After the Yard

I thought the worst part of the day was over.

That was cute.

Training had ended an hour ago, but the yard still lived in my head like a bruise you keep pressing just to see if it still hurts. Derek’s stick. The laughter. My mouth running ahead of my brain.

“…and it’s not under you.”

Yeah. Brilliant move, Amara. Truly.

I sat on the low wooden steps outside the pack house, picking dried dirt out of the seam of my boot with a twig. The yard had mostly emptied. Wolves drifted past in groups, talking too loud, throwing quick glances my way like I was something new on display.

That part was worse than the laughing.

When people laugh at you, at least you know where you stand.

But when they look at you?

That’s when things start changing.

And change in a pack like this usually meant trouble.

I snapped the twig in half and tossed it aside.

Maybe tomorrow everyone would forget.

Maybe—

“Amara.”

I nearly jumped off the steps.

Kael Delaine stood a few feet away like he’d been there the whole time.

Which was possible. The guy moved like a shadow when he wanted to.

Up close he looked different than he had in the yard earlier. Less amused. More… thoughtful, maybe.

Like he was solving a puzzle.

Unfortunately, the puzzle seemed to be me.

“Hi,” I said, immediately wishing I’d chosen a less stupid word.

He tilted his head slightly.

“That was new.”

“Which part?”

“You talking.”

Right.

I looked down at my boots again.

“Yeah well. Temporary malfunction.”

That earned the smallest twitch of a smile.

Not a full one. Just enough to prove he wasn’t made entirely of stone.

“You embarrassed Derek,” Kael said.

My stomach sank.

“Great.”

“That wasn’t sarcasm.”

“Oh.”

That didn’t make me feel better.

Derek wasn’t exactly known for forgiving people who embarrassed him. Especially not omegas.

Kael leaned against the post beside the steps, crossing his arms.

“You know he was doing that on purpose, right?”

I snorted softly.

“You think?”

He ignored the sarcasm.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

I looked up at him.

Really looked.

It was such a strange question that I almost laughed.

“Because it’s Derek,” I said.

Kael waited.

Like he expected more explanation.

“Because he’s stronger than me,” I continued slowly. “Faster. Higher rank. And because the last three omegas who ‘said something’ ended up cleaning the kitchens for two months.”

Kael didn’t argue with that.

Which was interesting.

Instead he asked, “Then why today?”

I opened my mouth.

Closed it.

Good question.

I thought about the stick slamming into my ankle. The third fall. The fourth.

Something had snapped inside me, quick and ugly.

“I got tired,” I said finally.

Kael studied my face for a moment.

Not in a creepy way.

Just… looking.

Like he was deciding something.

“Well,” he said eventually, pushing away from the post, “he won’t pull that again.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I told him not to.”

That made me blink.

“You… told him?”

Kael shrugged like it was nothing.

But Derek wasn’t the kind of wolf people casually told what to do.

“Did he listen?” I asked carefully.

Kael’s mouth curved slightly.

“Not at first.”

⸻

*Earlier*

Derek was behind the training hall when Kael found him.

The place always smelled like oil and old leather from the equipment racks inside. Most wolves avoided it unless they had to clean something.

Derek leaned against the wall, flipping the padded stick from training in his hand like it was a toy.

“You’re in a good mood,” Kael said.

Derek didn’t look surprised to see him.

“Watching the ghost grow teeth was entertaining,” he replied.

Kael stepped closer.

“Leave her alone.”

Derek laughed.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

The stick spun lazily in Derek’s fingers.

“She embarrassed herself,” he said. “I barely touched her.”

Kael’s gaze didn’t shift.

“You knocked her down four times before she moved.”

“And?”

“And I don’t like bullies.”

Derek barked out a laugh.

“You’re the Alpha’s brother. Don’t pretend you care about some weak omega.”

Kael’s voice stayed calm.

“Leave. Her. Alone.”

Something in his tone made Derek pause.

Then he pushed away from the wall, walking closer until they stood almost chest to chest.

“Or what?”

Kael didn’t move.

“Or you and I will have a different kind of training session tomorrow.”

Derek studied him for a second.

Then his eyes narrowed slightly.

“You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

Silence stretched between them.

Finally Derek scoffed and tossed the stick aside.

“Fine,” he said. “Keep your little project.”

Project.

Kael didn’t like that word.

But Derek was already walking away.

⸻

*Present Moment*

I stared at Kael.

“You threatened him?”

“Something like that.”

My brain struggled to process that.

People didn’t usually step between Derek and his entertainment.

Especially not for me.

“Why?” I asked.

Kael didn’t answer immediately.

Instead he glanced toward the emptying yard, then back at me.

“Because you shouldn’t be that bad.”

I frowned.

“That’s… oddly insulting.”

“It’s honest.”

He crouched slightly so we were eye level.

“You’re not weak,” he said.

I snorted.

“Okay. Now I know you’re joking.”

“I’m not.”

“You watched me fall off a beam five times.”

“Four.”

“Still.”

Kael tapped the step beside my boot.

“You fell because you expect to fall.”

That made me pause.

“What?”

“You hesitate. Every movement.” He demonstrated with his hand, mimicking my careful steps. “Like you’re waiting for someone to knock you down.”

“That’s because someone usually does.”

He ignored that.

“Your balance is fine. Your reflexes are decent. Your instincts are slow because you second-guess them.”

I blinked.

That was… a lot more analysis than I expected.

“You’ve been watching me?” I asked.

“A little.”

That should’ve been creepy.

Strangely, it wasn’t.

It mostly just made me nervous.

“So what,” I said. “You’re offering coaching now?”

“Something like that.”

I laughed.

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.”

The smile faded from his face.

“If you keep training like you do now, Derek will find another way to humiliate you.”

“Encouraging.”

“But if you train properly…”

He let the sentence hang there.

I crossed my arms.

“Why would you do that?”

Kael stood again, brushing dirt from his hands.

“Because I’m curious.”

“About what?”

“You.”

That answer did absolutely nothing to calm my nerves.

He started walking away.

“Midnight,” he said over his shoulder.

I frowned.

“Midnight what?”

“Training yard.”

I stared at his back.

“You’re serious?”

He stopped briefly, glancing back.

“Only if you are.”

Then he walked off toward the pack house.

Leaving me sitting on the steps with dirt on my boots and a very strange invitation echoing in my head.

Midnight training.

With Kael Delaine.

Which was either the beginning of something very helpful…

Or a terrible decision I was definitely going to make.