***Atlas*** Sweat dripped from my face as I drove another brutal hook into the soldier’s guard. The impact jarred up my arm, painful, but satisfying in a way nothing else had been lately. The young soldier staggered back a step, boots scraping against the training mat, but he didn’t go down. Good. I needed the resistance. “Again,” I growled. He reset his stance, jaw tight, eyes wary but determined. I feinted left, then slammed a right cross hit that clipped his shoulder pad hard enough to make him grunt. The pack needed warriors who could take punishment, not crumple like paper. I'd always made it a ritual to spar with every new recruit, so I can test their strength and give corrections where necessary. I lunged again, faster this time, forcing the soldier to block desperately. His arms buckled under the force, and he slid a few feets away. “Enough,” Kyle called from the side of the mat, arms crossed. He’d been watching the whole session, silent until now. I stepped back, chest
Last Updated : 2025-04-16 Read more