"Well you two look pretty cosy." Seamus noted, adjusting the bright red tie he decided to don today. The man was always dressed to the nines and today was no different. "Honestly, I didn't think you two would even reach this point."

After last night, I could barely keep myself from rubbing against Jude. It was a damn miracle I wasn't trying to do anything now with Seamus present.

"Not today, Seamus." Jude warned.

"The other Recruits are waiting outside to be directed." He gave us both a long, contemplative glance.

"We'll be out soon." Jude confirmed.

Seamus left without a sound.

"I can't tell you what you'll be doing today. On the field, you will be Aella the Recruit. I won't allow you to have special treatment. Everyone must have equal footing, or it won't be fair." Jude explained. Despite his words, when his fingers stroked the tender spot of my neck, I cuddled into his touch like a sunflower seeking warmth from the sun.

"Good. I don't want special treatment, especially if you're my mate."

He playfully bit my earlobe with a growl, "You said mate." He said triumphantly.

I froze, suddenly aware of how comfortable I was with speaking the word.

Mate.

We were mates.

When did I suddenly embrace the truth? "That's what we are, aren't we?"

"You're mine Aella Spades." His lips met mine across the bed and I helplessly found myself drowning beneath his touch.

***

"Aella, you naughty girl." Kian greeted me with a wicked smirk when I appeared on the field with the other Recruits.

I pursed my lips, stuck between wanting to laugh and growing red in the face.

Luckily, Pen jabbed an elbow into Kian's side. "Leave her alone."

"That would be boring princess. One does not ignore the fact that this naughty girl smells like the Alpha. I see why I haven't seen the man himself much because this naughty girl has been playing hide the salami with the Alpha."

"Stop calling me naughty girl."

"I bet I know someone who'd like to call you that-"

"Shut up emo!" Jace suddenly appeared, shoving Kian out of the way and into Pen. His hard gaze met mine and a cruel smirk curled at the corner of his lip. "Didn't think you'd stoop so low to secure your spot Aella. Maybe I should suck his dick to see if I'll get the same special treatment you're getting."

"You're disgusting." I spat, disgusted.

"What? I speak only the truth. You reek of him. No- you bare his marks too? Ha, you really are a cock sucker." An empty laugh slipped. "You really are your mother's daughter."

"Careful Jace, your bitchiness is showing."

"I'll show you how bitchy I can be-"

"Step down." Jude's voice interceded, cutting off Jace's spiel. The small crowd that I hadn't noticed had formed, slowly dispersed, leaving Jace and I in his direct line of vision. He was swathed in his fighting skins with a long jacket. His familiar chains dangled at his wrists, throwing off shards of light as the sun caught it. My wolf practically preened under the weight of his gaze. He glanced between the two of us, taking in our pinched expressions. I wanted to pummel Jace into the ground. I didn't think Jude would care judging by the distasteful glower he wore as Jace faced him like he wanted to attack him. He was being stupid, but it wasn't atypical of him. He just didn't realise that the E.S Enforcers that had followed behind Jude were tense, ready to strike if danger posed itself to their Alpha.

"How is any of this fair? She's clearly your bitch-"

Jace didn't finish his sentence because Jude was on him before anyone could blink. Everyone heard the crack of bones as Jude flattened the Recruit flat onto his back in mere seconds, where he crushed one solid boot to his chest. Jace spluttered, grasping at his foot with desperate hands. "W-what the fuck? G-et o-off me!" He gasped, fighting for air.

"I don't tolerate disrespect in the Pack."

"Ease the fuck off."

Jude sneered. "Watch it."

"Y-you think this is fair? She's fucking you to reap up the benefits. You're just as dirty as her if her pussy is the only thing keeping her here."

With a scary calmness Jude could only pull off, he slowly retracted his boot from his chest. Jace sucked in a strangled lungful of air as he tried to scramble to his feet.

The E.S Enforcers that had come- Jamison, Solkolov and Alexei had all gone tense. The lines of their bodies primed with battle. Jamison took a step forward but Solkolov's hand to his arm stopped him from interfering.

"Get up." Jude quietly commanded.

Jace stumbled to his feet, but he hissed when he touched his shoulder. It must have dislocated from the impact.

"Since you think she doesn't deserve to be here, I want you to spar with her."

Seamus who had slowly inched towards Jude whispered something into his ear but the man himself refused to reply.

"You want me to beat the hell out of your little bitch?"

"Aella." Jude watched me with an intensity so thick, any other person would've crumbled under the leaden weight of his gaze. His jaw was clenched so tightly, I could see the veins of his neck pulsing from fury.

Understanding passed between us. He knew that I could fight my own battles, but it irked him off equally. He would have preferred if I didn't have to do it. His words from earlier rang clearly in my head. He said I wouldn't get special treatment and he was holding onto that promise on the field.

"You really should've stopped when you said I was sucking cock to stay here." I sighed, "But I digress. I've always wanted to see how well you could stand on your own without daddy here to save you."

"This will be a hand-to-hand combat. No morphing into your wolf." Jude laid down the single rule solemnly.

"I won't need to morph to have you on your back, panting for me." He licked his lips suggestively. I wasn't going to lie. I think I hurled a bit in my mouth when he grabbed his crotch, smirking. I had momentarily forgotten how nasty he and his brother could be. I knew Jace was not in the slightest interested in me, but he was delving deep for the crudeness factor. He savoured any reaction to his antics. Thanks to their status in the Pack, they made my childhood hell. They were like dark shadows, always creeping behind me and pulling the rug from under my feet. They'd laugh and the Pack- they couldn't do anything. As long as daddy dearest remained the Alpha, no one dared to offer a saving hand. We were forced to defend ourselves and calculate our own ways to leave the Pack.

Which brought me to now.

It all had to end now. I was done. Done with the Bennett twins and anyone else who thought they could walk all over me.

Jude signalled the beginning of the spar.

Jace lunged first, aiming a strike to my face.

I dodged his fist as it flew to my jaw. If there was one thing I knew about Jace, it was that he relied heavily on his brute strength.

"Kick the asshole in the balls!" Pen shouted.

"Penelope." Alexei warned, unimpressed.

"Yes daddy." She muttered.

I would've laughed but Jace was set on getting me to the ground. An animalistic snarl tore from his throat as he ran, hooking an arm around my neck and pulling me down with his weight. My feet slipped and then we were rolling. He held on tight, adding pressure to my throat until my eyes blurred from the lack of oxygen. "Not so fun is it Aella." His words pressed into my cheek as he wrapped his thighs around my waist like a boa restrictor.

I made sure that he was the one who landed on their back. If there was anything I could never allow to happen, it was being brought to my back. It was more difficult to redeem yourself once you were placed in that position.

"Better tap out now, you're going blue in the face."

I gritted my teeth and slammed my elbow right into his groin. He jerked in surprise, but his grip loosened enough, I had enough space to wiggle out of his grip. I whirled onto my feet before he could grab me again. He shot up swiftly, gnashing his teeth. I didn't think he was even thinking coherently at this point. His rage was tangible as he clenched his jaw.

"Are the family jewels still intact?" I asked but I didn't wait for his answer. I shot towards him, aiming for his legs. I effectively swiped him flat on his back before he could blink. I straddled his hips and pinned down his wrists above his head so he couldn't move. His face burned red as he struggled beneath me, but I held still, squeezing his thick wrists.

"You think you're so tough huh? You weren't so tough when we tied you in the forest to get attacked by the Rogues." He grimaced, moving his hips to unlatch me.

I blocked the memory from entering my mind. I'd been eight and struggling to transform into my wolf. They had used the knowledge to their advantage when they blindsided me from my walk from school.

They thought it was funny. Some members had the decency to look appalled when a day later, I appeared from the woods, tired and limping home. It was probably the only time Alpha Bennett had scolded his sons in front of the Pack. They had gone too far, and everyone knew it. However, it didn't mitigate their attacks. They continued their cruelty. Their attacks had just become more discreet and insistent.

I was surprised by the rage wafting off Jude. He had grown tense, but he remained still, just watching closely.

Jace bucked his hips again, but I held on until it was clear that Jace wasn't going to get up any minute. Jamison counted to three before Jude slashed the air, signalling the end of the fight. I sighed, letting Jace roughly push me away. We both scrambled to our feet, and I turned, walking back to Pen but then I felt the air shift. Pen yelled out in warning, but it was too late. I felt the sting of teeth on my arm, hauling me back. I didn't think. I morphed into my wolf, preening when the strings of control snapped as I let my wolf out to come and play.

There were a couple of gasps as I spun around, dislodging Jace's jaw. Blood trickled from the side of his mouth, his large canines, stained scarlet. Puffs of air drifted from his twitching nostrils as he warmed his paws against the grass, readying for an attack.

"Stand down Recruit." The command was directed at a heaving Jace.

Blackness had already consumed his eyes.

Seconds passed. He showed no indication of submitting.

"Last chance Recruit. Stand down." Jude's command made my hair prick with awareness.

Jace strained against the verbal command of the Alpha, but it was a losing battle. A frustrated huff escaped his quivering lips.

"Recruit-"

Suddenly, he leapt right for me.

Mid-air, silver chains wrapped around his body, pulling him down. He released an anguished howl as his body fell. Jude was on him in an instant, tightening his hold on the wolf mercilessly. Jace reluctantly reverted into his human skin, still fighting against the chains that wrapped his body. It left red burn marks across his limbs. Jude had his boot against Jace's heaving chest again, the picture almost comical if it wasn't for the genuine wrath in Jude's face or the abrupt spark of fear in Jace's expression.

Jude motioned for his men to grab Jace who reluctantly slumped against their hold.

I changed into human form, shivering as the cold met my bare skin.

Everyone silently watched as they dragged him away. I felt Jude approach me from behind. Something warm enveloped my form. He had stripped off his jacket, slipping it over my head so it draped on my thighs. I could still sense the rage in him as he stepped to my side, sliding a tense arm around my waist, pulling me to him. His nose dipped to the slope of my neck where he pulled in a long inhale, taking in my scent. This seemed to soothe him as his body relaxed. His thumb and index finger rubbed the material of my shirt. "I wanted to kill him." He whispered into my hair, casting warm breath along my prickling skin. "I wanted to rip his head off, so I didn't have to hear him speak again."

"Trust me, you weren't the only one who wanted to do that."

"I fucking hate that he hurt you."

"I could stand my ground against him. I hurt him too." I grabbed his fingers, halting their movement.

"And it's fucking sexy." He growled, nipping my ear.

I jolted with shock, blinking. The other Recruits were near-by. Some were watching Jace get taken away and others were watching us. Pen wiggled her brows, catching the slight blush that crept upon my cheeks, but she made no comment.

"Your arm is bleeding." He assessed the wound with a hard glare.

"It's fine. It's healing. See?" I lifted my arm. Sure enough, the blood had clotted but there was still a lot of blood that needed to be cleaned off. The tint of iron in the air made my nose twitch, conjuring the memory of Jace's canines sinking into my flesh.

"Come." He took my hand, slipping his fingers between mine. "We'll gather again in an hour." His command broke the silence.

Now all eyes were on us, including his fellow E.S Enforcers who had made their way onto the field when the fights had broken out.

"Start them with some warm-ups and stretches." He directed Luka who had appeared from the thick of the Recruits with a nod.

We passed the Recruits, including Casey who had her arms defiantly crossed over her chest. Her lips were pinched with distaste as her gaze darted to Jude's possessive hand linked with mine. Her lips formed the word 'slut'. My lips tightened but I made no move to get her. Jude's hand in mine was enough of a distraction as he led me by some Pack members who stopped mid-talk to gawk.

We weren't hiding anymore, and I knew they could scent the mating bond. They were genuinely shocked but not a single person said a word as Jude led us swiftly into the direction of the Pack House.

"Don't worry about the Pack. We'll have a ceremony soon. I plan on making the announcement this evening." Jude said, not slowing down as he gently urged me along with his brisk pace.

"I'm nervous." I admitted.

His fingers squeezed mine in comfort, "My people are different Aella. They will accept you."

Doubts still swirled in my head, but I refused to linger on it.

I trusted Jude.