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Silas
The sun glared down on the field as the Enforcers prepared for the first day of training.
Teaching the female pack members to fight was a tall order, and all hands were on deck.
We would test them for balance, reflexes, endurance, and strength today. It was a substantial task but a necessary one if we wanted to get them through the basics as quickly as possible.
The point wasn’t to make them elite fighters. With our time dwindling, I’d settle for ensuring they could keep themselves as safe as possible during confrontations.
“How do you expect it to go today?” Valor asked, crossing his arms as we watched the females file in.
“I don’t have any expectations.”
“Smart,” he said, nodding in agreement.
“Does it bother you that Brielle has to sit this one out?”
He grunted, tipping his chin to the stands where Brielle sat with Isolde. “I’m lucky. My mate can handle herself in a fight, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want her here. Are you worried for Myla?”
Yes. I was.
I didn’t want to hide her away, but my mate was tender-hearted and delicate, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would training be too hard? Would she get hurt?
Who was I kidding? Of course she would get hurt. That was inevitable in combat training when pushing one’s body to its limits.
The fact remained that it was better to let her suffer minor injuries in training than to subject her to a worse fate at the hands of someone who wanted to harm her.
“It’s good for all the females to be here. We should have done this sooner.”
Valor gave me a knowing look. “Doesn’t make it easier to watch.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
Bowen was in the field, directing the females into rows for the first skills test—a run. They weren’t aware, but we had no destination in mind. We would push them until only one remained, noting each time the herd thinned and marking their miles.
In a fight for survival, outlasting one’s opponent could determine the outcome.
Enforcers stood on the edges of the group, and I walked to the front, taking my place behind Valor.
I spotted Myla’s mass of golden curls next to Blythe.
A whisper of nerves floated down the bond, and I pushed feelings of reassurance to her before refocusing on the commander.
Alaric surveyed the field, hands clasped behind his back.
His voice rang over the field as he spoke. “The first assessment is simple—we are going to run. There will be no slowing down and no water until you forfeit. When you can’t run any further, stand to the side until an Enforcer directs you back to the main field. Enforcers, you are to stay with your assigned rows. Squad leaders will handle the rest.”
The Enforcers shouted, “Yes, sir!”
“All right, ladies. Your first test begins now.”
As always, Alaric jogged at the helm. It was one of the things the Enforcers respected most. He would never ask us to do something he wouldn’t do himself.
The run gave us some encouraging results. The females proved to have good endurance for never having trained. But as we moved on to other exercises, we could clearly divide the group into three sections—our first, second, and third waves.
The first wave needed the most work. These females lacked coordination and balance and needed to build muscle and endurance. Our goal was to strengthen the first wave and teach them to use perception and aversion techniques to escape dangerous situations.
The second wave was slightly better. They were naturally coordinated and swift on their feet. They also possessed a fair level of endurance. We would sharpen those skills and engage them in more active defense and beginner counterattacks.
