Chapter 14

_Anya's POV_

A soft knock woke me before sunrise.

For a few seconds, I stayed under the blanket, confused and heavy with sleep. The room was still dark. Then the knock came again.

“Anya,” Alpha Jacob’s voice said through the door. “Get up.”

My heart gave a strange jump inside my chest.

It was too early for anyone to be knocking on my door. For one foolish second, I thought I was still in Silvercrest and that Talia or one of the maids had come to drag me out for work before dawn. The fear rose fast out of old habit but it faded just as quickly when I heard his voice again.

“Do not make me come in there and pull the blankets off you.”

Maya stirred inside me at once.

She sounded amused. He would enjoy that too much.

Heat rushed to my face. I pushed the blanket aside, got out of bed and opened the door a little.

Alpha Jacob was standing outside already dressed for training. He looked far too awake for that hour. His black shirt fit close across his chest and shoulders and his dark hair looked slightly damp.

His eyes moved over me once. “You look terrified.”

“I look half asleep.”

“That too.”

I frowned. “Why are you here?”

“To wake you.”

“That part I understood.”

A low laugh left him. “Get dressed. You are training with me.”

I blinked. “Now?”

“Yes. Now.”

“It is still dark.”

“It will not be dark for long.” His gaze stayed on mine. “Move, little wolf.”

That name again.

It should not have affected me the way it did. It was only a teasing nickname. Still, warmth slid through me before I could stop it.

Maya noticed at once. You like when he calls you that.

No, I do not.

Liar.

I tightened my hold on the door. “Give me a few minutes.”

Alpha Jacob leaned one shoulder against the wall. “I will wait.”

My eyes widened. “Outside?”

He lifted one brow. “Would you rather I wait inside?”

“No.”

“Then outside it is.”

I shut the door before he could see how flustered I was.

I washed my face quickly, changed into the training clothes that had been left for me and tied my hair back. When I opened the door again, Alpha Jacob straightened at once. His gaze moved over me more slowly this time.

“You took long enough,” he said.

“I was asleep.”

“You still look sleepy.”

“I am.”

“Good. Then maybe you will complain less.”

I stared at him. “You woke me before sunrise just to annoy me?”

“No. I woke you before sunrise to train you. Annoying you is simply a bonus.”

I rolled my eyes. “You are impossible.”

“And yet here you are.”

A small smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. He noticed right away.

Then he turned. “Come on.”

I followed him through the quiet halls of the pack house. A few servants were already awake. They bowed when Alpha Jacob passed and looked at me with curiosity.

When we stepped outside, the cold morning air brushed my skin. The sky was still dark blue but pale silver stretched low along the horizon.

As we crossed the yard, I heard the sounds of training ahead. There were voices, footsteps and wood striking wood.

“The training grounds,” I said.

Alpha Jacob nodded.

The field came into view as we got closer. Warriors were already there, moving through drills in pairs and groups. I slowed, expecting the Alpha to lead me there.

Instead, he walked straight past. I frowned and quickened my steps. “Alpha Jacob.”

He kept going. “Alpha."

“What?”

“We passed it.”

“I noticed.”

I stared at him. “Then where are we going?”

“To train.”

I pointed behind us. “That is the training ground.”

“For them,” he said.

I blinked. “For them?”

He glanced sideways at me. “Do you want to stand in the middle of that field while half my warriors watch you fall on your face?”

“I would not fall on my face.”

His brow rose.

I lifted my chin. “Probably.”

A low laugh escaped him. “That is what I thought.”

“I can train in front of people.”

“I know you can.” His voice softened a little. “But you do not have to.”

That answer took the fight out of me. He led me down a narrow path lined with trees. At the end of it was a smaller training space hidden from view. The ground was flat and worn from use. Wooden posts stood to one side and a rack of practice weapons rested nearby.

I looked around slowly. “This is yours.”

His mouth curved. “Sharp this morning, are we?”

“You brought me to your private training space.”

“And?”

“And now I am wondering if I should be worried.”

He stepped a little closer. “Are you?”

I swallowed. “Maybe.”

“Good. A little fear can be useful in training.”

Maya sounded amused.

He likes making you nervous.

Yes, I noticed.

He picked up two wooden training sticks and tossed one at me without warning. I barely caught it.

His expression turned smug. “See? You definitely needed private lessons.”

I glared at him. “You could have warned me.”

“Where would be the fun in that?”

Then he faced me properly. “Stand.”

“I am standing.”

“Properly.”

Before I could answer, he stepped behind me. My breath caught. His hand settled lightly on my shoulder. The other closed around my wrist.

“Relax,” he said.

I tried but failed.

His thumb brushed the inside of my wrist as he adjusted my grip. Then his hand moved to my waist and turned me slightly.

A shiver ran through me.

“Your body is too tense,” he murmured.

“That is because you are standing too close.”

A quiet laugh touched my ear. “I have not even started yet.”

Heat flooded my face.

He stepped away and moved in front of me again. “Show me your stance.”

I did.

He made a face.

I scowled. “Do not do that.”

“Do what?”

“Look at me like I am hopeless.”

“You are not hopeless. Only very untrained.”

“That was not kind.”

“I was not trying to be kind.”

“No. You were trying to be annoying.”

“That comes naturally.”

In spite of myself, I laughed.

Training started with simple things. Foot placement. Balance. Grip. Breathing. The Alpha was patient but not gentle. If I made a mistake, he corrected it at once. If I rushed, he made me do it again.

“Again,” he said.

“I already did it five times.”

“And badly, all five times.”

“That is rude.”

“That is accurate.”

We moved into blocks and dodges after that. Alpha Jacob came at me with controlled strikes, fast enough that I had to pay attention but never hard enough to hurt me.

“Watch my shoulders,” he said. “Not the weapon.”

“I am watching.”

“No. You are panicking.”

“I am not panicking.”

“You are absolutely panicking.”

“I am not.”

He struck again. I blocked too late and stumbled back.

“That,” he said calmly, “was panic.”

Later, he stepped behind me again and adjusted my shoulders with both hands. My body went stiff at once.

He felt it. “Anya.”

“What?”

“You keep locking up whenever I touch you.”

I stared straight ahead. “That is your fault.”

“My fault?”

“You always do it without warning.”

“Would you like me to announce it first?” His voice dropped lower. “Anya, I am about to put my hand on your waist now. Prepare yourself.”

I turned my head enough to glare at him. “That is not funny.”

“It is a little funny.”

Then he placed his hand on my waist anyway and shifted my balance. My pulse jumped so hard that I was sure he could feel it.

“Breathe,” he said near my ear.

I inhaled sharply. “Not like that.”

“Then how?”

His mouth curved. “Like you want to survive.”

When he stepped away, he picked up his own training stick. “Now we fight.”

I tightened my grip. “I thought we were already fighting.”

“No. So far I have only been trying to stop you from embarrassing yourself.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You are very lucky I cannot beat you yet.”

“Yet?”

I lifted my chin. “I like to be ambitious.”

His smile deepened. “Good. Show me.”

We moved around each other slowly at first. Then he struck. I blocked. He turned. I stepped back. He came again. He was faster than me but careful too. He pushed just enough to force me to improve.

I missed a step and nearly slipped. He caught my forearm at once.

“Careful.”

“I was careful.”

“You were distracted.”

“By what?”

His eyes dropped briefly to my mouth before lifting to mine again. “You tell me.”

My breath caught.

We kept going but my focus was worse now. Every time he stepped close, I noticed. Then, he turned my weak strike aside, caught my wrist and pulled me forward before I could recover.

My body collided lightly with his. For one second, neither of us moved.

His hand was wrapped around my wrist. My free hand had landed against his chest. I could feel the hard line of muscle beneath his shirt.

Alpha Jacob looked down at me. “You are distracted.”

Maybe it was the training. Maybe it was the early hour. Maybe it was the way he kept watching me like he knew exactly what he was doing.

Whatever it was, the answer slipped out before I could stop it.

“Maybe you are distracting.”

His brows lifted slightly. Then his mouth curved. “Well, you are being honest.”

I should have stepped back. Instead, I stayed where I was. He loosened his hold but he did not let me go.

“Alpha Jacob,” I said and my voice came out softer than I wanted.

“Yes?”

“You are not fighting fairly.”

“I never said I would.”

With his free hand, he tipped my chin up. That simple touch stole what little breath I had left.

Everything around us seemed to fade. There was only him. Only the heat of his body. Only the look in his eyes.

“You are trembling,” he said.

“I am tired.”

He gave me a look that said he did not believe me at all.

Maya’s voice turned soft. You want him to kiss you.

No.

Liar.

Alpha Jacob’s hand slid from my chin to the side of my neck. His touch was light and far too intimate.

“If I kiss you,” he said quietly, “will you run from me again?”

My breath caught. He was giving me a choice. I knew that. I should have stepped back. I should have said something safe. Instead, I stood there looking at him, feeling my heart beat harder and harder.

“I do not know,” I whispered.

His eyes darkened. “That,” he murmured, “sounds like permission.”

Before I could answer, he kissed me. His lips were warm and firm. My mind went blank.

Then he kissed me a little deeper and something inside me gave way. I kissed him back.

A low sound rose in his throat. His other hand moved to my waist and pulled me closer. The wooden stick slipped from my fingers and landed in the dirt but I barely noticed. My hands lifted on their own and caught the front of his shirt.

Maya sounded unbearably pleased. Finally.

I should have been horrified. I should have pushed him away. I should have remembered every reason this was dangerous.

But I did not stop him. I did not pull away. Instead, I leaned closer. When he finally pulled back, I was breathing too fast.

His forehead almost touched mine. His hand was still warm on my waist and his eyes were fixed on my face.

I stared at him, too stunned to speak.

I had kissed him back. Not only that. I had liked it.

The realization struck so suddenly that my whole body went still.

Oh Goddess.

I had enjoyed kissing Alpha Jacob.