"Again", Alex roared. The men on the training floor pushed off the ground and started brushing themselves off, grumbling loudly as they rose.

What was the problem with these warriors, she thought. They had been training since early morning. It was afternoon now and still not one warrior of Lunar Ridge had taken onboard any of the practices and skills they had been shown countless times now.

"Begin", she shouted and again her warriors took them down swiftly and without mercy.

She shook her head in utter disbelief, casting a glance at Nolan. He rubbed his face vigorously in his hands, then running his hands through his now static hair, a sure sign of his stress and annoyance. She motioned to him and he joined her, exhaling in exasperation.

"Let's talk to the Gamma", Nolan said.

Gamma Kit was standing to the side of the training floor. He wore an oddly arrogant look on his face for someone whose warriors were having their asses handed to them over and over.

"Am I missing something Kit", Alex queried. "Your warriors haven't taken in a single piece of information regarding the attack methods or defence techniques we've been teaching them all day".

"Well you can hardly expect them to fight a bunch of females, can you?" His voice dripping with distain.

Alex's team was a mix of males and females. She and Nolan had selected them to give a wide range of training opportunities. Some were at elite level and could showcase the training of the Black Mountain pack at it's highest standard. Others were newer to pack training and this opportunity exposed them to the fighting methods of different packs with varied experience. In her pack, every gender was given the same training.

"I'm surprised you recognise a female when she's not chained to the kitchen sink", Alex spat, further annoyed now that her time was being wasted on this chauvinist and his band of worthless Neanderthals he dared call warriors.

"Will your Alpha be happy that you are wasting his money and my time with your ridiculous behaviour?"

"Switch out the womenfolk for actual fighters and my men will happily follow any orders that Nolan gives". He shrugged his shoulders as if this was a perfectly reasonable request and waited for her response.

Alex looked to Nolan who looked about ready to shift and tear the face from the pathetic excuse of a man who stood before them.

Alex smiled wickedly. "I have a better idea", she said, "why don't you fight me for it?"

"What?" Kit's cocky demeanour was rocked momentarily.

Alex moved towards him so their bodies were almost touching. She angled her head slightly towards his face, Kit standing an inch or so taller than her.

"Fight me", she repeated. "If I win, your men follow every order I give, immediately and without question".

She moved even closer now, feeling Kit's sharp intake of breath as she invaded his personal space, dominating his eyeline, relishing in his discomfort.

"And if you win, Nolan takes over the training from here on out and your team will fight only my male warriors from now on".

"I'm not fighting a woman", he answered angrily, trying to take a step back from her and encountering the wall behind him.

"Then your Alpha will be informed of your insubordination on his arrival", Alex took a step back for a moment and gave him an appraising look. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I'd be scared of me too", Alex said softly. That was all it took. She had tried to turn away but Kit had grabbed her roughly by the upper arm. Nolan rested his hand menacingly on Kit's and he released her.

"Fine", Kit almost shouted his response in her face. "But don't go crying to your brother when I put you in the hospital for a month".

His confidence amused her.

"Alright", Alex said, nodding to Nolan and rubbing her hands together in glee, "let's get this party started".