Two weeks had passed since I arrived in Silverpine. I'd gotten used to the life here and finally accepted the situation I was in.
Alex was a busy man given that he was running the pack with Adam's help but he'd find any time to come talk to me and see how I was doing.
He'd taken me out to dinner on three occasions. They were nice to be honest and Alex was a handsome guy, the most I'd ever seen but I was still new to all of this. Forced to love someone I don't know just because fate had paired us wasn't something I was going to dive into off the deep end.
If there was to be a chance between us he was going to have to do it the old fashioned way. I owed him that much.
Alex had told me at breakfast that he wanted to show me something at lunch.
"Mhhh warming up to him I see" Samantha said beside me.
"Oh shut up" I rolled my eyes "We're just friends and he just wants to show me something"
"Yah and Adam is my little brother," Samantha said and the entire room laughed.
"You may not feel the mate bond like we do but you'll be drawn to him. Like a moth to a flame" Adam said.
"Well this moth is being cautious" I said "I'm not trying to get burned"
"I wanna burn to a crisp" Said Jason, a member of the pack who was stuffing his face with food "You have no idea how lucky you are to have a mate. It's the jackpot of all jackpots "
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Not everyone is lucky enough to get one. So be grateful you found yours even if he's not human"
Yah easier said than done, my soulmate could transform into a wolf at will.
We finished breakfast with small talk going around the table.
After breakfast, Samantha took me to the training grounds. Apparently I was to witness how they fought and at least learn some basic self defense in case I ever needed it.
"It's important to learn how to protect yourself though I doubt Alex will ever let you get into a situation where you would use it. Either way it's always better to be prepared"
"Yah, I noticed over protective. Is Adam the same way"
"He was at first. Wouldn't let me do anything like I was a baby. But eventually he learnt to trust me that I could take care of myself although he would never allow me to go on a mission without him"
"You guys have missions, doing what exactly?" I asked.
"We track down tresspassers, supernaturals that are on our territory without any information. Rogue werewolves as well who kill humans for no reason or vampires as well"
"Like William, " I said.
"Yes, like William. It's important we hunt people like him before they have a chance to kill people. We'd been hunting William for two years till we caught up with him that night"
"And here we are"
"Exactly here we are, but that's how fate works. Without William coming to this town and attacking you, Alex would have never found you"
That made sense and it solidified the fact that soulmates exist.
We arrived at the training grounds and they weren't in any way I had imagined.
It was like a tiny mausoleum, a fighting pit.
On the stands people were cheering and laughing as two people fought in the pit.
A man and a woman.
The woman was smaller than the man but make no mistake she was as bulky as him with muscles that rippled with movement.
She closed the space between her and the man and he swung his fist towards her face but she ducked under the punch and let out her own straight to his gut with full force.
He doubled back clutching his side.
"Fuck Valerie, that hurt like shit" he said.
"What did you expect, it's a punch" she replied.
They circled each other before clashing again.
"Who are they?" I asked Samantha as we took a seat.
"Valerie and her mate Victor. They just got back from a mission last night"
"I didn't see them at breakfast this morning"
"They have a habit of waking up earlier than most people. They're addicted to exercise and fighting, the best to train you"
"Whaat?" I said wide eyed "I thought you were going to train me"
"I'd love to but I'd take it easy on you and you wouldn't learn anything. You need someone to toughen you up and they aren't afraid of Alex so they will" Samantha said with a laugh.
"Why would they be afraid of him?"
"Hurt someone's mate my dear and you will lose your head in the blink of an eye" she said her eyes glowing subtly" Thats how protective we are of each other. But don't worry you're in good hands"
"Yeah, thanks" I said, losing interest in the training.
I'd thought it would be running a couple of laps, some jumping jacks, maybe lifting weights. A bit of karate and jiu jitsu and I'd be set for anything. But it turns out I was going to fight gladiator style like the Romans.
"Hmmmpfff" I heard Valerie grunt as she landed hard several feet away from us.
Victor had thrown her like a ragdoll across the pit.
"Jesus, how much strength do you guys have?" I was astonished.
"Depends on the form we are in and of course training. In human form I could probably lift a horse easy but in lycan form probably a small car"
"You're lying" I said mouth wide open "You're pulling my leg"
"I'm dead serious," she said laughing.
"I don't believe you, prove it"
"With what? We don't keep horses on the compound"
"I don't know find something," I said.
"Okay stand up" she said as she got up dusting her hands.
I stood facing her then said "Now what?"
She held me by the waist and lifted me as if she was lifting a baby.
"Satisfied?" She asked.
"Not yet" I replied "You're strong but I expected that but there's no way you're lifting a horse let alone a car"
She put me down gently while laughing " Well you'll just have take my word for it, because others can lift even more. I was just telling you what I could do"
These people were dangers, more so than I initially thought. The strength to lift a horse meant they could do unimaginable damage without anyone knowing.
"Ahhh" Victor screamed "Babe! What the hell?"
"That's for throwing me," Valerie said with a smile.
"He's bleeding, is this part of the training?" I asked worriedly. There's no way I was going to risk getting cut.
"They're just fooling around" Samantha said "They like to play rough. It's their love language"
"Come one" Valerie said with a smirk "It's not like you don't like little claw action"
"That's in bed, and those aren't deadly. You almost nicked an artery " He said.
The crowd went "ohhhhhhhh" And my face went red. Where they always so open about their feelings and what they did behind closed doors.
"Don't be a sissy. It'll heal in a couple of seconds"
"Alright love birds I think that's enough" Samantha said standing.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh" Someone in the crowd said. I think it was Jason I couldn't see him "They were just getting started"
"This isn't porn Jason. Go look for other ways to get off"
"Pffff" Jason said as if sulking "People with mates will never understand" And everyone chuckled.
"Lizzy, follow me" Samantha said as she led me down the stairs towards the center of the mausoleum.
"Valerie, Victor" She called as she approached the couple "This is Elizabeth, Alex's mate"
"Well well well Alex finally found his mate, that's good. Hi I'm Valerie" She said, extending her hand.
"Elizabeth" I replied taking her hand "Pleasure to meet you"
"Likewise, and this baby here is my mate Victor"
"A pleasure" he said, shaking my hand.
"So" Valerie said turning to Samantha "I presume you want me to train her"
"You presume correctly"
"And why not do it yourself?" Valerie asked.
"Because you're the best trainer we have and you don't take it easy on anyone" She said looking at Victor's cut which was already healed.
"Yeah that's true" Victor said "She's come close to killing me more times than any other enemy we've went up against"
"That's because you never take it serious" She said, elbowing Victor in the gut but he caught her arm and twisted.
"And why would I do that? You know I won't hurt you"
"I know" she said before trying to knee him in his crotch but Victor caught her foot and now Valerie was in an awkward position.
"If you love birds are done with your mating dance"
He let her go and smiled.
"These two are always doing this" Samantha said "They'll even forget you're standing In front of them. If you don't intervene you might end up witnessing things that would blind you for life. Not even our healing could save you"
"Stop exaggerating " Victor said as he laughed at Samantha's statement " We don't get that far, do we?"
"You do" Jason shouted from the stand "All the time, and I love it"
"Shut up" Samantha said before turning to Victor "You see my point exactly"
"Point taken but what can I do? She's my mate, you understand don't you Elizabeth"
"Well not really" I said sheepishly.
"What do you mean?" Victor said.
" She's human, " Samantha said.
"Human?" Valerie said "I thought that was just the scent of someone who spent too much time around them. You're actually human. This complicates things"
"How so" I asked.
"I'll kil you. Werewolves are stronger than humans. The slightest punch could give you a concussion or worse kill you"
"But you need to train her," Samantha said.
"Look Sam, it's like you said. I don't hold back, if she's human I'll kill her. You should find someone else"
"I could train her" Victor said "I can hold back"
"And what will I be doing when you're training her?" Valerie asked surprised Victor would offer to train her.
"I don't know, maybe give me pointers on what to do. You could advise her you don't necessarily have to physically train her"
"Ahhhh" Valerie said with a sigh "Fine we'll train her, but if she fails to keep up then we'll have to stop"
"Agreed" Samantha said.
And just like that I'd been assigned two trainers who might kill me given their twisted version of foreplay one could only guess how brutal their training was going to be.