Chapter 3

SARAH

Remember when Ash said these training places were filled with hot guys?

Damn, she wasn't kidding. Some of the recruits are hot, but those Alpha dudes, wow.

All of them have hard muscle for days. All belong in a magazine. As I walk off the bus, I scan each one head to toe.

Drooling, I swear I'm drooling here. The one has this bad guy look going on. Wearing a black cut off and sweats. The ink on his arms is mega sexy. The next guy is completely hot. Big grin. Looks like lots of fun.

The third guy is all Alpha. He can dominate me any night with his tribal ink, thick arms and gorgeous brown hair.

Then there's, holy shit, Jayson Duke?

Jayson, the son of our Alpha. Man, did he grow up. It's been a few years since I’ve seen him last and it wasn't up close.

He's completely ripped. Slightly tanned, perfect skin. Perfectly cut light brown hair and blue eyes. His chiselled features make me heat up.

When my eyes caught his, it was like I was trapped. Locked in his gaze. Which made my core heat up even more. I had to break it because I feel my cheeks heat too.

I was watching his back muscles flex as we walked on the tour. Imagining what it would feel like just to touch him.

I wanted to talk to him. So, I raised my hand.

Big mistake. Of course, my bullshit didn't help matters.

When he yelled at me, I felt my chest clamp up. I've never been yelled at like that before. He was so angry. I don't think it was because of me. He's just an angry guy, I guess.

When he got up in my space on the field, I couldn't breathe. He was surrounded by this spicy pine scent. My head was spinning. My stomach tensed up.

When he threatened me, I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. What is this guy's deal?

I really don't know, but one thing I do know. His little threat is now my biggest challenge. He wants to make my life hell? I'll make his worse.

He does have my curiosity peaked though. I wonder what makes a guy like that tick. He's certainly not like his dad. I've never really met Alpha Duke, but from what I've seen, he's always been kind and fair. Jayson is the exact opposite.

I think I'm bugging him in some way and I feel like I should keep poking the bear. Because one, it's fun and two, I feel like the more I push, the more I'll find out.

So, I'll give him a run for his money. If anything, I'll get some wild entertainment in this dump.

****

Its 5am the next day.

I'm miserable, groggy and not fucking having it.

The fun Alpha is looking after me before the other troops show up at 6am.

His name is Kale. Pretty cool. And he's funny as hell. We spend most of the training laughing our asses off.

He shows me some offensive moves and I trip him, but I lose my balance too and land on him.

He lets out an Oof sound. We both crack up laughing.

"That was good." He says between breaths. "Just try to keep your weight on the back foot and you won't end up on top of me." He throws me a charming smile.

I get up on my knees. "I knew that." I chuckle.

Kale stands up and pulls me up. "Wanna go again?"

"Bring it, tough guy." I smirk.

"Oh, bad girl now...ok" He grins.

He rushes at me and I'm completely unprepared and again I lose my balance. I grab Kale's shirt and he comes crashing down on me.

"God, you're heavy." I groan.

He laughs. "I don't think a girl has ever said that to me before."

We both start laughing again.

"Having fun?" We both turn our heads to see Jayson stomping this way.

Kale jumps up and pulls me up.

I brush off my leggings and fix my hair.

I look at Jayson who didn't look happy at all.

He stood, crossing his thick arms. "Aren't we supposed to be training?" He glared at Kale.

Kale looked at me. "And we were training. Sarah's actually a quick study. Lots of.... skills." He flashes another charming smile my way making my face heat.

"Yes. Well, a little less fucking around ok." Jayson furrows his brow.

I stand cocky. "You think you could train me better?"

He looks to me. "I know I could."

"Well, why don't you?" I challenge.

He rubs his nape. "I can't. I... uh...got shit to do."

He turns to Kale. "Stay professional, got it?"

Kale rolls his eyes. "Yes, sir." Kale turns to me smiling, shaking his head no and I giggle.

Jayson shakes his own head and walks off.

Kale turns to me. "Ok. The troops should be here any minute, so why don't you do some warm ups until the training starts. We'll pick this up tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." I smile and head to the track to run.

Kale laughs and heads into the Alpha office building.

****

We are all doing circuit training when Shane runs up to me.

"Man, this is brutal." He puffs out breaths.

I get up from sit ups. My hair's a mess and my cheeks are red. "I know. This is not fun. Cruel and unusual punishment. I swear there has to be some sort of human rights violation here." I flick out my sweat covered t shirt trying to cool myself off.

"So how was early training?" Shane asks.

My eyebrows shoot up. "OMG. It was so fun. I was training with Kale. He's so sexy. A complete laugh riot." I was grinning ear to ear.

"Dude, really? Hitting on the Alphas?" He scrunched his face.

I throw my hand on my hip. "What? Little flirting never hurt anything."

"Gross." He furrowed his brow. "I don't need to hear about you flirting."

"Please, like you've ever been quiet about it." I sneer.

He smirks. "Duh, I'm a guy. It's what we do."

I wave him off. "Whatever."

"Yeah. Whatever. Remember what dad said." Shane said.

I tilt my head to him. "He said no boys. He never said anything about hot men."

I turn and look as Jayson is turning from correcting another recruit. Our eyes meet yet again. He folds his arms and squints his eyes. Signaling to get back to work.

Shane looks at him. "What's that guy's deal anyway?"

I get back down into sit up position. "I don't know. But I sure as hell am going to find out."

****

With morning training done, I'm Starving and so ready for lunch.

Ash is bouncing along beside me. "This is fun, isn't it?"

I scoff. "Easy for you to say. You got the fun trainer. Mines the Master of hell."

She tilts her head to me. "It can't be that bad."

I laugh. "Are you kidding? The guys a slave driver. Bent on torturing me with the punishment he calls training."

Just then Jayson pushes past us. "Sorry." He says gruffly and strides off to the Alpha table.

My mouth goes small. "Do you think he heard me?" I whisper.

Ash waves it off. "Naw. I don't think he'd be that quiet if he did."

"You're probably right. I just don't understand why he's so mad. He's literally in line to be king of Black Lake. You'd think he'd be happier." I sit down and Ash sits across from me.

I take a big bite of my sandwich.

Ash shrugs. "Maybe someone kicked his puppy or something and he's been jaded about it ever since."

I laugh. "Yeah, maybe."

"So, anyone caught your eye yet?" Ash arches her brow.

My eyes flick to the back of Jayson. He was talking to one of his friends when he stopped and turned my way. I break away as soon as our eyes meet.

I shake my head. "Nope, not yet. But I'm keeping my options open."

"Well, I have my eye on a few. There's so many to choose from." She giggles.

"You're terrible." I laugh.

"Honey, a girl has needs and I'm sure there's lots here that can provide." She smiles. Her big dimples showing on her olive skin.

I laugh again.

A girl does have needs. And right now, I need to know what a girl had to do to make a cranky Alpha smile.

****

The afternoon session was sparring. The one thing I absolutely suck at.

I'm partnered with a girl named Georgia. She's a petite blonde girl, but man is she a good fighter. She never gives me an in. I spent more time on my ass then I did on my feet.

"Ugh." I groan as I pick myself up.

Jayson struts over. "Everything OK over here?"

Georgia beams. "Everything's good on my end. Sarah's, not so much."

She reaches down to give me an arm. I wave it off. "I'm just.... warming up. That's all. I'll get it."

Georgia giggles. "Sure, you will."

Jayson flicks his eyes between the two of us. "Mind if I step in? Maybe I can see where the problem is."

I dust myself off. "Fine." I grumble.

He looks to Georgia. "Why don't you partner with Lisa over there?"

"Sure thing, Alpha." And she trots away.

I look at him and arch my brow. "You think you can fix this." I run my fingers up and down my body.

He ticks his head. "I am the Master of Hell after all."

My face goes beat red. "Um...sorry."

"Show me what you got." He nods for me to step back.

"Ok." I blow out a breath.

I run at him and he tries to grab for me but I duck under his arms and spin, I try to trip him and he grabs my waist, puts me on my back and pins my neck with his arm.

I struggle under his pin. Trying to get his arm off.

He arches his brow and let's go.

I groan again.

He stands with his hands on his hips. "You know, people usually get sick of being planted on their asses by now. They tend to actually try to fight."

I scowl. "I'm trying."

"No, Sarah. You're not. You're either holding back, or being lazy." He crossed his arms.

"Ugh...listen. I can't fight." I'm irritated. I dust myself off.

"Oh, you can fight. You just don't know it yet. Here...." He walks up to me. "When you take your stance, stand like this. Square your body."

He was inches from me. His hands squaring my shoulders and my hips. They were firm, strong and felt damn good.

I blow out a shaky breath as he touched me.

His head turned to meet my face. Our eyes locked. Our lips mere inches away.

I bit my bottom lip as I got lost in his blue eyes. I swallow my nervousness. My heart beat was racing.

He cleared his throat and stood up. Backing away fast. "Yes...um...just remember that and you should be fine." He called Georgia back and booked it like he was on fire.

I just stood there staring. My body tingling all over.

Georgia looked at me. "You, ok?"

I slowly shake my head. "No. I mean. I don't know."

"You want to spar?" She broke my stare snapping me out of it.

I clear my head. "Yeah. Just go slower ok. I'm trying to learn here."

I'm trying to focus, but now the image of Jayson's face so close to mine is filling my brain. I can't make any sense of it. I mean, there's something there. I just don't know what. I need to know.

Getting closer to the grumpy Alpha is my main focus. I just need to figure out how.

As Georgia is running through moves, I'm watching Jayson go up and down the lines, correcting recruits. He's so memorizing. The way his body moves. The strength of it. I still feel his hands on my body. The way he touched me. I've never been touched like that before. It's wasn't a training touch. It was something more. Like he wanted to touch me.

But why did he run away like that? He looked freaked out. I wonder if he sensed the same thing I did. Is he scared of me or something? So many questions and not enough answers. I need to know.