Chapter 8 - Austin

With a quick pivot at the moment of impact, I remained standing as the boy crashed to the floor, holding my prosthetic leg.  

“Stop trying to cuddle my prosthetic, you weirdo.” I rolled my eyes, taunting. 

“While not a bad thought to try and unbalance me, you seemed to be under the false impression that I haven’t learned how to move and fight without the leg.” I sighed. 

“Don’t underestimate your opponent because of their outer appearance. Now come at me again.” I explained once more, gesturing for him to come at me. 

The kid was frustrated, tossing my leg aside as he rushed me again. I was laughing as I hopped out of the way.  

“Toro, toro.” I taunted as he lunged at me. Then with a laugh, add, “Oh lay” when he’d miss. 

He was huffing out of breath, and a few of the other sparing pairs who felt they had practiced enough had circled up to watch. The giggles of the crowd seemed to piss the boy off more. 

“Stop playing with him, Cl… Austin.” Scott sighed, correcting himself as he almost called me Clement. 

I sighed. I was having fun, but I should wrap this up. The Sooner training wraps up, the sooner I can get alone time with Suzie.  

‘So let’s put an end to this.’ Jax snorted.  

As the boy blindly rushed me again, I extended my arm, clotheslining him, catching him before he could go down, pulling him into a guillotine chokehold, encircling his neck with one arm, and locking the old in place with my other to restrain him.  

“Tap.” I growled, feeling the boy starting to fade even though I was holding back. I wasn’t looking to seriously hurt him after all. 

As I felt him lightly tapping my side, I released the hold, careful not to just let him drop. He was gasping for breath as he scrambled away from me. 

I arched an eyebrow looking at him and then around us at everyone watching. Not sure what those looks were for. It was like they were surprised. Are they surprised I can still fight with one leg or that I let him go?  

Whatever. Doesn’t matter. It’s time to have them shift and end the sessions with a quick run in wolf form. 

“What are you all standing around gawking for? Weren’t you supposed to be sparing, not observing?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes at the trainees. 

“Everyone outside to shift. We’ll do a mile run to end training today.” I instructed.  

“You hear him. Let’s go, pups. Mile wolf run.” Scott clapped his hands as he started herding everyone to the doors. 

“You didn’t have to be so rough on him.” Suzie frowned, handing me my prosthetic. 

“Yes, I did. I should have been rougher.” I scoffed, taking my prosthetic.  

“In a real fight against an enemy, they won’t go easy on him. Me going easy on him signs his death certificate if he gets sent to battle.” I shook my head, only putting my prosthetic back on for the walk outside.  

“I don’t think Paul would ever get sent into battle. If I'm being honest, he doesn’t have a violent bone in his body. He wants to work at the preschool.” Suzie sighed. 

“All the more reason he should learn. If he works with the young of the pack, that means if something goes down, he is the one thing standing between the enemy and the pack’s future.” I pointed out removing my prosthetic leaving it just inside the door of the training center. 

“I hadn’t thought about it that way.” She frowned, watching as everyone else had shifted, tear-away clothes breaking apart to the ground. 

A number of the newly shifted were whimpering in pain as this is their second shift, and they don’t have their parents here to metaphorically hold their hands. But that’s part of this training. 

Being able to shift needs to be as easy as breathing. You won’t always be with your family or mate when you need to turn. 

“Time to bring Kayla out.” I instructed. 

She hesitated for a moment, glancing at her fellow newly shifted, seeing the pain they went through. I sighed. She’s worried about turning without her parents here. 

I took the risk of getting hit again. Cupping Suzie’s face, I turned her face to mine. I shuddered as the sparks of the bond shot through my fingers and up my arm.  

“I’m right here, Suzanne. So you’ll be fine.” I assured her, placing a kiss on her forehead.  

I do like her surprise look as I let her go. 

I turned and let Jax come forward. I landed on my paws, Jax shaking out his silvery gray fur, stretching out his muscles, ready and eager to meet Kayla. 

‘Come on. You’re holding everyone up.’ I taunted through the link. 

It took a moment, but she came out of her stupor, narrowing her eyes at me. Her eyes started to get brighter, and I knew Kayla was coming forward.  

Unlike the other newly shifted wolves, Suzie didn’t whimper as she turned. If I hadn’t been turning for years, I probably would have noticed the difference in ease of shifting with a mate nearby.  

‘Kayla is gorgeous.’ Jax grinned as he finally got a look at his mate.  

She takes more after Edith and her wolf with the golden fur, but Kayla has those bright green eyes like Suzie. Unlike Suzie, Kayla is more forward as she rubs her head against me in greeting.  

‘Now that everyone has shifted, we have a mile to run. Move it!’ Scott shouted through the pack link. 

I had to tug at Jax, who had other ideas that didn’t include doing the run. ‘Jax, we need to finish the training session. Do not piss off Alpha Logan.’ I warned. 

Being reminded that we are here under Alpha orders at least got Jax on board. With Kayla on his heels, Jax showed that missing a leg didn’t mean he’d be the slowest runner. Sure, I’m not as fast as with all four legs, but we are still outrunning some of these slacker wolves. 

Suzie was not on the slackers. She was keeping pace. Maybe she’s as eager to end this training as I am. That could be a good or bad sign for me.  

Scott slowed down to push the stragglers while I stayed near the front. I was among the first to arrive back at the training center. 

I didn’t think twice about shifting back to my human form. I’m a werewolf. Nudity is part of life. And while I know I’m getting looks, I don’t care. 

Kayla and Suzie do. I raised my eyebrow as I saw Kyala growling at one of the she-wolves putting herself between me and the others.  

“Are you serious right now? You’re trying to hide my nudity?” I chuckled, shaking my head as I started getting dressed. 

The girls mainly had just turned away and went about finding their clothes, shifting back. One of the she-wolves that had been looking shifted to her human with a whimper, obviously having no issues being naked as she looked past Kayla at me. 

Kayla growled again, and I sighed, rubbing the fur along her neck. “Down, girl.” I whispered. 

“You got a problem, Melody? I’d say take a picture; it would last longer, but I’m getting the vibe my mate would rip you apart at the idea you’d have a nude picture of me.” I sighed, finishing getting dressed. 

“I wasn’t trying to look at you naked.” Melody wrinkled her nose. 

“I was more interested in the nub of your leg. I’ve never seen someone who was missing a leg before.” She shrugged. 

Kayla snorted. She didn’t buy that. I shrugged and leaned against the wall to get my prosthetic back on.  

“Well, now you have. Go put some clothes on and go home.” I shooed Melody away. 

Melody rolled her eyes as Kayla growled again before walking away, slowly and intentionally like she wanted me to watch her walk away. Too bad I wasn’t watching. I was looking at Suzie. 

“Hey, Kayla, come on. Time for Suzie to shift back and get dressed.” I encouraged stroking her fur. 

Kayla snorted, scooping Suzie’s clothes up in her mouth and pushing the training center’s doors open. I cocked my head and followed as she trotted through the training center to the she-wolf’s bathroom.  

I almost followed her when another she-wolf growled at me, putting an arm across the door. 

“You can’t go into the she-wolf’s bathroom.” The she-wolf scoffed. “Pervert.” 

“Pervert? That’s my mate who just went in there.” I pointed out. 

“Doesn’t matter. She wants her privacy.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

I sighed, shaking my head, and leaned against the wall waiting for Suzie to come out. We’re going to be having a conversation about that.  

I mean, I won’t complain that other males didn’t see her naked, but she got to see me naked. Unfair that she intentionally ensured I wouldn’t see her.