Part 1: Zoya

Zoya Drakov was a successful designer who dominated Manhattan with her company the White Knight, that fashioned clothes for brides, grooms and everything in between. However, she never would have thought that her life would take such a drastic change. She was a wife now to the infamous enforcer for the Centauri pack, River Drakov. His reputation and notoriously cold demeanour was exactly how people whispered it to be. He had a stern glower at all times with an icy-cold stare that could freeze anyone in front of him. On top of that, he could kill anyone that even remotely pissed him off. However, Zoya never met a more true and loyal man in her life. River dedicated his entire life protecting Gabriel Centauri and this pack. That was just one of the many reasons she fell madly in love with him.

Now, they were happily mated and she loved her life with him. He completed her in every way possible.

"You ready to go?" Hailey appeared.

"Yeah," Zoya got up from the table and left with the bumbling red-haired teacher and mate to Hunter Centauri; the beta of the pack.

Zoya and Hailey were up for target practice this sunny afternoon. Frankly, Zoya would rather be in bed with River to keep her company. But her mate took their protection a bit too seriously, which was reasonable. He was the one who arranged this whole training session for all the women in the pack. Zoya had a few classes months ago but forgot most of it. She avoided this as long as she could and couldn't escape today because River was training her himself.

They finally reached the training compound where many people were using the gym. Classes were also being held for new wolves to join as pack enforcers. Zoya spotted Leo and Dante talking to King. Those three were stuck together like glue now, they might as well be King's sons.

Crossing the hall, they opened the door to the staircase where their training room was located. Hailey went down first as Zoya followed, the air was cool and the room was made from concrete alone. There were many voices coming through, so she guessed that everyone else already arrived.

Zoya made it down a few more steps when she saw her mate standing with his arms crossed and his long legs holding his stern posture. He was in dark combat pants with a t-shirt that was tight against his muscular form. She remembered when he picked that outfit this morning when they woke up together. She drew in a shaky breath because River always had a way to make her breathless even without doing anything. She loved the way his dark hair was tousled and raked away from his icy-blue eyes. The hard lines of his handsome face were chiselled to perfection; she caught the mark on his neck that she left last night too.

He looked up at her when she came down the stairs and his glower was enough to scare everyone, but not her. "I told you to wear something comfortable," he spoke with that strict tone that always made her want to tease him back.

"I am," she said as she stopped on the last step.

His blue eyes ran over her body making her heart skip a beat. "You're in stilettos and a mini-skirt," he remarked.

"Well, these are the clothes I will be wearing if there ever is a threat," she reasoned. "So, I should know how to kill in heels and a skirt." He glowered at her and his jaw tightened. A smile threatened to appear on her lips as she found her opportunity. Zoya leaned on him and wrapped her arms around his neck, his own arm instinctively holding her steady. "Is it distracting, baby?" she whispered facing his blue eyes that ignited with a dangerously carnal heat.

"Zoya," her name was a dark grumble off his lips as he pulled closer to her.

Teasingly, Zoya pulled away from him first. "Let's get training," she clapped her hands and joined the other girls leaving River to get himself under control.

There were about twenty booths that allowed each woman to grab a spot and gear up. Azura and Lupin also joined them since the class was packed. Apart from Hailey and Zoya, many other women from the pack joined today's session. River, Lupin and Azura were ready to make sure that they all got the substantial training needed to handle a firearm.

Zoya purposely went to the last stall all the way at the end where no one else was, just so she could be with River alone.

"Here, Zoya," Azura said while handing her the equipment.

"Thank you," she grabbed the earmuffs, the glasses and the loaded gun that was heavier than it looked. The metal was cold against her hand as she gripped the handle. River made it look easy when holding this weapon.

River came up to her and fixed her earmuffs. "Can you hear me, baby?" he asked her.

"I can," she answered.

River turned his back to everyone so Zoya was hidden behind his broad shoulders. "What's wrong?" he asked as he saw her lost expression.

Zoya looked down at the gun in her hand. "I'll never get used to holding this," she said. This weapon was different than racing a Ferrari down an empty highway, which was a sport she adored.

River cupped her face making her look at him. "A weapon is used to kill," he said grimly, "but it's also needed to protect yourself and the people you love." He kissed her cheek. "You're allowed to be nervous. But I need you to be able to protect yourself if something were to ever happen to me."

"Why do you always have to talk about dying?" She smacked his arm making him chuckle.

"Okay, class!" Azura began loud and clear as she gave all of them a demonstration.

Zoya watched closely as Azura positioned herself in front of the target all the way on the other side of the room. Her arms were held straight in front of her, the gun gripped in her steady fists before she aimed and shot perfectly. Azura made a straight line down the target.

Eventually, all the women copied Azura's posture and stance without the gun before they actually held it. Zoya was quick on the uptake and had the stance down without a problem. For some reason, this was easier than driving on a race-track or running the show for her new Spring bridal collection, that just came out. Maybe, this was a good exercise to release stress. Well, she had River easing the burdens of a hard work day all the time, so that wasn't needed.

"Go ahead and try with the open targets now," Azura said.

Zoya took her position in front of the target that was made from paper alone against the concrete wall. Holding her arms out in front of her, she aimed right at the middle of the circles. She felt the heaviness of the gun fill her hands and it was exhilarating. She could feel the balance of the gun match her legs. Taking aim, she held her finger firmly on the trigger and pressed down. The gun blared loudly, thankfully she had the earmuffs muting the sound. But the sensation of the gun jerking in her hand trembled through her entire body.

"Nice shot," River said beside her.

Zoya looked over at the target, but she was far from the middle. A spark of competitiveness was fanned and she took aim again. This time she knew how to control the grip of her hands on the handle of the gun. She shot one more time and it missed the centre again.

"You're shifting your balance," River said as he came behind her and pushed her legs further apart, this time to match her shoulders. "Raise your arms," he told her as he nudged her right elbow higher. "Shoot now." Zoya followed his instruction and shot the gun.

She wasn't in the middle, but now she entered the inner blue ring. A sense of gratification filled her almost instantly.

"Good job," River matched her smile.

"Can you show me one more time?" Zoya asked as she passed him the gun.

He got into teacher-mode and she was distracted from the way his arms held the gun in front of the target. The muscles of his biceps flexed under the tight shirt and she could lay her lips all over him. His tousled hair raked back, but the stubborn strands fell over his eyes. He stood towering over the booth, his legs positioned squarely apart, just like when he made love to her this morning over breakfast.

"Here, you try now," River said.

Zoya snapped out of her head and took the gun from him. She remembered how to hold her posture easily now.

"Hold your arms higher," River corrected.

"How?" Zoya asked looking over at him.

River came around her from the back, he nudged his leg between hers and fixed them apart again. She felt his hard thigh brush against hers and her skin glowed with heat. He wrapped his arms overs her own and fixed her stance. His strong torso was pressed snugly against her back and she couldn't focus on the gun or the target. She could only sense him and his scent that wrapped her in the endless nights he pleasured her body.

"Focus, Zoya," River's voice caressed her ear.

Zoya pushed closer into his body, that her butt snugly pressed into the front of his pants. "I am focused," she protested. He stiffened behind her and put his rough hand on her hip. "Are you?" she asked. River growled a curse as she felt his shaft against the curve of her ass. Thankfully, no one was able to see what they were doing since she was at the last booth and the dividers blocked them from everyone else.

River's hand collared Zoya's throat, the touch of his rough fingers against her warm skin melted her body and made her heart pounding madly. He pulled her back against him, so his lips were over her ear. "If you don't behave, I will take this somewhere more private," he grumbled.

Zoya's lips lifted into a wide smile. "Yes, sir," she answered.

River playfully bit down on her neck making her laugh before he let go. "Come on, you're not allowed to leave until you get the hang of this," he said before he walked off when Lupin called him.

The hour passed and class ran smoothly. Zoya didn't get a perfect score but as the minutes passed, her aim sharpened and she reached the inner ring of the target where the red was located. She reckoned that if she took one or two more classes that she'd be able to hit the middle yellow spot.

"It's not about the score," River said as he appeared next to her. He must have saw her eyeing the perfect ten in the centre of the target like it was prized mustang waiting for her to claim.

Zoya glanced in his direction. "It is for me," she mumbled.

"This practice was to get you comfortable holding a gun," River told her.

The heavy metal weight clutched in her grasp. "I think I am. So, do I get my own gun now?" she asked.

"No," he answered firmly, as he made her push this lock on the back of the gun, that prevented it from being fired by mistake.

Zoya faced him after following his instructions. "You know, I can just buy myself one, right?"

River towered over her. "You're not going to do that," he said.

Was that a challenge she just heard? Zoya thought. "And why wouldn't I?"

River crossed his arms as he leaned into her space. "Because you like to please me," his tone was hushed just for her ears.

Zoya shuddered under his blazing blue eyes. "That's-"

"Am I wrong?" He put his arm around her waist, gathering her right against his body.

Zoya felt his hand trail down the small of her back over her butt. "You are-" she couldn't concentrate as his touch made her weak in the knees.

"Really?" He tipped her head back making her look up at him. "But you were trying so hard to please me this morning." He ran his thumb over her bottom lip before he slipped it inside, because they both knew she woke him up this morning with her mouth around his cock as a surprise.

Zoya understood now. He was getting back at her for the mischief she pulled on him earlier. "It wasn't for you," she answered defiantly. "I was pleasing myself by using you."

River raised a brow as his hand cupped her butt and aggressively pulled her against his hard body. "Then I should be allowed to please myself using you," he retorted.

"River," Lupin's voice interrupted them.

Zoya flinched at the intrusion and tried to move, but River held her under his control. She looked up at him wondering what he was thinking, but his eyes were on Lupin who was behind her. But since she was hidden in front of the divider, Lupin couldn't see her.

River tilted his head a bit to look around the divide. "What?"

"Everyone's ready to leave," Lupin said.

"Escort the girls out," River answered. "Zoya needs a few more lessons before she's can come." Zoya gaped at her mate as her heart hammered in her chest.

Lupin walked off with the rest of the pack and she heard the loud door slam shut at the top of the stairs.

Zoya stood alone with River and something told her she should not have teased him earlier. His hand grabbed her bare thigh with a rough grip that lingered even after he let go and went up her skirt. She couldn't pull away even if she tried, he parted her legs and braced his thigh between hers. She almost dropped the gun from her hand when he cupped her ass and her core rubbed against his thigh. River caught it before it fell from her weak grasp. He held the head of the gun against her stomach before the cold-metal head drifted down towards her skirt. She looked down at the black glock that was in his robust hand.

"River," she cautioned as her body heated even though there was a gun trailing down her. He used the gun and lifted her skirt before he put the cold barrel against her core. She gasped as the heavy metal made her core pulse with a sinful desire.

River collared her neck forcing her to stare up at him. "You're aroused even though I'm holding you at gun-point," his tone slithered down her body.

Zoya felt the barrel of the gun push closer to her core. "It's because of you," she answered facing his blazing blue eyes.

A smirk tugged at his lips. "What else would you allow me to do?"

"Anything," she pressed closer into his hands.

River grabbed her arm and took her to the table in the centre of the room. He lifted her up and sat her down on the cold metal surface. Her legs dangled as he stood menacingly in front of her. He put the gun next to her as he spread her legs apart and ran his hands down her thighs. The deep, rich spice that exuded from him told her that he was determined to get his way and do everything his body ached for with her. He leaned down and kissed her thigh, inching closer to her core. She kept her eyes focused on him because there was something shamelessly enticing when her mate hungered for her.

Pushing her skirt away, he put his mouth on her core over her white lacy underwear.

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