<h4 id="5336405" ss="title">Ch. 7 Training</h4>


    Mallory’s POV


    The sound of my rm ring at six am made me jolt upright. I had finally been dozing after a restless night of broken sleep. I was still pissed at y and Cary for their behaviorst night but mostly I was just confused. I tossed and turned all night, trying to shut out the thoughts continuously assaulting me.


    Before I left for Luna training, they treated me like I was gum on their shoe, an annoyance to be dealt with. I assumed once I was gone, they would have thrown a party to celebrate. So why, after all this time, did they suddenly decide they enjoyed mypany?


    At first, I thought maybe they’d just devised another way to mess with me. Interrupt my alone time with Nathan and try to keep me so busy I can’t spend time with him just to frustrate me. Or maybe they think he will break up with me and they canugh at my heartbreak. But I had news for them, Nathan and I wouldn’t break easily, and certainly not because of them.


    Still, something seemed different about the way they were treating me. Before, they would try to make me nervous by invading my personal space, nuzzling me, or whispering in my ear. Then they wouldugh at me when they got the desired response. But now, they seemed much more invested in my reactions, almost like they wanted me to enjoy their closeness and it angered them that I didn’t.


    Shaking off those concerns, I quickly dressed in training gear, a pair of spandex shorts and sports bra, then threw my hair up in a braided ponytail. Rushing through the rest of my morning routine, I was ready in just enough time to grab a quick breakfast then head out the door.


    “Where are you off to so early?” Mom asked when she saw me enter the kitchen.


    “Training.” I answered, rolling my eyes. “Apparently the future Alphas have deemed it necessary for me to help train the warriors. Something about it being my duty now that I have First-ss designation.”


    “That’s a great idea!” Mom eximed a little too cheerily for the early hour. “It’s the perfect opportunity for you to show your appreciation to Alpha and Luna for their generosity, by giving back to the pack.”


    “Where have I heard that before?” I grumbled under my breath.


    But I guess she had a point. I would have liked to have been asked rather than the triplets demanding it of me, but it wasn’t like I would have said no. With that thought in mind, I put a smile on my face and determined I would show some enthusiasm on the field. Showing the triplets they couldn’t fluster me like they used to was just a bonus.


    I pulled into the lot at the training grounds ten minutes early to find it full of warriors hanging out for their pre-training catch up sesh. I looked around, surprised to see several people I knew.


    “Hey guys!” I called to Zach, Tyler and ire, three of my previous ssmates as I jogged in their direction.


    “Hey, Mighty Mal! How’ve you been?” Zach belted out, wrapping me up in a bear hug and lifting me off the ground.


    Ever since I punched Tommy Johnson on the yground for teasing ire, Zach has called me Mighty Mal instead of Mighty Mouse, because I was tiny but strong, he said. The nickname stuck.


    “Aagh! You’re crushing me!” I grunted yfully. When he set me down, I made a show of squeezing his biceps. “Looking pretty mighty yourself these days. I’m going to have to start calling you Hulk!”


    “Are you here to train or are you here to flirt?” A gruff voice barked as Colton stomped up behind me, his lime and bay rum scent wafting around me. “You should be on the field stretching!”


    “Yes, Alpha.” Tyler bowed his head in respect and the others followed suit.


    But I didn’t. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest and returned his re without flinching. His eyes turned murderous at my defiance and a little vein pulsed in his forehead. Just when I thought he would explode, he turned and stomped away.


    “Who pissed in his Wheaties?” Zach asked. “We always hang out together before training and he’s never said anything before.”


    “Sorry, guys. That was probably my fault. Apparently, their sole purpose in life is to make mine a living hell. You just got caught in the crossfire.” I admitted. “I’ll understand if you’d rather not incur their wrath by associating with me.”


    “What did you do to piss them off?” Tyler asked.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    “I really don’t know.” I shrugged at the question. “I was born, I guess.”


    “That’s bullshit.”ire protested. “We’re not going to stop being your friend because some Alpha-hole has an attitude problem!”


    Zach and Tyler said the same and we all walked onto the field together. y and Cary were already there and their heads snapped up as soon as I arrived, their eyes immediately finding mine. Their gaze was unreadable but intense, masking some emotion they didn’t want me to see. I resisted the shudder that threatened at their unwavering stare.


    “Hey, Mal! Want to spar with me?” Tyler asked, throwing his arm over my shoulder to grab my attention.


    “Uh, sure.” I said, shaking my head to clear it. “That will be fun!”


    Warriors were starting to pair up, squaring off in fighting stances. As I looked around, I noticed many of them looked unsure as they tried moves that looked unpracticed. Tyler must have seen me frowning because he quickly exined.


    “Alpha y just taught us those movesst week. We haven’t exactly had time to perfect them. But I think I’ve made some pretty good progress.” He told me.


    “Oh yeah? Come at me then. Let’s see what you’ve got.” I taunted, sinking into a crouch and motioning him forward with my outstretched hand.


    Being much shorter than Tyler, I knew I’d need to get in close. He knew it too, trying to keep me at arm’s length. But I was patient. Eventually, he stepped forward with his left leg, preparing to throw a punch, and gave me the opening I needed.


    Ducking under his punch, I stepped right and crouched lower, locking my arms around his knee and using my hip to lift his leg up. The move knocked him off bnce, allowing me to stand, pulling his feet out from under him. Tylernded on his back with a thud and I quickly jumped on him, pinning his throat with my knee to signal he’d been beat.


    “Nice move, Mighty Mal.” Zach hollered to me, breaking my concentration.


    Tyler took the opportunity to flip me off of him andid on top of me, using the weight of his body to hold me down while restraining my arms over my head.


    “Cheater!” I grunted, making himugh.


    But hisughter wasn’t the only sound I heard. Three low growls tore through the air, followed by footsteps heading in our direction. Before I could blink, Tyler was lifted off me and Cary had pulled me off the ground and wrapped his arm tight around my waist.


    “You’re not here to y around.” He snarled. “You’re here to help teach. You’ll be up in the front with us, helping us demonstrate moves.”


    I turned over my shoulder to send my friends an apologetic look as Cary dragged me along beside him. Facing forward again, I could see the other two Alphas ring in my direction. Then Cary leaned over, cing his mouth on my ear.


    “If you’re going to end up underneath any man today, it’s going to be one of us.” His deep voice rumbled, sending shockwaves of need deep to my core.


    I wanted to hurl some snarky reply at him but my throat ran dry and I couldn’t speak. Damn it! Instead, I just walkedmely beside him, allowing him to lead me away. But when we reached the front, Colt and y were still ring at me, their anger demanding my attention.


    “What the fuck are you wearing?” yton demanded.


    “Work out clothes. We are going to be working out, are we not? I replied snarkily.


    “Those aren’t workout clothes. Those are scraps of fabric.” Colt snarled, pulling off his t-shirt and forcing it over my head. It smelled like him and I found myself liking it a little too much. “Better. Now don’t take it off.”


    Well two can y that game. I stepped back, my eyes glued to his while I tied a knot in his shirt at my waistline so it showed the tiniest bit of skin on my belly and didn’t cover my ass at all.


    “What? I didn’t take it off.” I smiled back innocently as his chest heaved in anger. “Are we going to train or what?”


    For the next three hours, I alternated between the three of them, partnering with whoever was demonstrating the next move. The triplets seemed to take great pleasure in every opportunity to wrap their arms around me or pin me underneath them. And all three of them actually nipped my neck when teaching moves to expose the enemy’s throat, leaving marks on my skin.


    Finally, I’d had enough of their antics and decided to demonstrate some moves of my own. Colton came sliding towards me to demonstrate a sweep kick but instead of being a good little assistant, I jumped over his leg, spinning behind him to trap him in a choke hold. Then I kicked him behind his knee, throwing him off bnce and pulled him to the ground with me. I refused to let go until he tapped out.


    “And that’s how to defend a sweep kick!” I announced to the warriors, popping up from the ground with a bounce. Everyone pped which Colt did not seem to appreciate.


    “If you wanted me on top of you that badly, all you had to do was ask.” He leaned forward to growl in my ear, too quiet for the pack to hear.


    He just stood there staring at me with this look on his face like he was having some huge internal debate. I was too caught off guard by his words to respond. He had a girlfriend he was supposedly in love with. He had never said anything suggestive like that to me since he started dating Darcy. Something was definitely going on with him too.


    We both stood there watching each other, breathing heavily but whether from exertion or the strange pull between us, I wasn’t sure. Finally, he gave a small shake of his head, like he was waking from a trance, then walked away.


    “That’s it for today! Dismissed!” Cary bellowed, and I started to leave with the rest of the crowd.


    “Not you, little wolf!” y grabbed my arm to hold me back.


    I huffed at him and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly while I waited for him to exin why he was detaining me.


    “Meet us at the packhouse at six pm to discuss the training n for tomorrow.” His voice was gentle but it was an order, nheless.


    “I can’t. I have a date tonight.” Iined.


    “We know. It’s with us.” Cary stated without a hint of amusement. So much for hoping it was a sick joke. “We’ve already contacted Alpha Richardson to exin that you’d be needed here and thanked him for his understanding.”


    “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I growled, yanking off Colt’s shirt and throwing it at him.


    I yanked my bag off the ground and turned to leave when y stopped me.


    “Mal” he called, then waited for me to look at him. When I finally did, he said something I never thought he would. “You did good today, little wolf.”