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Well, that’s something I’m not ready to face.
Fine. I’m here to discover who I can become.
“Up!” Zane barks, his voice filled with authority. My legs react before I can even process the command, and I jolt up to my feet in an instant. “At ease.”
I look around to figure out what I’m supposed to do. Everyone places their arms behind their back and spreads their legs.
“Your why is crucial,” Master Zane states firmly as he paces back and forth at the front of the room. “In times of adversity and challenges, your why anchors you. Today, you each brought a why that pushed you through those doors. By the end of this session, we will refine that why to transcend your ego.” He pauses as I roll that through my head. “Look to the person beside you. You will partner up with them for the duration of class.”
They are all children, and the one beside me already walked off with another small creature.
“Ma’am.” Master Zane is in front of me. How did he move that fast? I blink at him. “I will be your partner today.”
I nod, swallowing my nerves. He’s hot all right, and he’s an alpha—all the things I avoid. In order to overcome my past, though, I need to be able to work with alphas.
Summoning courage from deep within my bowels, I take a leap of faith. As I face Master Zane, my heart pounds in my chest, a mix of fear and excitement coursing through me. This is it, I think. The first step towards reclaiming myself.
11
ZANE
She’s exhausted, relentless, and fascinatingly stubborn. Sweat drips down Aria’s face, stinging her eyes as her long-sleeved shirt clings to her soaked skin. The pungent scent of body odor, mixed with the occasional whiff of orange and vanilla, creates an almost dizzying contrast, masking her true essence. It makes my mouth water. It also means she’s hiding something. I don’t like secrets, and considering my entire pack is obsessed with her, it’s up to me to uncover them.
As Aria walks away to grab a sip of water, wiping sweat from her brow, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. Her movements during our spar were too fluid, too instinctive for a beta. And that scent... there’s an underlying sweetness that doesn’t quite fit. I shake my head, pushing the thought aside. No, it couldn’t be. But the doubt lingers, a persistent whisper I can’t quite silence.
One problem—I see her appeal.
And it obliterates everything else until my whole focus is her. Until, I can’t even think straight.
She isn’t just attractive, she’s beautiful both inside and out. She’s thoughtful, watching every move I show her with a little wrinkle in her brow. Her skin is clean and clear, almost as if she glows from within.
She is also purposely dimming herself, which pisses me off. I can’t help but feel a kinship with her struggle. It reminds me of the days I spent fighting my own demons, trying to find my place and purpose.
“Again,” she wheezes from the mat, her voice barely audible. Despite the word, she stares at the ceiling, lying motionless. In her mind, Aria sees flashes of her past—the helplessness, the fear. Each ‘again’ is a step away from that, a defiant shout against her demons. She blinks hard, pushing the memories away. Not today. Today, she becomes stronger.
Crossing my arms, I hover above her. I ended class an hour ago. It was the only class we have on Sunday mornings, and usually, this is my time to practice. If she were any other visitor, I’d feel annoyed at her insistence to practice, and yet something about Aria intrigues me, and not just because my pack is obsessed with her.
“Enough. Your body’s screaming for rest, even if you won’t listen to it.” I crouch down at her side, fighting the urge to touch her. Her hazel eyes sweep to me. She fascinates and frustrates me in equal measure. Why does she push herself so hard, and why do I care so much? “You remind me of myself, always pushing past the limits and trying to prove something, but even the strongest need rest.”
“No way.” She shakes her head, dislodging pale pink strands of hair. “I’m not stopping until I nail this. Again.” Her hands slap the mat, and she pushes upright, determination wrinkling her brow all over again.
I don’t move, choosing instead to study her, watching as she sits there. She’s stubborn, which tells me a lot. I’ve had this dojo for nearly five years. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go, and while many of my students are younger, needing something to exhaust their energy, there are a select few that are all the same.
My stomach clenches at my suspicions. Women who seek out my help are here because they have no other choice and use this to regain control. There’s more to it, especially for Aria, but I’ll figure her out. I just need time.
“Your reason. Now. And don’t even think about lying to me,” I rumble, barely holding back my impatience. She’s pushing herself too far.
Her hazel eyes lock onto mine, a mischievous glint in them. “What has you all riled up?”
“At the beginning of class, I asked for your why,” I remind her sharply, standing my ground as she leans closer. It takes everything in me not to get distracted by her presence. “Spit it out.”
She lets out a snort before bursting into laughter and casually stretching her neck. “Oh, that again.” She chuckles, effortlessly redirecting the conversation. I just glare at her, refusing to acknowledge a bullshit answer. “It’s not something I like to talk about,” she admits with an eye roll, her voice softer. “It’s…personal.”
One of these days, she is going to roll her eyes at me and I’m going to kiss her as I demand she keeps them locked on me. I feel the tension building between us, but she seems unfazed. As she faces me, trying to shift gears, I realize she’s playing a game. Well, two can play at that.
“All right, stubborn one,” I concede, straightening up and readying myself. “One more round. But remember, I set the rules here.”
Aria mirrors my stance, determination etched in every line of her body. Her exhaustion is palpable, but there’s a fire in her eyes that won’t be extinguished. A part of me, the alpha part, hopes like hell she never loses that, yet another part of me wants her fire to die just a little so my pack loses interest.
