Chapter 2 - UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

Nalani’s POV

“Who are you?”

The voice in my dream was low, urgent, edged with something ancient and heavy. Shadows pressed in around me, thick and suffocating, the kind of dark that swallowed light whole. I couldn’t see his face, only the faint outline of broad shoulders and eyes that burned like embers in the void.

“That’s not important,” he said. “Listen to me. You must be careful.”

A chill raced down my spine. Careful of what? I opened my mouth to demand answers, but the words never came. The darkness shifted, coiled, and then… 

I was ripped awake.

Sweat soaked my skin, plastering my nightshirt to my back and chest. My sheets were twisted around my legs like ropes, binding me to the mattress. My heart hammered so hard I could feel it in my throat. For several long seconds I lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece the fragments together. A warning. A voice. Foreboding that clung to me like smoke.

The alarm shrieked from my nightstand.

“Shit.”

I bolted upright. The dream forgotten

I was late... again.

The last week had been a blur of self-pity, moping over Ryker, replaying his cruel words, the way he’d looked at me like I was something disposable. But enough was enough. Today I was done grieving a boy who never deserved me. Today I focused on one thing: becoming the first female warrior to ever win the tournament. No distractions. No excuses.

I stumbled into the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and reached for the small glass bottle my mother had pressed into my hand last week. “It’ll mask that odd scent of yours,” she’d said, worry creasing her brow. I spritzed it generously over my neck, wrists, and collarbone, it had a floral scent with an artificial sharpness that made my nose wrinkle. Better than the alternative. Whatever “weird” meant, I didn’t want to hear it whispered behind my back again.

Smith was going to talk my head off, I could already hear his no nonsense tone in my head. I could take a cab to the training centre or… I could run. My wolf perked up instantly at the thought of running wild in the forest. I stepped out the back door; the morning air crisp against my damp skin as I let the shift come slowly. A gentle warmth slowly emanated from within as my body began to shift, my bones cracked as they popped out and then back into position, my hands transformed into paws, my fingers merging into claws, painful for a heartbeat then exhilarating. I stretched out and shook my grey fur out.

 The world sharpened, and in a burst of speed, I sprinted forward, my paws barely touching the ground, as the wind ruffled my fur, I missed this feeling of being free and powerful. Every muscle sang with power, freedom, raw life as I ran through the forest easily, the path to the training field etched in my memory. I bust from the tree line ten minutes later, lungs burning pleasantly, coat gleaming with morning dew. Smith was waiting at the entrance arms crossed, expression thunderous.“You’re late” I shifted back in one fluid motion and accepted the dress he stretched out to me and put it on, nudity was a norm for us.

 “I know. Sorry” I smiled at him showing off my dimples which he seemed to admire a lot. He sighed in defeat and shooed me in as the other warriors had begun training.  

The training hall buzzed with activity, the air was thick with the smell of sweat and polished metal. There was a ring at its centre, sort of a boxing ring and to the side was a huge space where weapons of different sizes and types were kept for training. There were no restrictions to any weapon one wanted to use. I could see some familiar faces and other not so familiar ones.To my left, a group of spear wielders formed a circle, their movements’ fluid as they practiced intricate patterns. The sound of clashing steel and the thud of their spear shafts as it lodged right in the middle of the wooden target multiple times held me in awe.Along the far wall a man wielded a massive war hammer, it was so massive that I doubt I could even raise it, the warrior swung it in wide arcs practicing crushing blows. Elsewhere a pair of dagger wielding fighters danced across the floor. I was almost intimidated but nevertheless, I held my head high and strode confidently to an empty space, I ducked just in time before a sharp star weapon lodged in the opposite wall, I looked to the woman who threw it – Paula, the she-wolf every unmated male had a claim to, she smirked and continued her training. I huffed and walked two spaces away.

A glint caught my eye, high on the far wall hung a single sword no one had touched… sleek, curved blade, Japanese in style, deadly elegant. I crossed to it and picked it up letting my fingers glide on the blades sharp edge, it sliced through my skin drawing blood. I gasped, eyes widening in shock at its sharpness as I sucked the blood off my finger.“Majestic isn’t it? the katana” Smith strolled to stand beside me“Is that what it’s called?” I pulled my finger out of my mouth not really paying attention to him and just like I expected, the skin had knitted back together. I healed faster than a normal wolf. Always had.

He nodded. “Do you like it?” he had a speculative look as he watched me swing the sword to the left in a slicing manner and balancing it on my left and then right hand, it felt light just the perfect weight. Seeing the look I had on my face, like I just got my favourite toy, his face softened into a knowing smile. “Let’s see what you can do with it.” 

He trained me hard for the next hour… stances, footwork, strikes, counters. “Always assume the stance” he barked as I staggered backwards, his body weight holding me down, our swords held at a cross against each other, I shoved him off and with a swift motion struck but he countered it, his movements’ fluid. Sweat beaded on my brow but I kept my breathing steady and controlled. I paused for a minute and signaled for a break, I was so thirsty. I turned and was about to reach for my bottle placed on the bench when I felt time slow and a jolt of adrenalin, I reacted on instinct and propelled myself sideways as I felt the swoosh of the blade slice the air where my head had been, cutting several strands of my hair. A chill swept down my spine as I whipped around, my eyes shooting daggers at Smith. He extended a hand pulling me up.“Always stay sharp and expect the unexpected, remember the tournament has no rules.”

“That was too close” I muttered, heart still racing but I nodded. Thank the goddess for my fast reflex.

We trained longer and harder, then I took a break as I watched the others train, that was when I saw Ryker in the far ring, I scowled seeing him boxing with Sheila, he had her pinned, her leg locked in a vice grip as she struggled beneath him, Their bodies pressed close, sweat-slick, intimate. My stomach twisted. “I don’t need this right now” I growled under my breath, turning away and taking a long swig from my bottle to drown the sight and then I smelt it… that scent, the same one from the mating night. My wolf surged forward, whining with sudden, desperate need to submit. To be claimed. Overwhelmed. Heads bowed around me, the scent grew stronger.. closer. He was here behind me, walking towards me. My pulse stuttered into a frantic rhythm. 

Slowly, I turned. He stopped beside me… tall, impossibly broad, black curls falling across his forehead. Power rolled off him in waves. High ranked Alpha. Gold moon… definitely. Twice the size of any of the wolves here even in human form.“Do you mind sparring with me?” his deep voice resonated power and authority. My wolf whimpered… actually whimpered. 

She was never afraid, I swallowed hard forcing confidence back into my spine and nodded at him, I seem to have forgotten how to speak. Why did he pick me of all the people training here to spar with?High ranked Alphas were the strongest of all wolves and I was just a mere wolf, not even a warrior wolf yet. I looked at the intimidating man as he stood proudly now at the centre as a crowd had gathered instantly around us. From the sidelines, I caught Ryker’s and Shelia’s condescending and amused gaze.

“I like that you chose the Katana” the Alpha said, voice carrying effortlessly. “I could see you were entranced by its stunning craftsmanship”, he slashed the air with the sword he had picked. A ripple of raw power washed over everyone in its path. “Shit I can’t do this” I thought but I never backed down from anything especially not to an arrogant Alpha looking to prove dominance. He turned sharply catching my gaze, his black curly hair whipping across his face as he ran long fingers through to push it back.

“I like that you chose a weapon no one else did. I want to see your skills, you seem to have potential” he towered over me as he walked past to pick another weapon, his huge abs bulged as he picked a weapon, it had two wooden handles connected together by a chain.“I’ll use the nunchaku instead” he murmured, leaning close so only I could hear “and… it’s my first time”. I blinked. Liar. The way he swung them experimentally… fluid, burning speed… told a different story. I closed my eyes calming my heart beat and listening to the rhythm of everything around me and then I let out my breath. I looked at the crowd nervously catching the confident look of my trainer and the resentful one on Ryker’s she wolf.“I could do this’ I faced the Alpha as he swung the nunchaku over his shoulder in fluid movements in a blur, I was dumbfounded, it didn’t look like it was his first time of using it but oh well. I took the stance that Smith showed me earlier as the tension in the air rippled through me, and I assessed him. His muscles rippled beneath the black coloured shirt he had on.He moved towards me swiftly and before I could dodge the handle hit me and I fell to the floor dazed a little, I thought that would hurt more, he definitely wasn’t using his full strength.

 “Ok get into it” I gave myself a small pep talk as I got up and swung my sword holding it to my side with both hands. I darted towards him and swung towards his arm but he was quick to dart away, he swung his weapon and I deflected it with mine, the clash of metal echoing as we fought, we moved in perfect sync, each deflecting each other’s blow as the fight got heated, my muscles got weaker while he seemed not to even break a sweat. Swinging my sword in a deadly arc, he leapt over it in ease and wrapped the chain around my neck but I stopped it with my sword, he had me in a tight grip and then he whispered in my ears sending goose bumps all over my skin, “You are pretty good” I scoffed and tried to kick out his legs but he blocked it. Using all my strength I pushed and then dipped suddenly releasing myself which took him by surprise and then I swung my sword and he didn’t have enough time to react as it sliced through his cloth, everyone gasped and I stopped, wondering if I had cut him but he had only a big slash in his shirt, the sharp blade didn’t even touch him, I was truly disappointed. He smiled at me and then ripped off the torn shirt giving me a wonderful view of his manly chest, he had a birthmark on his right shoulder, a crescent moon, it reminded me of mine, a red full moon just above my breast, apart from the birthmark there was just skin, sun bronzed skin, I wonder what touching him would feel like, running my hands over his body into those long and curly hair as I held him while he… I blinked hard getting those thoughts out of my head, I was in the middle of a fight and here I was thinking of a hot Alpha, ahh!!!, he looked towards me all of a sudden as if sensing my thoughts and I closed my eyes reining my desire as it spiked. In two strides he was directly in front of me, “You’re good and I enjoyed sparring with you” he paused like he wanted to say something more but he didn’t and walked away.

“Are you ok” Smith handed me a bottle of water, his excitement barely comtained.

“Yh I am” everyone dispersed and I could see some give me hateful looks like while others were curious why a high ranked Alpha would sor with a nobody wolf like me. 

I ignored all and walked to the change room at the back, I needed to spray the perfume again as it had worn out from the fight and run earlier, I had just taken off my top when I felt him, the Alpha, I turned to him and saw him standing there, what was he doing here? 

I clutched the fabric to my chest, suddenly hyper-aware of my smaller breasts, my scent.

“I didn’t quite get your name earlier.”

“N… Nalani.”

Our gazes held.

Then something strange happened.

All of a sudden warmth bloomed inside me… it felt like electricity buzzing under my skin, alive, insistent.

His eyes flashed molten gold as my scent hit him fully. In a blur he had me pinned against the wall, gentle but unyielding. He pried the top from my fingers, baring my breasts to his gaze.

Hunger. Raw. Unrestrained.

I could see him try to restrain himself but couldn’t as his large hands moved to enclose one of my breast, I anticipated his feather light touches but when his gaze landed on my birthmark, he closed his eyes, growling fiercely and trying to reign himself in.

I waited, needing his touch.

Desire pooled hot and liquid between my thighs. My own eyes burned.

He inhaled deeply, chest heaving… then, with visible effort, forced himself back.

His expression shifted from shock to confusion and then he looked at me coldly as his jaw muscles ticked. Still staring into my eyes which were as wide as saucers, then he walked off not giving me a second look.

I slid down the wall, breath ragged.

Heart racing.

Desire still raging.

What the hell just happened?