a tree as he stares at me. Annoyed, I walk over to where my ex-mate stands and glare at him, hands on my hips. “What is your problem?” I ask in a low voice. “Why did you deny us being mates?” He fires back, and I chuckle. “Because we aren’t. You and I rejected each other, remember?” He looks away after my statement, sighing and running a hand through his messy hair. I scoff, turning around, ready to ignore Mika and begin walking away toward Lace. “We could be mates again.” He calls out quietly, halting my steps for a moment. The wind ruffles the leaves in the tree behind me as my gaze stares straight ahead, a sense of melancholy washing over me. I could never look back, the past hurt too deeply for me to even consider taking Mika back as a mate. He never deserved me. “No, we can’t.” I answer, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. When I open them again, I see Ariven standing beside Lace and looking at me, his forest-green eyes locking onto mine instinctively, and I smile. I may be mad at him, but Ariven is home to me.