Page 87 of Second Chance Mates

Suddenly, a wave of anxiety rolls through me. I’m no Luna. I can’t even believe I’m meant to be their future Luna. My mind instantly switches to the thought of Julia. I wonder what she was like beside Jaxon.

Did she train regularly with the pack?

Was she a strong Luna?

Are the pack going to compare us?

I’ll never be able to live up to someone like her.

“Rachel,” Kayden calls and beckons her over.

I glance across the clearing as she steps forward. My fists clench when I study her face. I’m boiling over the edge, and I can’t seem to control it. It’s like there’s a ticking time bomb inside my head.

Rachel’s black hair is scraped back into a high ponytail. She has the most haunting green eyes. They are so pale they almost look white. My lips curl into a forced smile, and she greets me with one, too—she seems kind, but I’m not feeling kind.

Jaxon’s hand presses to the small of my back encouragingly. “Come on. You’ve got this,” he whispers in my ear and then his attention is turned towards another pair. “Hey! None of that. If you want to fight, do it outside of my damn territory.”

I watch him leave before I focus back on Rachel. “Light sparring,” Kayden clarifies again before moving on to the next group.

We step towards each other, and I take up my fighting stance. I inhale some air and shake out my limbs.

She flashes me a genuine smile. “Come on. Show me what you’ve got.”

The thought of Rachel dragging her hand down Jaxon’s sweaty abs crosses my mind, and it makes me flinch. I grit my teeth and shake my head. No. No. I’m making up fake scenarios. Heat explodes in my sternum.

Breathe, Ava. Breathe.

I hear Rachel’s whimper in my mind, but this time, she’s on top of him, running her fingers through his hair with desire in her eyes. She dips her head lower and lower until I’m ready to explode.

A spark lights up inside me, and without grasping my complete self-control, I lunge forward and push her to the floor. Never in my life have I felt this level of rage and envy—it makes my skin itch. All the adrenaline in my body is about to burst from the top of my head. I didn’t know I could possess this sort of strength.

Rachel squirms against me as she knees me in the ribs. I gasp in a breath from being winded, but I twist and pull back my fist and punch her. Immediately, my hand begins to burn from the sensation of hitting someone. It’s an alien feeling. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a fight in my life. This doesn’t feel natural.

It doesn’t take her long to flip us over. She uses her impressive muscles to hit me twice as hard. Blood dribbles down my nose and over my lips, the coppery taste invading my tongue.

Then, everything starts to move in slow motion. I somehow reach up to grip her ponytail and throw her onto her back with all the blood and anger pumping through my veins. I grit my teeth. All I can hear is ringing.

Our hands fly in all sorts of directions, especially when she lands a punch to my already bruising ribs which causes me to groan.

“I said that is enough!” Jaxon’s voice bellows across the clearing, and two people pull us apart before we end up killing each other.

Everything is on fire. Never have I felt this…territorial.

Over Jaxon.

My eyes find Rachel’s as she scowls at me. I ball my fists together at my side.

“She fucking attacked me!” Rachel snarls, and I stupidly lunge forward, but I’m pulled back. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Hey,” Jaxon’s voice snaps. “I said enough.”

I attempt to catch my breath and finally rip my gaze from Rachel. My body shakes away the person's grip, who turns out to be Kayden. I raise my hand to wipe my bloody nose. I wince at the way it twinges when I touch it.

“Inside. Now,” Jaxon says as he steps to my side. “And Rachel. Go to my office, and don’t move until I get there.”

Rachel huffs and storms back to the pack house. I keep my head low despite everyone’s eyes on me. I move towards the back door once she’s out of sight.

I know Jaxon is right behind me because the hairs on my neck are standing up. “What the hell was that all about?”

---