Page 76 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
This should be fine.
Chapter 19 - Dominic
Dominic blocked the attack with his forearm as the training staff cracked against his tensed muscles.
Sweat beaded around his forehead as he turned, bringing down his own staff in a sweeping arc that his opponent barely dodged.
"That was better," he growled, eyes on the young wolf. "But you're still telegraphing your moves."
The training yard buzzed as pack members paired off in combat drills. Dominic had been at this since dawn, pushing his men harder than usual. The looming threat of Xavier and his corrupted hunters demanded nothing less.
A lanky wolf named Tyler was his opponent now. The young one was soaked with sweat, as he nodded and readjusted his grip on his staff.
"Again," Dominic ordered, his eyes tracking every movement.
Three hours into training and Dominic wasn't satisfied. They needed to be sharper, faster. Xavier wouldn't show mercy when he finally tracked them down, and neither would his demon-influenced hunters. Every day without an attack only made Dominic more tense.
We're not ready.
The unwelcome thought barged into his mind as he disarmed Tyler with a quick twist of his staff. The young wolf fell onto his back with a pained gasp.
Not giving him too much time on the floor, Dominic extended a hand, pulling him back to his feet. "You're dropping your guard on your left side. It'll get you killed."
"Sorry, Alpha," Tyler wheezed, accepting his staff back.
Dominic looked at all the other twenty wolves drilling in pairs. Their skills were improving, but…
It’s not fast enough.
"Take five," he called out, setting his staff against the wooden fence. "Water break."
Let them rest.
As his wolves moved toward the water cooler, Dominic caught movement at the edge of the field. A group of children had gathered to watch.
If Xavier attacks, age won't matter.
Dominic walked toward them, his boots crunching on the gravel path.
"You," he called, pointing to the kids. "Come here."
They all paused in fear before slowly approaching their alpha. Soon, they were all looking up at him.
"Can you protect yourselves from demons?" he asked.
A small boy with sandy hair shook his head. "No, Alpha."
"Then it's time you learned." Dominic grabbed several smaller practice staffs from a nearby rack. "Line up."
The children formed an awkward line, their small hands clutching the wooden staffs shakily. Dominic showed them a basic defensive stance, his movements precise and measured.
"Like this," he said. "This stance will make you harder to knock down."
The children tried to repeat what he just did, but their forms were sloppy, arms trembling under the weight of the staffs.
He saw the fear in their eyes—they were too afraid of him to learn. His reputation preceded him, and the children looked at him like he might bite their heads off.
"Are you trying to scare the kids?"
