Liam brushed the dirt off his pants and stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders like he was already preparing for the next round. “Don’t go easy on me next time, alright? I can take it.”
“You say that now,” I said with a smirk, “but next time, I might not hold back.”
Mal hopped off the log, her expression filled with determination. “Alright, my turn again. I’ve been watching, and I think I know how to avoid that sweep.”
“You sure you’re ready?” I asked, eyeing her carefully. She nodded, her jaw set in a way that reminded me how far she’d come from the timid girl who couldn’t throw a punch on day one.
We reset in the center of the training area, and Mal raised her fists, her stance already showing improvement. Liam leaned against a tree, watching with interest, while Logan emerged from the cabin with his plate of pancakes in hand.
“This should be entertaining,” Logan said, leaning against the porch railing. “Mal’s got that look like she’s about to take someone down.”
I ignored him, focusing on Mal. “Alright, whenever you’re ready.”
Mal nodded, taking a deep breath before darting toward me. She feinted left, then pivoted right, trying to catch me off guard. Her speed was better, and her movements less telegraphed. I blocked her jab, then ducked as she aimed a strike at my head. She was getting faster, and I could tell she was thinking more strategically now.
“Good,” I said as I countered with a light jab toward her shoulder. She dodged, but the effort caused her to stumble slightly, and I swept her leg out from under her. She landed on the ground with a groan, slapping the dirt in frustration.
“Not bad,” I said, extending a hand to help her up. “You’re thinking ahead, which is great, but don’t overcommit to a move. Always be ready to adjust.”
Mal took my hand, brushing herself off as she stood. “I’ll get it,” she said, determination flashing in her eyes. “Just need more practice.”
Logan chuckled from his spot on the porch. “You’ve got more patience than I would, Audrey. If that were me, I’d be done after one round.”
“That’s because you’ve got an ego the size of a mountain,” Liam quipped, earning a glare from Logan.
“Please,” Logan shot back, taking another bite of his pancake. “The day you beat me in anything is the day I start taking your advice.”
“You two done?” I called over, raising an eyebrow. “Or should we start sparring with words now?”
Logan smirked but stayed quiet, and Liam shrugged, clearly amused. I turned back to Mal, who was already resetting her stance.
“Let’s go again,” she said, determination lining her face.
This time, her movements were sharper, her strikes more calculated. She managed to slip past my guard once or twice, landing light hits that didn’t do much damage but showed she was improving. After a few more rounds, we called it a break, all of us gathering near the porch.
Mal sat on the steps, chugging water from a canteen while Liam lounged in the shade, tossing his apple core aside. Logan had finally finished his pancakes and was leaning back, looking more relaxed than he had in days.
“Not bad, Mal,” Logan said, his tone almost approving. “You keep this up, and you might actually give Liam a run for his money.”
“Careful, Logan,” Mal replied, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “I might end up beating you one day too.”
Liam laughed, shaking his head. “I’d pay to see that.”
I leaned against the railing, wiping the sweat from my forehead as I surveyed the group. The training sessions were hard, but they were working. Everyone was getting stronger, more focused. It wasn’t perfect.
The group had just settled into a quiet five-minute break, the sounds of the forest filling the air as everyone caught their breath. Mal, sitting on the steps with her canteen in hand, had a distant look on her face, like she was mulling over something. Liam and Logan were too busy trading jabs-verbal this time-to notice, but I caught it.
“What’s on your mind, Mal?” I asked, leaning against the railing.
She hesitated, twisting the cap of her canteen nervously before looking up at me. “I was just wondering… does a person need to be, you know, mated to a wolf or have a parent who’s one to be… part wolf? Or part human?”
Liam stopped mid-sentence, raising an eyebrow, and Logan turned his full attention to Mal, his smirk fading.
“Not really,” I said slowly, narrowing my eyes. “Some people are born with it, sure, but others… well, they can be turned. Usually through a bite, but it’s not exactly a clean process. Why do you ask?”
Mal avoided my gaze, staring intently at the ground. “I know this might sound crazy,” she said, her voice almost a whisper, “but I was wondering if you could-”
“No way!” I shouted before she could even finish, my voice sharp and firm. Everyone flinched, and Mal’s eyes shot up to meet mine, wide and startled.
“You don’t even know what I was going to say,” she protested, her voice rising defensively.
“I know exactly what you were going to say,” I countered, stepping forward, my heart racing. “And the answer is no. Absolutely not.”
Mal stood up, squaring her shoulders. “Why not? You’re stronger, faster-look at what you can do! You’re practically unstoppable.”
“Stop right there,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. “You don’t understand what you’re asking for. This isn’t some quick fix, Mal. It’s dangerous. And it’s not just the bite-it’s what comes after. The change doesn’t just affect your body; it affects everything. Your mind, your emotions, your instincts. Once it’s done, there’s no going back.”
“I’m not afraid,” she said quietly, her voice steady despite the tension. “I just… I want to be useful. I don’t want to be the weak link anymore.”
“You’re not a weak link,” I said, my voice softening slightly. “You’ve come so far, Mal. Look at what you’ve done today. You don’t need to be a wolf to be strong.”