Vyra

It was clear I wasn't forgiven from our romantic dinner the night before.

Seren barely looked at me when I joined the wholly Lycan group just on time.

"You're late." He remarked, looking less than impressed.

I was in no mood. I felt more tired than ever after staying awake all last night. I imagined every word my grandmother told me, as if played out before me. The gore refused to leave my head.

Worse yet, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the ruthless Alpha eating that damn berry. Because his words were greatly misaligned from his actions.

He didn't care, but he tried entirely too hard to make me eat. He carried me to the dining hall like a princess instead of waiting for me to wake up. He trained me personally day in and day out for a fight that I was not likely to win.

Seren was a walking contradiction, and it was driving me crazy.

I know he didn't want me as his mate, so why? The man could no longer blame his honor. It piqued my suspicion, as one explanation for his supposedly selfish acts could be driven by the guilt.

"I am not late." I pointed to the sky, a blinding eggshell white from the morning sun. I was even more frustrated because I hadn't slept a wink, and I was still sure to make it on time.

Seren crossed his arms, lifting a disapproving brow, "The rest of your team is already here, which means you're late."

I took a good look at my team.

They all wore the usual training uniforms, with slight modifications. Mena had on a leather corset, which protected more delicate organs than the soft leather we wore would.

Both Seren and Titus wore less than usual, with thick black vests that ended at their midriffs. I was surprised Seren didn't take the opportunity to be entirely shirtless.

My gaze hesitated on the exposed skin, a smile sprouting on my face at the thought. Of course the male caught me, the meaning behind his expression indiscernible, and I quickly dropped my smile and turned away.

The male paused, before continuing to lecture. "Titus will show you basic moves, you'll need to be able to see how his muscles are moving to copy. Mena will help you get set up into the extra gear, and you will spar with her to practice what you learned from Titus."

"And what will you do with me?"

Titus burst out into laughter, taking us all off guard. He slapped Seren's arm, who did not reciprocate the playful gesture. Mena was looking at Seren like she was seeing him for the first time.

The male's face soured, all the while a flush began to creep up his neck. He stood entirely too still, his eyes refusing to focus on a single one of us.

Was the Alpha embarrassed?

"Am I missing something?" My frown deepened when no one answered me. "How are we supposed to be a team if you all mind-speak to each other and I am the only one left out?"

"Yeah Seren," Titus was in high spirits, his usual stoicism all but disappearing. He leaned on Seren's shoulder, "Tell her what you were thinking just now."

Seren rolled his shoulders, effectively removing Titus from him. He gave his best friend a look that would have sent any other grown Lycan running for the tree line. Titus winked at me as the Alpha quickly changed the topic.

If I wasn't curious before, I desired nothing more than to get into his head now. Finding Seren's weakness was like looking at cut marble for an imperfection.

"That is another aspect of the training for this trial. While you are not from Clan Umbra, we can transfer our thoughts to you if you are properly trained for the mental strain it causes. Sometimes mates can use mind-speak, even if they are not from the Umbra Clan because of their enhanced spiritual connection. We will see where it goes with you." He cleared his throat, finally making eye contact with me again. "I will teach you weapons. Let's get started, we have already taken up too much time."

Seren sauntered off, readying the rack of deadly objects. He left the rest of us behind, and I already felt the uncomfortable twinge of having to speak with Mena alone.

"It is so strange. It's like you traded places." Mena whispered to Titus, yet not quiet enough. Being a hybrid didn't mean I was hard of hearing, like the Lycan so ignorantly assumed. "I've never seen him so uptight. I mean, he's always been a hard ass while training, but I have always known you as the strict one. I guess it all makes sense now."

What makes sense? I stepped closer, staring to the side so she didn't suspect I was listening.

Titus caught on and answered in a low, heated tone. "We'll talk later. Meet me tonight."

I couldn't help it then. I looked over at the pair, catching Mena's coy disposition. If only she knew I gave him to courage, and maybe she would dislike me less.

"Princess Vyra." Titus called to me with my new nickname. It was never serious when he used it. "Come here with Mena."

He threw a leather contraption that mimicked the cloth around Mena's waist. I've made something like this before, but I have never put one on.

The Lycan female already looked annoyed, "I will help you put it on."

I walked over, handing her the corset with way too many strings.

With my back turned to her, she placed the leather around me and settled the panels over my waist. I held the front, preventing it from slipping as she held onto the bottom strings, unmoving.

"Touching me won't make you an Outcast." I turned my head, catching her tight expression.

It spurred her into motion, the strings of my corset suddenly going taut and pulling me backward forcefully.

"There are some things you will never understand Vyra." she said my name like it was a curse. "Like the Alpha."

Did I read the situation wrong? Did she have feelings for him? "I didn't choose to be his mate."

The woman laughed, threading more strings. "You don't get it. He's my friend, I want what is best for him. You just don't know him, and you will never understand him. You don't even care to."

"Why would I?"

There were infinite reasons why I wouldn't try to figure Seren out.

"You're not just any Outcast, you're a threat." Mena tied off the ribbon, and let me go. She still didn't move away, "Why haven't you been treated as such?" Her voice lifted, as if hinting at something remarkable.

"I don't care to think about why my terrible treatment didn't satisfy the rest of your clan."

I did. If Seren didn't see me as a threat, it would be evidence that he didn't know the truth.

Her dark lashes lowered, her mouth stuck in a condescending frown. "Even if you don't care, start paying attention."

The corset was now cutting into my ribs and hips. It was too tight. I remained silent.

Mena walked in front of me, checking her handiwork. And then gestured to Titus. "I hope you know how to fight by the time you get to me. I won't go easy on you, Vyra."

I smiled back at the hostile Lycan, "I look forward to it."

She let out a scoff that faded into a laugh. "You don't have pure Lycan blood, but you do have some fucking nerve."

Without giving her a reaction, I went to Titus. He was in a patch of area without much snow and was laid with packed soil.

"So you're really going to talk about Seren tonight with Mena?" I jested, placing my hands behind my back.

It didn't hide my nerves at all. Titus offered me a wolf-like grin.

"Stalling won't save you. This is the easy part."

For two hours, the male showed me how to place my body in both defensive and offensive positions.

It showed just how much of a gap in skill there was between me and them. I couldn't even hold up against a slight push from Titus, who made me drill repeatedly how to stand with my feet shoulder width apart.

We practiced how to block a strike, and also how to get out of someone's grasp.

Blocking wasn't as bad as I expected, considering I was shorter and lighter on my feet.

Escaping was a whole other monster.

"Alright." I wheezed, tapping on Titus's forearm. The male currently had me in a head lock, my back tight against him. "I give up!"

"Hold on for a moment. I have to make someone jealous." He purposefully lowered him lips to my ear, making our position appear more intimate than it was.

Unfortunately, the target noticed. I could feel her seething from across the field.

"I think Mena will actually kill me."

"Who said I was talking about her?"

Taken off guard by the comment, I turned to find Seren observing us without an inkling of any emotion present on his face.

Any mated male would on instinct. It was more obligatory than anything else.

While Titus was probably morbidly rooting for us for his own strange reasons, it wasn't likely based in any logic. He might have assumed the state he saw Seren in after chasing me was more than it was.

It was like I had to keep reminding the people around me of the fate that I wanted to forget.

What else did I have to say to Sonya and now Titus? My mate was my blood chosen enemy and he has to kill me? Oh and my secret grandmother actually wants me to usurp him?

If they didn't understand the impossibility now, they never would.

Finally the guard let me go, my breath rushing back all at once. My body folded in half, my hands resting on my knees as I tried to fill my lungs.

The Alpha still watched.

Let him.

"This would be so much easier in our other forms." I said to Titus, standing up. I would be more of a match then.

Titus looked at me uneasily, "It's best to train you at your weakest so you are ready for any circumstance."

I nodded, thanking him before he sent me across the field and back to Mena.

My body was tight with the feeling of Seren's watchful eyes on my back.

I refused to look at him again during my time with Mena. I rather not see his satisfaction while I got my ass kicked.

Mena prowled before me, several inches taller. A thin mat was placed on the snow under her feet, made clear by the smack of her boots on the ground.

She crossed her arms, "You look scared."

There wasn't a point in lying. "I am." I steeled myself to her haughty arrogance. "That doesn't mean I'll make it easy for you."

She took two steps forward, showing her height and strength. Her mocking expression turned into a sneer as she bent down to my level.

"I always thought you were the weakest one of the Outcasts. Everyone knows that Sonya has strength of character and your little boyfriend is smart. But you?" she clicked her tongue, "You're just a boring, miserable door mat. What the Alpha sees in you, I'm not sure yet."

The shove to my chest came without a warning. My ass landed on the mat with a thud, a hollow ache pinching at my tailbone.

"Get up."

Go fuck yourself. Maybe she'd find me interesting if she knew what went on in my head.

Words and silence were the only thing I had at my disposal. When the scales tipped, I used one or the other to bring balance.

Getting up, I placed myself before her again. I watched her grow visibly unnerved by my lack of rebuttal, and my refusal to cry out in pain.

She crouched and I mimicked her movements. When she pulled back her arm, I fell into the defensive position Titus just showed me.

It did little to protect against the blow to my stomach. I fell over wheezing and clutching at my abdomen.

She walked slowly to my side, pulling her leg back to kick me.

"Please-" I held up my hands. "Let me get up first."

She dropped low beside me, sending a quick jab to my ribs. Pain radiated up my chest as I fell onto my back.

Mena held no sympathy for me. I didn't want her to. "Do you think someone trying to kill you will just let you get up? Let you catch your breath? Prepare yourself so that you can get the upper hand? They will use the moment when you are at your weakest to take you out." her eyes flickered across the field, pensive. "Or maybe they won't."

She raised her fist, readying for another blow.

"Please." I plead again, hating how much she was right.

I wasn't made for this. The second trial very well could be my last.

She looked down at my tired body, her pearl eyes softening. "You should get cleaned up."

Still dazed from my beating, I looked down at my body. There was a cut along my forearm from where the metal on her head scraped against me.

"Oh." I said numbly, watching the deep red liquid drip onto the mat. The pain hardly registered.

The wolf rolled her eyes, before started to rip off the fabric from her sleeve. She knelt at my side when suddenly she was knocked out of view.

"Seren? What the hell!" Mena scrambled, falling onto her hands.

The Alpha fell to his knees down next to me, silver eyes wide.

"Where are you bleeding?" He asked me frantically examining all the skin in his line of vision. My body jolted when he placed his hands on top of my shoulders, patting and running over the flesh he could see.

His hands sent bolts of lightning along my skin. I could feel the bond inside stretching to reach him.

"I'm fine." I whispered, nearly swatting him away. My bloodied arm was behind me, and I didn't want to let him see my failure.

He didn't relent, his gentle exploring landing on my wounded arm. I winced softly as he lifted it before his face, his silver eyes narrowing into crescents at the slight injury.

"I will take you to our infirmary." His voice was full of iron and accusation as he peered between Mena and I.

"What's going on?" Titus jogged over to us, hands placed on his hips.

I couldn't offer him an answer. I didn't have a clue myself.

Mena frowned, "Relax Seren, it's just a cut. If I'm going to spar with her she's going to bleed sometimes."

"She's not like us!" The Alpha raised his voice, though not in anger. He cradled my arm within his hands. "She doesn't heal as quickly as we do."

The three of us were shocked into silence. I couldn't wrap my head around Seren's reaction to my wound, and apparently neither could anyone else.

The Alpha avoided looking at me entirely, his focus on my wound. He already cut a piece of clean cloth to absorb some of the blood.

"We are done for today." he declared leaving the other Lycan behind.

They continued to yell as we walked away.

"This is a fucking mess." Mena sounded genuinely devastated. She barked at Titus, "Fix him!"

"I can't." The guard told her softly.

My shoulder burned as I was pressed to Seren's solid, nearly uncovered torso. We were nearly at the fortress already.

"Why do you care if I'm hurt? Isn't that the point of all this?"

Like always, I was given a non-answer that only bloomed more questions. Given my state, I could have even imagined it.

"I am the one being punished, you're the innocent casualty."