Chapter 72: New Kind of Fight

OLIVIA

“Too slow.”

Damn it.

“Nope.”

~Just one~.

“You’re too obvious.”

~Well, maybe if he wasn’t so quick~.

“Missed again.”

Olivia let her hands fall to her sides, feeling a surge of frustration in her chest.

Her lips pressed together as her jaw tightened. An annoyed huff slipped out, so she took a deep breath before responding. “~You’re not playing fair~.”

She was soaked in sweat, gasping for breath, and he looked like he’d just stepped out of a shower.

It wasn’t fair.

Okay. So maybe she was throwing a ~tiny~ tantrum. He wasn’t supposed to go easy on her. That wasn’t the point of her training.

She got that—~but~—he could have let her land a few punches…to boost her confidence! To make her feel like she wasn’t a total failure at this. Would that have been so terrible? ~Maybe~.

But damn it, her pride was wounded and she was ~soaked~ and ~tired~. He could let her have a small victory.

“I didn’t realize you wanted me to play fair,” he retorted with a smirk. He reached out to hold her wrists, keeping her hands still.

“I thought you wanted to learn.”

She cocked her head to the side, managing a small smile. “Can’t I do both?”

“It’s your call, Livy. If you don’t want to be ~part of the solution~ anymore, I’m fine with that. We’ll keep things as they are and we’ll watch over you.”

He was playing dirty. He was using her own words against her and ~damn it~—he was right. She had asked for this.

She was the one who made a deal with him so she could have her way. Olivia had already completed the first part; the blood test. She wasn’t about to quit now because it was harder than she thought.

It wasn’t like she didn’t know he was stronger than her. Of course, he was. Besides the whole alpha-thing, he’d been doing this a lot longer than she had.

Sure, she’d like to say that she kept fit, tried to exercise, ate healthy when she could but—it wasn’t like she was a fitness fanatic. Alex—and his abs—were a clear sign that ~he~ kept in shape.

Alex 1, Olivia 0.

At this rate, she might consider Maya’s suggestion; asking him to go easy on her. But then again, that wouldn’t be a true reflection of reality, would it?

If the attack had taught her anything, it was that whoever that pack was, they were ruthless and they wouldn’t show mercy. If they had to be killed, it meant there was no other way to deal with them.

They would throw everything at her and she had to be ready to handle it.

“~Fine~.”

“Fine, you want to quit?”

“No, fine, let’s continue.”

“Good girl.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes; she knew he was trying to comfort and appeal to the omega in her, and she wasn’t about to let him know it was working.

It was always there, just beneath the surface: the desire to please him. She did enjoy the praise, the satisfaction of knowing she’d done something right.

She could resist it, but—it would be counterproductive considering her next goal was: to be able to transform at will.

Olivia had spent so much time battling her wolf, she knew it was time to do the opposite.

Things had improved since the full moon, but it wasn’t always communicating with her, and she certainly couldn’t shift at will. She didn’t know if it was because they were disconnected or because her lack of knowledge was hindering her.

Part of her had almost hoped they would start with that; both out of fear and excitement intertwined, but Alex had brought her downstairs to a makeshift gym she assumed everyone used to exercise.

And now it was fists up, and so far, she hadn’t landed a single punch. She didn’t think either of them was surprised.

“Do you need a break?”

She shook her head. “I’m good.”

“Don’t exhaust yourself.”

“I won’t.”

Why was he saying that? Was he feeling sorry for her? Was it the sweat accumulating on her forehead, the damp patches spreading on her yellow shirt? She couldn’t help it.

She was terrible at this, and he was too quick for her.

Olivia thought he would resume their training, but instead, he stepped back, creating a gap between them. He picked up a water bottle from the ground and offered it to her.

“Here, drink this.”

“Alex—”

“You sure do argue a lot for an omega,” he joked, a playful smirk spreading across his face.

“Drink up, Livy. You passed out not too long ago. You’re just recovering from your fever. If you faint during our training, I’m calling it quits.”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She accepted the bottle and drained it in one gulp.

It wasn’t the most elegant move, leaving her neck and shirt collar drenched, but it did the trick and quenched her thirst.

She returned the empty bottle to him, a grin on her face, her cheeks bulging like a chipmunk’s from all the water she was yet to swallow.

“You’re one stubborn woman.”

She nodded before swallowing. “I’ve been told.”

He moved closer, and a shiver ran down her spine. She couldn’t help but notice his bare chest. It was practical for their training—and she certainly didn’t mind the view.

They had finally been together—physically—outside of a heat, and it was a different kind of sensation. It felt like they’d crossed a boundary, and now she was on edge.

She knew he was concerned about her—though she was fine—and she wasn’t sure if he’d take that step again. Not yet, anyway. It’s not like she was a ~sex~ fiend.

But if anyone could turn someone into a sex fiend, it would be him. But it had been different, more intimate than during her heat.

He’d left her breathless and melted her into a puddle just the same, but she’d been herself and he’d been himself.

“Livy,” he started, his hand gently brushing her arm.

His voice was like velvet, stroking her skin, threatening to stiffen her nipple beneath her shirt. ~Damn it~. “I can pin you to the floor in one move.” His lips were close to her ear, and her core tightened.

“Want me to demonstrate?”

~Yes~.

The word echoed in her mind, and she almost voiced it, but she never got the chance.

“~No, thank you~.”

Both their heads swiveled to the left, catching sight of Maya’s fiery red hair bobbing at the end of her ponytail as she strode towards them.

“Look, some of us actually train here. I’d rather not ~slip~ on something sticky next time I train. And no offense, but I don’t want to touch anything either of your butts has touched. Okay? Thanks.”

Embarrassment washed over her, turning her pale skin red, and she hid her face in Alex’s chest. Did she appear that desperate, that susceptible to his voice alone?

For the first time in a long time, she couldn’t blame her arousal on her heat—or could she? It had been a while. Maybe she was due for another heat. Maybe that was it.

~Ugh~. No, that wasn’t it.

There was no tingle, no deep-seated desire building in her chest. She wanted Alex simply because she wanted him.

“Did you come here just to ruin our fun, or is there another reason?” Alex asked, his hand still on Olivia, fingers tracing her arm.

“A bit of both,” Maya replied with a grin. “You’re a big, strong guy. We’re smaller. We don’t fight the way you do.”

“Are you saying I can’t train her?”

Maya rolled her eyes, raising her hands in surrender. “Chill out, alpha man. I’m not challenging you.” She turned to Olivia. “Seriously, though, how do you put up with his ego?”

She shook her head. “You know, I’ve heard the sounds he makes you make. I’d probably put up with a big ego too if he was good with his tongue and knew how to use his dick.”

Could her face get any redder? “Maya!”

“I’m just saying!” she retorted with a shrug. “Besides, if you wanted to be embarrassed, that was like fifty heats ago. We all know how you moan his name by now. Or how you like it. So don’t play innocent with me, missy.”

She was certain she was about to die. Any moment now, the earth would open up and swallow her, saving her from this mortification. ~Any second now.~ “Can we change the subject—~anything~ else,” she pleaded.

“Hey, I was discussing the training. He’s the one who led us astray,” she retorted, pointing her thumb towards Alex.

“Like I was saying, ~perhaps we~ could demonstrate together. You know, you play the big bad attacker, and I’ll show her how I’d take you down.”

That scenario seemed less terrifying than what Olivia had initially imagined.

She was aware that, logically, Alex was stronger than Maya, but she felt she had a better chance in a fight with Alex than with Maya.

Maybe because Maya, despite her petite size, was surprisingly strong and she didn’t have the whole ~mate~ thing going on to boost Olivia’s odds. Sure, Alex was pushing her, but he’d stop if it came to that.

It wasn’t that she believed Maya would harm her. But perhaps…get carried away? Yeah, she wouldn’t take that chance. She’d win. No contest.

But Maya’s suggestion did make sense and she would gladly accept her help against Alex. After all, it wasn’t a woman who was after her, was it? It was men. They’d be taller, more muscular…what if another alpha showed up.

She wasn’t naive enough to believe she could win the fight, but if she could do enough to escape or slow him down…

That could be beneficial.

She couldn’t be the entire solution, but she could contribute.

“I think she has a point,” Olivia finally conceded.

Alex’s shoulders sagged as he let out a sigh. “I agree.”

“Really?” Maya’s question rang out louder than she intended, reverberating in the silence of the room.

“Yes, ~really~.”

“Fantastic! So ~please~ remember, if I hit you, it’s for Olivia’s benefit. I will derive ~absolutely~ no joy from it.”

“And why would you hit me?”

“To demonstrate, perhaps? Nothing beats a live demo. This is for the love of your life. ~I mean, seriously~.”

~Love of his life~. The phrase caught her off guard. It shouldn’t. Love. People in relationships—people who shared a bond, who were mates…love was supposed to be part of the deal. It was…normal. Expected.

She knew that being mates was meant to draw them together, to make them each other’s everything but…no one had mentioned love.

She cared for him, she had shared her body with him, entrusted him with her trust.

Gradually, she was giving more each day, more than she ever thought possible just a few weeks ago. Things were so mixed up and different now. They had changed. He had changed. ~She~ had changed. But did she love him?

Was that what these feelings in her heart were, the fluttering in her stomach? She’d heard about love. She had loved her parents in the way a child does. She thought she had loved Will, but now she knew it had been nothing more than a toxic infatuation.

What she felt for Alex was nothing like what she felt for Will. It wasn’t oppressive, it wasn’t riddled with lies and mistrust. It didn’t cause a pit in her stomach, it didn’t make her feel inferior.

How often had she felt sick at the thought of lying to Jess? How much had it hurt to feel his touch and then watch him go to another?

This was different.

~Tap~.

A finger on her nose brought her back to the present and she looked up. Alex was grinning at her. “Don’t mind Maya. She speaks before she thinks. Don’t let it bother you.”

“What did I do this time?”

Alex shot her a sideways glance and Maya raised both eyebrows. ~Then it dawned on her~. “Oh. ~Oh my. ~Are you guys still in high school? ~Seriously~?”

“No—it’s okay. I hadn’t—”

“Let’s get started,” Alex interjected, cutting her off.

He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable or put her on the spot. She appreciated that. But Maya had brought up something she hadn’t thought about.

Their relationship was moving at breakneck speed; she wasn’t sure her mind and heart had had time to keep up.

~Love~.

She cared for him. She had feelings for him. ~She needed him~.

He had been her rock, her guiding light. He’d unearthed a part of her she hadn’t known was there, a part she’d kept hidden. ~He’d even saved her life~. Nights felt empty without him.

His embrace was her sanctuary. His touch, her undoing. Yet, she felt there was so much about him she didn’t know.

Did it matter?

Could she have fallen so hard, so fast?

Was she in love with Alex?