Adrian
The next day, the sun was barely up when I headed to the training grounds with my friends. We were sparring, honing our skills, and pushing each other to our limits. In the midst of a particularly intense training session, our pack beta, Daniel, joined us and signalled for us to form our usual circle.
“Adrian, Jake, step forward. It’s time to test your fighting skills,” Beta Daniel said. Jake shot me a smirk as we moved to the centre of the training grounds.
Jake was always a bit of a jerk, constantly boasting about his strength and making snide remarks about how I was only in my position because I was the alpha’s son. His words often grated on my nerves, but as usual, I did my best to ignore him.
I don’t like boasting or displaying my full strength, regardless of my alpha lineage, because I possess inherent strength that surpasses everyone on the training ground, owing to the chief spirit judge residing within me. This spirit enables me to perform supernatural feats. I consciously hold back, using only a fraction of my power to avoid causing harm. However, there has always been an undercurrent of competition, especially with Jake.
“Finally, a chance to show everyone who the real alpha should be,” Jake taunted. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my wolf from snapping his neck in half.
“It’s just a training session, Jake,” I replied with a tight-lipped smile.
He laughed, a harsh sound that grated on my nerves. “Yeah, sure, it’s just a training session. But let’s make it interesting.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a mocking whisper. “Anna’s pretty hot, you know.
My blood boiled at his disrespectful words, and I lowered my eyebrows, squinting my eyes at him. “Watch your mouth, Jake.”
“Or what? You’ll cry to Daddy? Face it, Adrian. You’re only here because of your bloodline. You don’t deserve this.” He spat, and I gritted my teeth tightly.
“And don’t tell me you don’t like Anna anymore. I’ve seen the way you look at her. You’ve got a crush on your own sister,” he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my temper in check, as I raised my hands to point at him and warn him. Daniel walked in between us, cutting through the tension.
“Enough talking. Let’s see some action.” Jake and I squared off, circling each other. His smirk never left his face, and I could see the arrogance in his eyes. He lunged first, a powerful but predictable move. I dodged, countering with a swift punch that connected with his jaw. The sound of it breaking was like music to my ears, quenching my earlier anger.
He staggered back, wiping blood from his lip, his smirk replaced by a snarl. “Lucky shot,” he spat, charging at me again with renewed fury.
We exchanged blows, each hit fueled by a mix of adrenaline and pent-up emotions. Jake was strong, but his anger made him reckless. I focused on staying calm, using my training to anticipate his moves and exploit his weaknesses.
As the fight wore on, I could see the frustration building in Jake’s eyes. He swung wildly, and I sidestepped, delivering a precise kick to his ribs that knocked the wind out of him. He fell to the ground, gasping for breath, and it was my turn to smirk.
Daniel stepped in, raising his hand to signal the end of the fight. “That’s enough,” he said firmly. “Good work, both of you.”
Jake glared up at me from the ground, his pride clearly wounded. He looked down, avoiding my eyes and those of everyone else.
“This isn’t over,” he muttered under his breath, but the words lacked their usual venom. I extended a hand to help him up, trying to be the bigger person by showing some semblance of respect despite his attitude.
“Maybe next time, Jake.” He hesitated, then took my hand reluctantly. “Yeah, maybe.”
As he stood up, I turned to grin at my friends, who clapped me on the back, congratulating me on the win. About thirty minutes later, training was over, and I made my way back to the house, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
As I entered, I greeted my twin sisters, Abigail and Addison, who were huddled together on the couch, gossiping about their future mates.
“Hey, Adrian!” they chimed in unison, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Hey, you two. Don’t get into too much trouble,” I said with a smile, ruffling their hair as I passed by. They grumbled, slapping my hands away.
I grinned as I headed up to my room, eager to wash off the sweat and tension from the training session. As I walked in, I immediately started stripping off my clothes, ready for a much-needed shower. But as I tossed my shirt aside, I suddenly saw Anna sitting casually on my bed. I froze, my eyes widening in shock.
She looked bored as she flipped through a book. She glanced up, raising an eyebrow at my startled expression.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted out, trying to keep the shock from my voice. “And how did I not even smell you when I walked in?”
She smirked, setting the book aside. “Maybe you were too distracted by your little victory today.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, regaining my composure. “Seriously, Anna. What’s going on? Why are you in my room?”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “I was bored, and I thought I’d come by. Besides, I needed a change of environment; staying in my room all day is tiring.”
I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around her sudden presence. She doesn’t like invading other people’s personal space, nor does she like others invading hers. “You could’ve knocked, you know. Or at least let me know you were here.”
Anna rolled her eyes with a small smirk on her lips. “Relax, Adrian. It’s not like I haven’t seen you shirtless before.”
“That’s not the point,” I muttered, feeling a flush creep up my neck. “Just… give me a minute. I need to shower.” I spluttered, and she waved her hand dismissively. “Go ahead. I’ll be here.”
I grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom, my mind racing. How had she been there without my noticing?
I was usually so attuned to my surroundings, especially when it came to her. Shaking my head, I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the remnants of the day.
As the water cascaded over me, I couldn’t help but think about the look in Anna’s eyes and the way she seemed so at ease in my room. Yes, I knew I was someone she was comfortable with, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this, something I needed to understand.
Like I told her, my crush on her was over, and that was the truth.
Once I was done, I dried off and put on fresh clothes before heading back into my room. Anna was still there, lounging on my bed as if she owned the place. I sat down in a chair across from her, studying her carefully.
“So,” I began awkwardly, “what’s really going on, Anna? Why are you here?”
She looked at me for a long moment before finally speaking. “I just wanted to talk. About your fight with Jake.” My heart skipped a beat.
“What about it?”
“Do you really think I’m hot? Am I really worth fighting for?” She asked, her tone half-teasing, half-serious. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words.
“Anna, the fight with Jake wasn’t because of you but because of our training,” I said. She placed her hand on her heart, feigning hurt.
“So I’m not worth fighting for, then?” she asked, looking at me through her long lashes. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.
“Anna, you’re my sister. Whether we’re related by blood or not, that’s what you are to me. But yes, you’re beautiful. Anyone with eyes can see that.” She smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Thanks, Adrian. It feels good to hear that from you,” she said, standing up. I nodded and followed her lead.
We were about to head downstairs when the door to my room suddenly swung open. Hazel, the omega who had been on my mind more than I cared to admit, stood there, looking startled.
“Adrian, I-” she began, her eyes widening as she realised I wasn’t alone.
“I’m so sorry! I thought you were still out on the training ground.”
Anna’s eyes narrowed, her expression hardening. “Hazel, what do you think you’re doing, barging in here without knocking?”
Hazel’s face turned pale, her eyes darting between me and Anna. “I’m really sorry, Miss Anna. I didn’t mean to-”
I quickly stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Hazel’s shoulder.
“It’s okay, Hazel. No harm is done. I was just about to head downstairs anyway.”
Anna crossed her arms, her glare still fixed on Hazel. “Next time, make sure you knock. It’s basic respect.”
“Anna, it’s fine,” I said firmly, giving her a pointed look. “She made an honest mistake.”
Hazel nodded quickly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’m really sorry, Alpha Adrian. It won’t happen again.”
I offered her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it, Hazel. Just make sure to knock next time, okay?”
“Okay,” she mumbled, her eyes still downcast. “I’ll remember.” Anna looked at me with a disapproving expression, and I couldn’t understand why she didn’t like Hazel.
“Fine. Just be more careful next time.” Hazel nodded again and turned to leave, but I stopped her.
“Hazel, wait. Was there something you needed?”She looked up, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before darting away.
“I just came to tell you that your mother wants you to go to the tailor shop and try on your suit for the mating ball next week. She asked me to assist you.”I blinked, slightly taken aback.
“Assist me? At the tailor shop?” Hazel nodded, her hands fidgeting nervously. “Yes. She thought it would be helpful to have someone there to make sure everything fits perfectly.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” I said. “I guess we’ll head there now. Don’t worry, I will meet you downstairs.” Hazel gave a small nod, still looking a bit flustered, and quickly left the room, closing the door behind her. I turned back to Anna, who was watching me with an unreadable expression.
“What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You’ve got a thing for her, don’t you?” she asked with a frown playing on her lips.
I felt my cheeks warm slightly, but I kept my expression neutral. “She’s part of the pack. I care about all our members.”
“Uh-huh,” Anna said, clearly not convinced.
“Make sure you fuck her enough before the mating ball and get her out of your system. It shouldn’t be that hard; she’s just an omega who craves attention, and as an alpha, you can get any as much as you want ready to submit to you.” Anna hissed, then shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. My nose crinkled in disbelief.
I was honestly disgusted and disappointed by her words, and I didn’t hide it. She took me by surprise. I didn’t reply and only shook my head in disappointment before walking out of my room, leaving Anna standing there.
Why was I so surprised and expecting so much from her? She was a woman who had confidently rejected her mate just because he was an omega and a warrior of lower class. I couldn’t expect her to change overnight.