I've had it.

I've made my mind up.

I've got to change.

I cannot stay this way forever. After all, everything has changed now. I had my wolf now. I could train myself to be stronger. I had to learn how to fight.

That is why when Alec was about to leave to train the younger warriors, I stopped him on his way.

"You want to train?" he asked genuinely confused.

I pouted for a bit before deciding that I had to push through with this. It must've sounded stupid to him, but I really wanted this. "Y-yes. I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

His face changed, he was completely rejecting my preposition. He even held his hand up and shook them no along with his head.

"Uhm, there's everything wrong with that Hannah." he started making his way out of the door, but unluckily for him, I followed him.

"How is there anything wrong with that? You said so yourself," I looked around me to make sure no one was listening "this pack hates weak ones. How do you think they would feel if they find out that their Alpha's mate is an Omega? Please, Alec. Help me out on this one." I had no idea where I pulled out that reasoning but it absolutely made perfect sense so I went with it.

However, he still shook his head and continued walking.

"I can't."

"Why not?" I was getting frustrated at this point. I didn't see what the problem was.

He stopped walking and looked wearily around him too to make sure no one was listening and that no one was on ear-shot.

"Because Ian will have my head if you get hurt and especially for someone like you who has no experience, you will get hurt. So no."

What? Why would he even care if I got hurt? If anything he was the one who hurt me. That didn't make any sense at all.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "So what, you know he'd be rejoicing when I get myself hurt. He practically wants me dead." I whispered to him. It was his turn to scoff and roll his eyes. Why, I had no idea also.

He seemed to genuinely believe that my mate will kill him if I got hurt in any kind of way.

He kept on ignoring me as he walked towards the training grounds and I followed him. It was still early in the morning and there were only few people around.

I was pestering him to let me join the others in training, I even held his arm and shook it to add effect, but he kept on ignoring me. I didn't even realize that we were actually in front of the training grounds. However, to my surprise, there weren't any other people training in there except... my mate.

It was his scent that had me stop on my tracks and next, my eyes quickly scanned the place to find him. And there he was.

He must have picked up my scent too or something because he looked up to where Alec and I was in. At first, he sent me a questioning glare but at the next, he looked like he was really pissed.

I heard Alec muttering something under his breath as he shook his arm off and went down to the training grounds.

Now that I knew that he was here, I wanted to leave, but I've already come this far to pestering Alec. Might as well go on until the end till he says yes. And so I followed Alec down.

My mate was already sweaty, looking like he'd been there for a long time before we came. I would be lying if I said that he didn't look so hot right there and then, but I did my best to erase those unholy thoughts.

The mate bond has been quite tame, I would say, but I had always the urge to see him and be near him, something he deprived me from.

Alec and I both stopped in front of him. However, he didn't pay attention to Alec and just glared at me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

I didn't know how to answer that question. Do I answer him truthfully? Do I lie? Do I ignore him? I didn't know, but I definitely didn't want him to know that I wanted to start training.

"She said she wants to train." Alec blurted out. I couldn't help but gasp and hit him. How dare he!

I thought he understood that I wanted to keep this secret especially from Ian!

Alec grunted and Ian raised an eyebrow at me mockingly.

"You," he started "want to train?" he asked rather obnoxiously.

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes quickly, hoping that he didn't notice it.

"So what if I do." I retorted. It was then that his signature smirk showed, but this time it was more playful, more challenging. Something I've never seen before.

For once he didn't look like he was about to kill me. He just looked like he was planning to do so. I suddenly remembered his figure sitting on the side of the bed, drunk and miserable looking.

Yup, definitely not him. He was the big bad Alpha after all. My mind must've been playing tricks on me that night.

"Sure." he said after looking at me for a long time. I saw Alec turning back and raising his eyebrow. Even I was confused.

"Sure?" Alec and I chorused. All of a sudden, Alec was beside me.

"Like yes, sure? Or no, sure?" the Beta asked.

"Sure, but under one condition. " my mate said. There it was again, that tone, challenging me as if I was incapable to do even the simplest thing.

I couldn't help but think that there's a catch to it so I paused for a while, thinking of all the possibilities of what condition it might be. "What kind of condition?"

This time, his smirk turned into a smile as if he had already won. And that threw me off so bad.

He smiled.

He already looked good without even trying, but throw in a smile and he was... perfect. His sea-like eyes glistening in amusement like he was enjoying this. My breath hitched just at the sight of his smile and I didn't want him noticing that so I decided to place my attention on Alec.

Even Alec was confused. A genuine smile from an Alpha like him couldn't mean too much of good news, right?

"You'll get your training from the very best fighter here." he said.

Huh?

That's it?

Not much of a condition.

I turned to Alec who was stupefied. However, I, on the other hand, smiled brightly, I squealed excitedly and jumped to Alec, hugging him. He might not have been too happy with an added student, but I was willing to learn.

He'll see just how hardworking and diligent I am when I really put my mind into it.

"Alec, you're training me!" I said happily. I was already imaging on where we were going to get started.

I was already feeling so excited.

Since I'm a beginner, I think he's making me start with the basics first. Running? Push-ups? Ouh, I'm kind of worried that I'll do super bad since I am a newbie, but I guess that's just part of the experience right?

I will probably regret this decision once I actually start training, but then again, it will all be worth it.

I really wonder what's waiting for me!

I could finally live my life with a little satisfaction that I tried to fix my situation at least and not just moped about it.

However, I heard someone clearing their throat and Alec pushing me away so fast that I almost trip. I only noticed now that there was a pissed-off looking Alpha a few steps away.

Like his clear blue eyes were now a darker shade, but it was still beautiful.

Gee, how does he get moody so fast? One minute he's challenging me, the next he was getting amused and the next he was angry.

Moody much?

"No, Ian's training you." Alec announced dryly, but he sounded shocked himself.

What?

Did I hear that right?

He must be kidding right?

"Who else did you think the very best fighter was?" Ian said annoyed that I hadn't realized that it was supposedly him.

Wow, the humbleness astonishes me.

I felt like a bucket of cold water has doused me. Ian, the Alpha, who also happens to be the mate that despises me, wanted to train me? That didn't sound too good.

I looked at Alec for help, but he was as just as shocked at me to give me some help.

Ian walked closer to me until he was only a step away from me. He grabbed my arm and I bit my lip at the shock that his touch sent me. If it affected him too, he was damn good at hiding it because there was no change in his face.

Ugh, I hate how I was the only one who was super affected by this mate bond.

"You can train elsewhere for now Alec." Ian started as he grabbed me along with him in the centre of the training grounds. "Oh, and tell everyone that no one is allowed to come here for the next hour. Wouldn't want them to interrupt us, now wouldn't we?" he put his smiling face closer and I was just utterly perturbed.

Where was the Ian I knew? Who is this stranger in front of me? Because this is definitely not the mate I've come to know.

Even Alec was as baffled. When he wasn't leaving, Ian growled lowly and that seemed to have got him moving because he sped away, not before complaining though.

And now... there was just him and me.

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