Malia’s POV
I helped wash the dishes and was already thinking about where to nap hard when Ronan announced that we should go to the training field.
I gave him my best puppy-eye look. “I think I’ll take a nap instead.”
“Tell that to your personal trainer,” he said and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
He rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about the agreement between you and the Gamma, Lucien.”
My eyes widened as I came to the realization. “Oh. That’s true. But the last time we met, he was very mad at me so I don’t think he’s going to want to continue with my training.”
“Well, I don’t think he’s still mad. And besides he just reacted that way because of what he was going through.”
I frowned and stomped my feet on the ground like a little kid wishing he was still mad at me so I would be able to sleep as much as I wanted.
Ronan stared at me with a smirk. “You look like a teddy bear. No one would take you seriously if they saw you on the battlefield.”
I smacked him playfully on the arm. “It’s just because of how I’m dressed at the moment.”
I groaned inwardly as I thought of the stress of changing into something else. I couldn’t go to the training field dressed like that.
“I have to get to my room first to take off these clothes and put on something more suitable,” I said to him and he nodded in agreement.
We left his chambers and when we were nearly halfway to my room he swept me off my feet.
I shrieked in surprise and asked him to put me down but he claimed I was walking too slow for his liking.
He didn’t put me down, not even when we got to the front of my door and I silently prayed that Ryder wouldn’t choose that moment to appear.
Luckily for me, he didn’t and Ronan carried me all the way to my closet. He set me down and I arched an eyebrow when he made no attempt to give me some privacy.
“Do I have to tell you to excuse me?” I asked and he smirked before leaving. I closed the door and I thought I heard him chuckle.
Whatever.
I changed into a sports outfit and walked out of the closet.
He arched an eyebrow when he noticed my untied shoelaces.
“You can help me. Don’t just sit there,” I said and he rolled his eyes.
“You’re lucky I have a soft spot for you,” he said as he bent to work on the shoelaces.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to misuse it. I wouldn’t want that spot to go hard,” I replied.
He straightened and I could see the mischievous gleam in his eyes.
“What?” I asked with my eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.
“Nothing. It’s just that I can think of another spot you would want to go hard. I think it’s even on its way there,” he replied in his low baritone.
My eyes travelled on their own accord to the slight bulge in his pants.
What the hell!
“You really need to get laid,” a voice in my head said and I agreed.
He chuckled and I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
“We should get going,” I said and made my way towards the door. He burst out laughing and I nearly turned back to smack him on the head.
I slammed the door hard and walked down the hallway without bothering to wait for him.
He had longer legs anyway so he caught up with me.
“You look so cute when you’re mad,” he said.
“You’d do well to keep your mouth shut if you still want to keep your head,” I threatened.
To my annoyance, he laughed. “Colour me threatened, Malia.”
I didn’t say a word to him until we reached the training field.
Lucien looked annoyed and he glanced pointedly at his wristwatch.
“He’s all yours,” Ronan said with an amused tone and left me all alone to face the tiger.
“You’re late,” he announced without preamble and I had to remind myself that I wasn’t supposed to scowl at him.
“I’m so sorry. I had to attend to something really important.”
He scoffed. “If you want to become a great soldier, you should know that your training comes first. Not food, not your outfit or your hair, not even a man. So make up your mind.”
“You forgot to add sleep,” Derek who was not too far from us called out. I turned to give him a glare and he grinned.
“Grab a weapon kid,” Lucien barked and I nearly corrected him that I was an adult.
We sparred for about an hour straight until my arms turned jelly and my weapon slipped to the ground.
“We’re not done yet, Malia,” he drawled when I plopped down on the ground.
I released a sigh of frustration and tried to get to my feet. I swayed where I stood and Lucien scoffed.
“Be here by eight tomorrow morning. We’re going to start with strength training. You desperately need it.”
He turned on his heel and left before I could say a word. I began to regret allowing him train me in the first place. A part of me thought he was trying to get me killed.
“Wow, you look stunning,” Ronan said as he plopped down beside me.
I ignored him because I didn’t even have the strength for a retort.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’d get used to it. Lucien is nothing if not brutal when it comes to training his soldiers.”
“Has anyone ever died during training before?” I had to ask. He burst out into fits of laughter. I guess he thought my question was funny.
“You’re not going to die, Lia. You’ll become stronger over time. Just trust the process,” he replied.
“I just hope that I don’t die in the process,” I murmured. He laughed and got to his feet, then offered to help me up. I took his hand and got up.
“Let’s get you home,” he said and suddenly swept my feet off the ground.
This time, I didn’t complain. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to walk all the way to the palace without some form of assistance.
Ronan chuckled at my lack of protest and walked out of the training grounds with me in his arms.
I guess I must have slept off because I woke up on my bed still in my sweaty outfit.
I rolled out of bed and decided that it was high time I changed the sheets.
I was thankful that at least Ronan hadn’t tried to get me out of my dirty clothes.
I took off my clothes and hurried to the bathroom for a much-needed shower.
While I was bathing, I realized that I hadn’t seen Penelope all day and wondered what she was up to.
I finished bathing and donned a comfortable pair of slacks and a blouse and went in search of my friend, Penelope, and of course, a hot meal also.
The kitchen was a busy hive when I arrived and I wondered what the occasion was.
I found Penelope, or rather, she found me and pulled me aside.
“I haven’t seen you all day,” I said and thought I sounded like a worried boyfriend.
“You’ve not been available as well,” she replied as she drew out a chocolate bar from her pocket.
“What’s going on? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this number of servants before in the kitchen.”
Penelope gave me a strange look.
“What now?” I asked.
“I can’t believe that you aren’t aware that the mating ceremony is held every year on this day,” she replied.
“Oh. How did I forget about that? It’s the same for my former pack,” I said.
“It’s the same for every pack,” she returned dryly.
I smiled as I realized something. “So are you excited about finding your mate today?” I queried and she snorted.
“I don’t think my mate is in this pack because we’ve had many mating ceremonies over the years and we still haven’t found each other,” she answered.
“Tonight might be different. I can feel the magic in the air,” I grinned.
She scoffed. “You who few minutes ago, didn’t know about the mating ceremony, can now feel the magic in the air. How amazing.”
I giggled just at the same time my stomach growled.
She rolled her eyes and I giggled even harder.
“Just wait here. I’ll get us something to eat and then we’ll go to your room.”
“How are you going to slip out of this kitchen when the others are working? Mary’s not going to let that happen,” I said.
I looked up and found that Mary was glaring at us.
I tried not to grin.
“Don’t look but she’s scowling at us as we speak.”
“Do not worry, Malia. I’m going to leave this kitchen and she’s not going to know when it happens.”
I nodded.
True to Penelope’s word, we left the kitchen a few minutes later armed with a tray of food.
We burst into laughter immediately after we made it to our room.
“Mary’s not going to let this slide.”