She sighed inwardly, trying to ignore the influence his presence had on her. She focused instead on the training field, only to freeze as her gaze swept over the shirtless Gammas. Over fifty of them were training, their tan, sunburned bodies glistening with sweat.
"Wow, how amazing!" Ren quipped though she couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration at his earlier behavior. "If I’m going to train here, I’ll be awake every morning!"
Kaisun’s face darkened at her words, the line between his brows deepening. "You’ll forget your courtesy, my dear Luna," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Ren flashed him a smirk, her voice unbothered. "So must you." With a dramatic flourish, she tugged at the sides of her long skirt and bowed mockingly, the gesture both defiant and playful.
Now too kissable! Kai told himself.
Just then, Rail sprinted to them, leaning on his sword, his eager eyes darting between the three of them. "Luna Reneira, are you here to learn? Is Gloria going to practice with us?"
"No one is practicing with you or anyone else," Kaisun snapped, snorting, his tone biting. His gaze swung to Ren, the warning in his eyes unmistakable. "You two, follow to where the females are training."
Rail’s jaw dropped in confusion. Was their Alpha King jealous? Did he not say the female Gammas would join them today? Axe, ever the observer, tapped Rail on the shoulder, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Did you see that? Jealousy, my friend. That’s not good. Looks like the King’s lost his heart." Rail jested.
Axe threw an arm around Rail’s neck, guiding him back to the field. "Co on, little one. You truly have big balls to ss with him. The females will join soon. You don’t want them to kick your ass, do you?"
As Rail shuffled away, he cast one last glance over his shoulder, his mind still reeling, "His balls are bigger if he has fallen for our Luna!" They laughed. The change in their Alpha’s mood was staggering, one mont calm, the next, a storm.
"Beta Coran, you gotta tell your sister to join us, I’ll be her opponent, today." Rail shouted to Coran who knocked down his rival.
"Then, you are dood! Could you not make another wish, Kiddo!" Coran responded and everybody laughed.
~*~
As they crossed the edge of the field, Kai’s hand found hers once more, his grip strong and unyielding. This ti, Ren didn’t pull away. She knew the act, knowing him playing the part of the dutiful husband, a role so carefully sculpted for the world’s eyes, a façade to shield her from judgnt. She didn’t mind the pretense and the hypocrisy of the act, for it gave her a certain comfort in this harsh, unforgiving world.
"Do you feel under the weather today?" His voice was cold, the words casual, though the subtle edge of concern didn’t escape her sense. "I can take you back to our chambers."
Ren smirked, the corners of her lips lifting in playful defiance. "No, I’m perfectly fine now. Here has a pleasant view."
He snorted, "As you wish." His tone shifted, colder still. "Your training will be under my watch until I leave. After that, only Agara or those I assign can train you."
Ren’s brow arched a mixture of curiosity and challenge in her gaze. "Why? Are you taking Rail with you? I’d rather he trained . At least he is fun and nothing like you and your grumpy cousin."
Kai’s jaw clenched, the muscles in his hand tightening around hers. His expression, though composed, betrayed a flicker of annoyance. "Do you rember the advice I gave you in the forest?" he asked, his words clipped, sharp.
She opened her mouth to reply, but instead, she pressed her palm to her lips in mock innocence. "Oh, forgive , dear husband. I keep forgetting to stay away from my friends."
Kai’s gaze darkened, his frustration simring just beneath the surface. This ga she played was unfair, and he knew it. She was a master of manipulation, and he, ever the fool, would fall for it every ti.
They reached the grand doorway, and as they entered the hall, the scent of sweat and iron filled the air. Female warriors were sparring in the center, their bodies moving with ruthless precision. Elaika and her friends were engaged in battle, their movents vicious, fast, and deadly. The crack of fists against the flesh, and the clash of steel, filled the space with an almost visceral violence.
Oh, what the hell...
Ren’s stomach churned as she watched a woman’s flesh tear open under the strike of claws, blood pouring onto the hard ground in a dark crimson flood. It didn’t matter how fast the healers worked, or how fast her healing progress was, the pain was a constant, unyielding presence. Ren shuddered, imagining the agony of being torn apart, of feeling your own flesh give way under such brutal force, sharp fucking nails, claws, or whatever sharp.
Elaika’s strike landed with a resounding crash, sending her opponent sprawling to the hard floor. Blood spurted from the woman’s nose, staining the dirt beneath her. Healers rushed forward, wrapping her injuries with practiced haste. Ren’s gaze flitted between the chaos of the battle and the quiet efficiency of the healers, the two worlds colliding in a grotesque ballet of violence and recovery.
As Elaika approached, her shirt clung to her sweat-slicked skin, accentuating every curve, every movent. Ren couldn’t deny that she was jealous now. Gloria, standing beside Ren, flinched, stepping back as Elaika’s presence seed to fill the room with an almost palpable tension. She was the definition of nace in physical form.
"Your Grace," Elaika greeted, her voice filled with an unsettling mixture of respect and challenge, rude. "Are you here to watch the training?"
"No," Ren replied, her voice steady, though the weight of the situation pressed down on her chest. "You’re done here. Take them to spar with the males." She commanded, masking her fear.
Elaika’s expression faltered, the flicker of annoyance almost imperceptible before it vanished, replaced by sothing colder, more dangerous. But she didn’t protest. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Ren with a look of undisguised hatred. The air between them thickened, the tension scorched, the unspoken challenge hanging like a stormcloud.
Ren instinctively squeezed Kai’s hand, and his voice broke through her thoughts like a steady anchor.
’Don’t fear her,’ he murmured. ’Our females can sense fear. They will look down on you if you show weakness. You are a thousand tis stronger than they are.’ His words were a balm on her nerves, a reminder of her own power. But still, a knot of unease twisted in her stomach.
"I guess you are going to train humans, Your Grace." She grinned and turned, barking orders to the others, sending them off to face the males in combat, kicking their ass hard. But before she could leave, Kai’s hand shot out, grabbing Elaika by the arm with a grip like iron.
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