Page 37 of These Dangerous Fates

The book falls from my fingers and lands in my lap as I jump, my heart attempting to eject from my chest. I was so absorbed in my reading, I didn’t notice him joining me. He sits next to me on the couch, and I’m acutely aware of how close he is to me. With my cheeks burning, I pick up the book and show him the cover.

He laughs. “Is that a sexy book? Getting some ideas in that pretty head of yours?”

I’m not sure how to answer his question. So far, Sterling has been the one to keep his distance from me. I feel like I bonded with him in his wolf form, but flirting has never been our thing.

“Maybe,” I say shyly. He chuckles and I duck my head to hide the blush heating my cheeks.

“So, you said you had questions for me,” he says. “Is that true?”

“Yeah, I have lots of questions, actually.” I set the book in my lap and look at him.

“I have a question for you, too,” he says.

“What’s your question?” Nerves flutter in my belly. I don’t want to talk about Sam or my situation before Malakai abducted me.

“You’ve trained at the gym. You can throw a punch to match the best of them. And you’ve shown us you're able to use a gun and a knife.” He levels his blue eyes on me, staring straight through me to my soul. “What happened yesterday? That mage grabbed you, and you did nothing to fight back at first.”

I fiddle with the pages of the book and take a deep breath. Embarrassment burns through me, and I’m unable to look him in the eyes. “Um, I … I froze. He grabbed me, and I panicked. It’s hard to forget two years worth of …” I trail off, not wanting to finish that thought. “In all my training at the gym,” I say instead, “I never really learned self-defense. I can shoot a gun, preferably at a stationary target. I can stab someone standing in front of me, and I can punch someone who startles me. But I never learned how to break a hold if someone grabs me.” I shrug and finally look up at him.

He nods like that is what he expected to hear. “I’ll make you a deal, then. You train with me and the guys, and I’ll answer your questions.”

I grin at him and watch in fascination as a slight blush creeps up his tan neck. “Deal.”

“Good,” he says and clears his throat. “We’ll start now.”

“Now?” I ask, setting the book on the coffee table. “Where are Cade and Malakai?”

“Kai’s dad needed them to do something. They’ll be back later tonight.”

“Okay. Well, let’s do this, then,” I say with bravado I’m not completely feeling.

I’m already wearing leggings and a tank top, as I only brought a few items of clothing with me when this whole contest began. Most of those things are comfort clothes that are easy to move in. Perfect for training, I guess.

Sterling moves to the area of the library that’s been transformed into a gym. Weights and exercise equipment line one wall, and mirrors have been set up for optimal muscle ogling. Realistically, I know those mirrors are for making sure your form is on point, but I also know guys. Those mirrors are more for flexing and checking themselves out.

Padded mats cover the floor, which is where Sterling stops and turns to face me. His muscles shift under his tight t-shirt as he ties his long hair back in a bun. I watch him, loving the silver color and the way it makes his icy blue eyes pop.

“Alright,” he says. “We’ll start with the easiest grip to break. Once you show me you understand it, I’ll answer one of your questions.” He holds out his hand and instructs me to grab his wrist. “If someone were to grab you like this, you need to remember you’re trying to break the grip through the opening of their fingers. You want to rotate your wrist until your palm is facing the ground, step in close and bring your hand to your chest. As you do that, slice your elbow forward over their hand and it will break their grip.”

He demonstrates with me holding his wrist, before we switch and he grabs mine. I follow his instructions slowly, getting the feel for the movements and correcting where he tells me to. Once he thinks I have the move down, he increases his speed and strength to make me work for it.

“Good. That’s really good.” His eyes shine as he looks at me. “I think you have that one. Ask a question.”

“Okay,” I say as I gather my thoughts and try to think of the first question I want to ask. “The guys made it sound like you didn’t have control of the wolf after you shifted. You don’t control it?”

“My wolf is separate from me. He is his own entity, and he has his own thoughts and feelings and urges. It’s like we share each other’s bodies. Does that make sense?” His brows furrow as he tries to explain it to me. “When I’m human, he’s tucked away in my consciousness, always there looking out through my eyes. Same when I’m in the wolf form—I’m tucked away in his consciousness. We can communicate with each other, and offer suggestions, but ultimately, whichever form we are in has the control.”

“That makes sense.” I say slowly.

“As for control,” he continues, “I’ve lived with my wolf for a very long time. We have come to an understanding of each other. When I was younger, we fought a lot more over control.”

“So, when you shifted when I was hurt and stayed in your wolf form?” I prod.

“I know how much my wolf needs to protect those he considers pack. I could have wrestled control back from him, but in the end, I knew it was easier for me to let him protect you in wolf form.”

I hear his words, but my mind gets stuck on one word in particular. “Your wolf considers me pack?” I ask quietly, unable to look into his pretty blue eyes.

He gives me a little grin that causes those elusive butterflies to stir in my belly. “Next move,” he says instead. He walks me through how to break a hold if someone grabs my hair, and once I have that move mastered, he steps back. “Next question.”

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