Maura

Following the pack outside, confusion furrowing my brows, I come to a halt as we round the house, and a large clearing comes into view. On one side, there’s a massive obstacle course. Aaron, one of the pack members, steps over to a large bin and opens it. Pulling out what looks like bamboo sticks the length of my arm, he passes them out—two to each person.

Beck finally puts on clothes, and they don’t take away from his appeal. He looks just as hot in jeans and a T-shirt as he does ass-naked.

Why am I even noticing that? Shit.

I shake my head, trying to clear the thoughts away.

“Pair off. No shifting. First person to disarm the other wins.” His voice rings out in a deep commanding tone, and the pack immediately moves into pairs, evenly spaced across the clearing. “Come here, Red. Best seat to watch is with me.”

He winks and grins as he gestures toward me. Slowly, I move to stand next to him, letting my eyes roam over the pairs fighting. I want to look at Beck, especially with his energy wafting around me. It’s calming and sweet, like a heated blanket. It relaxes me enough that I can truly focus on the pack members.

They’re fascinating.

The way they give this practice all their energy, the determined expressions, encouraging banter…it’s…it’s wonderful.

“Why are they doing this? Aren’t their wolves stronger? Shouldn’t they practice fighting that way?”

Beck’s grin widens. “Fighting in human form trains and improves their hand-eye coordination. It makes them faster in the long run. Plus, the Thornwoods don’t expect to fight humans. If I can teach everyone to shift mid-battle, it’ll give them the edge against bigger wolves.” He moves closer and points across the clearing, my eyes following the path of his finger. “See? Amber is fighting Kosta. She has as much on the line as any of us and needs to be able to hold her own.”

“But she’s just a girl,” I say, astonished. Godrick would never let a female wolf learn anything even remotely close to fighting. Trying to deny him or disobey him in any way leads to dire punishments, so there’s no point.

“Yeah, she’s a girl. But the Thornwoods aren’t going to stop and send a fighter who’s her equal. They’re going to send an easy win. Amber is like a little sister to everyone, me and Alejo included, and this whole pack will protect her with their lives. She’s got to be able to protect herself, though. Sending her into battle without preparing her to fight on her own is a disservice and an insult to her.”

Beck glances at the clearing and does a double take before stepping forward a bit. “Amber! Widen your stance. It’s throwing your balance off. That’s why Kosta keeps pushing you around.” He watches her adjust her stance and nods before stepping back to my side again.

Together, we watch Amber and Kosta fighting. He is overpowering and quick, but she’s quicker. His size makes him slower than her, so she’s dancing around him, hitting him with all her might whenever she can. She hasn’t taken him down, but she’s holding her own. I gasp when Kosta catches her as she moves and knocks her to the ground.

Walking over to Amber, Kosta holds his hand down and helps the girl off the ground. She dusts herself off and comes over to Beck. “How was that?”

Beck nods, putting his arm around her shoulder and leaning down to her ear. “Take him out at the knees.”

Amber leans back and grins wide as she looks at Beck. After a second, she kisses his cheek and skips back to Kosta, getting in her starting stance to go again. Kosta actually smiles at the girl as he gets into position, too. My eyes move over everyone else…

The connection, compassion, and love for the pack are literally in the air. It’s like a pulsing energy as they all work in their pairs, some stopping to help and give advice to others. This is nothing like Godrick’s fighting within the pack. I can still hear his sneer in my head sometimes as he egged on his men, all of them drunk.

He’d yell and scream, instructing them to hurt and embarrass each other. A wolf he didn’t like won a fight once, and I’ll never forget the rage in Godrick’s drunken eyes as he commanded a group of wolves to attack the man. They killed him, ripping his throat out right in front of everyone. He never saw it coming.

I shake my head again, trying to rid the memory from my mind. I’ve got to stop getting lost in my thoughts like this. My eyes come up just as Beck walks back over from helping a pair near us. I hadn’t even noticed he left.

“Godrick’s men are sloppy,” I say in a soft voice. “Your people fight with precision; it’s like poetry but in people.”

Beck smiles, the pride evident in his expression. “Thank you.”

My smile fades. “But you won’t be fighting poetry. You’re fighting monsters. Ones willing to fight dirty if it means they’ll win.”

Glancing at Beck, I find his brows pulled together. Those almost glowing light brown eyes are filled with concern. His eyes scan the pack as they fight, and he settles on watching Logan and Carver fighting closest to us. “They were weak when we found them. They’re stronger now and work as a team. But maybe you’re right…maybe they’re too accustomed to fighting with rules.”

I yelp and jump back as Beck yells Logan’s name, marching toward him. Bending down mid-stride, he scoops up two fighting sticks and attacks Logan. My hands fly up and cover my mouth. Logan stumbles for a moment but regains his footing. He tries to block and strike Beck, but Beck is everywhere all at once.

He’s fast and nimble, moving around Logan as he strikes like he’s smoke—weightless.

My gaze moves back and settles on Beck, and I can’t tear them away. He moves the sticks with such accuracy and grace that it’s like they’re an extension of his body as opposed to exterior objects. His muscles ripple under his shirt, and I can’t help but think about the night we got here— the power of those muscles as I rode his back. He is power in human form.

Even last night, the way his body shone in the moonlight, and how it dipped over his muscles, creating shadows that highlighted all his perfection. Heat pools in my lower belly, and I dip as my knees give for a moment. Hands encircle my sides, a soft energy moving over me, and I lift my eyes from Beck to find Beth helping me stand.

“Are you okay, dear?” Her voice is full of concern as her eyes rake over me.

“Not feeling too great,” I say as my eyes glance over to find Beck again, drawn to watching him move with the fluidity of a perfect wave. He’s beautiful and powerful, both calming and raging all at once. “Maybe it’s something I ate.”

Beth clicks her tongue. “Perhaps. What’s feeling off?”

I bring my eyes back to her despite everything in me screaming to focus on Beck. “It’s like there’s this ball in my stomach that won’t go away.”

“You’ve been through a lot,” Beth says gently. “Maybe you need more rest.”

“No,” I say quickly, glancing between her and Beck before settling on watching him fight Logan again. I don’t miss the small smirk on her face, though. My body flushes. “I want to stay and watch… I want to watch him.”

Whoa. It was like my mouth had a mind of its own for a second. Where is this need coming from? I’ve never needed to be around anyone. If anything, I’m more comfortable away from people. But Beck…he’s different.

A menacing growl echoes through the air as a black blur jumps from beside me, landing in the center of the clearing, making Beck and Logan break apart. It’s Alejo in his wolf form, the hair on his neck standing on end as he growls deeply, baring his teeth, saliva dripping from his mouth as he stalks toward Beck.

A second before Beck growls, he smirks, and then he’s replaced by his golden wolf. As they circle each other, I can’t help but watch in awe. They’re both so…majestic and impossibly heart-stopping in their power.

Beck snarls, snapping at Alejo as his hackles too stand on end, and the heat in my stomach flows to my core, and I gasp at the sensations running through me as I watch them. I don’t want them to fight, but at the same time, I’m tingling with want for their strength, their passion…

Everything about the two of them draws me in like a moth to a flame. I want to watch them more, be near them more… It’s madness.

What the fuck is happening to me?