The clang of swords rang out across the training grounds the next morning. Abigail kept her distance, crouched near the fence with a pail of water and a rag. She was tasked with cleaning the warriors' gear once practice ended, but for now, she tried to make herself invisible. The crisp air carried the scent of sweat, steel, and pine scents that reminded her just how small she was in a world built on strength.
Steve moved like a storm at the center of it all. His strikes were precise, his commands sharp, his dominance unquestionable. The pack's Alpha was every bit the leader they needed: fierce, unyielding, and impossible to ignore. Abigail dared not look at him for long, yet her eyes betrayed her, flicking back to him when she thought no one noticed. His power both awed and terrified her.
"Come on, Adrian! Keep your stance up," Steve barked as he sparred with his younger brother.
Adrian laughed, lighthearted even as he stumbled back under Steve's relentless strikes. "Not all of us are obsessed with perfection, brother."
The warriors chuckled, and even Abigail felt a small smile tug at her lips. Adrian had that effect making the air lighter, softer. She admired how he never seemed afraid of his brother's intensity. Where Steve was steel, Adrian was sunlight.
The match ended with Steve disarming his brother in a swift, decisive motion. He tossed Adrian's sword aside with a grunt. "You'll never win if you keep treating battle like a game."
"And you'll never relax if you keep treating life like a war," Adrian replied, dusting himself off. He winked at Abigail on his way past the fence, as if the whole exchange had been for her benefit.
Abigail's cheeks burned. She dropped her gaze, pretending to scrub the handle of a discarded blade. Her heart fluttered, a dangerous rhythm she tried to ignore.
But Steve noticed. His eyes followed Adrian's playful glance toward Abigail, and a knot tightened in his chest. His wolf snarled beneath the surface, a primal growl of possession he struggled to contain. Mine, the beast hissed, though Steve clenched his fists to silence it.
When the warriors dispersed, Adrian strolled casually toward Abigail, his easy grin still in place. "You always seem to work harder than anyone else," he said, leaning on the fence. "One day, you'll wear yourself thin."
Abigail froze, unsure if she should respond. "I… I have to," she whispered, clutching the rag tighter. "If I don't, someone will notice."
"Let them notice," Adrian replied, his tone playful but his eyes kind. "It's their shame, not yours."
The warmth of his words made her throat tighten. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had spoken to her like that. For a moment, she felt the world tilt toward possibility.
But the moment shattered when Steve's shadow fell across them. His towering frame blocked the sunlight, his eyes cold and sharp as they landed on his brother.
"Adrian," he said, his tone edged with authority. "I need to speak with you. Now."
Adrian straightened, glancing at Steve with a raised brow. "Is it urgent? I was just....."
"Now," Steve repeated, his voice low but brimming with warning.
The warriors nearby pretended not to notice, but the tension between the brothers rippled through the air. Adrian gave Abigail an apologetic half-smile before following Steve a few steps away.
Abigail ducked her head, pretending to polish the same blade though her hands trembled. She could feel Steve's anger radiating even from a distance.
"You will stay away from her," Steve growled under his breath, his tone so quiet only Adrian could hear.
Adrian blinked. "From who? Abigail? She's just..."
"She's not just anyone," Steve snapped, his wolf's possessiveness leaking through. "And you know it."
Realization flickered in Adrian's eyes. His grin faded, replaced with something sharper. "Ah. So that's what this is. You've felt the bond."
Steve's jaw clenched. His wolf growled again, clawing at the edges of his control. But he refused to admit it not to Adrian, not to anyone. "This isn't your concern. Just keep your distance."
Adrian studied him for a long moment before chuckling softly, though there was no humor in it. "You're so quick to deny what's right in front of you. But you can't hide forever, brother."
Steve turned away, unwilling to answer. His chest burned with frustration at his brother's audacity, at his own weakness, at the girl who had no right to stir such feelings in him.
Abigail, unaware of their words but sensing the storm in the air, kept scrubbing the blade until her fingers ached. She didn't understand why the Alpha's presence made her heart pound, or why Adrian's kindness felt both comforting and dangerous. She only knew that once again, she was caught in a web far bigger than herself.
When Steve finally dismissed the warriors and strode back toward the pack house, his gaze flicked to Abigail one last time. His eyes were unreadable, a mix of ice and fire that left her breathless.
Adrian lingered behind, offering her a small, reassuring smile. "Don't mind him," he whispered. "That's just Steve's way of pretending he doesn't care."
Abigail clutched the rag in her hand, her heart torn between confusion and fear. She didn't know what to believe. All she knew was that the Alpha's jealousy had stirred something dangerous and she was standing right at the center of it.