Stronger

“Let’s head to the training house,” my mother suggested as we finished taping the last box.

That’s right he’s sparring with James.

All four of us headed to the training house and I felt the anticipation of seeing him build up in me. How he could push a power like this away I had no idea.

The men were all huddled around the ring. They must have already started.

“James no claws!” I heard my father order.

Of course, I sprinted to the front of the crowd and shoved them out of my way.

I didn’t know what I wanted the outcome of the spar to be. I did know I didn’t want either of them to bleed.

James was young and quick to aggression. It was easy for him to find strength when he needed it but he hadn’t learned control.

Grayson I had no doubt wouldn’t mind teaching him a lesson in it. My mate was a tall man with worked muscles and a sense of control that radiated from him.

To put it simply this could go very very badly.

I found them with James‘ claws retracted and a small set of screeches on Grayson’s shoulder. James had a bloodied l*p and was lagging behind.

James charged Grayson who moved his b*dy out of the way of his swing. He swiped down and picked James up and tossed him away.

James landed on his feet sliding a little, I saw the frustration and annoyance in his eyes.

He charged Grayson again but he faked left this time he wasn’t as trained as me and his older brothers were and Grayson had seen me fight yesterday so he blocked him again.

James did manage to meekly knew him the gut but Grayson pushed him away again.

He was playing with him!

I felt the indignation of my younger brother being someone’s plaything surge in me. I knew though that James had

requested this spar and he needed to learn he couldn’t just push people around with his strength.

James got up again and huffed a growl out. Grayson braced for another attack but this time James stayed and waited for

him to move.

My familial loyalty came forward and cheered my brother on. “Don’t fall for it James, he’s tiring you out!”

The two men looked at me. I smiled for my brother but I couldn’t help give a hurried glance Graysons way.

Suddenly Grayson sped towards James. I gasped loudly but covered my mouth quickly. My heart hit the floor.

James dove out of his way and jumped on Graysons back wrapping his arms around his opponent’s thick n*eck.

Grayson paused for a moment and then flung his b*dy weight backwards crushing James beneath him.

James coughed out a wheeze and I saw his face start to turn red.

“Give in,” Grayson demanded.

James was losing air quickly. He was new to choke holds and fighting in spar. He was not use to a man of Graysons strength either. I could see his arms losing their grip on Graysons n*eck.

I ran to the door or the ring and stopped as I hoped James would know he was beaten. Just as his face looked like it’d explode he let go and Grayson got off of him.

I kept up and opened the door to the ring and hurried over to my baby brother. I did my best not to think of him like that as he was older now but he was hurt.

“James you shouldn’t have tried to hold out that long! Oh my goddess look at you,” I helped him stand wiping his blood off of his face.

He’d requested this spar. I could not be mad that Grayson had taken it seriously, that is what James wanted.

“I’m just fine,” he rasped. My heart crumpled at his hoarse and dried up voice.

James had asked for this. James had asked for this. James had asked for this.

I started walking him out of the ring and helped him down the stairs.

I sat him down on a nearby bench and began to clean his wounds as he gulped down water.

James had sharp shoulder bones and he was bleeding from there, his l*p was bloody, and his right eyebrow also had a

small cut. I wasn’t going to bandage them all but I was at least going to disinfect them.

I grabbed some hydrogen peroxide from the care kit on the wall and washcloth.

I started with his eyebrow and then went to work on his shoulder which would need a bandage or two. It looked like it tore a little during the match.

I felt the heat Grayson walking up to us and he stood in front as I continued to focus on my brother.

“You have a lot of strength but you need to be less aggressive during a fight. If you act all frenzied like that your enem can goad you and play with you,” Grayson lectured him.

I could feel James’s eyes roll. “I get that dude but hey you’re a big guy how could I not want to spar with you,” James snarked and drank some more water.

“You cannot take a spar like this as a joke. If you intend to learn, learn if you don’t. Don’t ask to spar with me,”

“Oh I’m sorry was I being rude and indifferent?” James stood up and scowled at my mate.

Goddess was he sweet but so so stupid.

“James, that’s enough. Grayson is right you cannot forget that every spar is a lesson for if you ever actually have to battle someone,” I stepped in between them.

(Thank you) I mouthed to my brother and he k*ssed my cheek before heading off.

I turned around and looked at Grayson to see if he would actually deign me with a word or two.

“I see he’s at that restless stage. I hope your father can work it out of him if he’s ever willing to listen,” Grayson kept his eyes on my brother.

“You’re lucky I didn’t knock your ass out!” I huffed and tugged at his arm pulling him towards the bench.

“Excuse me?” he scoffed, shocked at my change of mood. the only explanation li have for him letting me push him

around.

I pushed him to sit down on the bench.

“That’s my little brother!” I snipped at him as I started to clean the scratches James left on his shoulder.

“You don’t have to do that, and your brother asked for a spar. I was polite and accepted,” he tried to move my hands away from him.

I smacked his hands away with a little too much anger. “I know where my brother has been I’m disinfecting this and yes I’m well aware that James instigated this but you as the older male should not have taken it that far,”

“I didn’t see the issue in teaching him a lesson when he was so desperate to learn one,”

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance.

“You are not his mentor, his teacher, or his father. If he comes to you for advice then give him some but taking it upon yourself to beat him up so he won’t be so restless is not okay,”

“I did not beat him up and I’m your mate. I would think you’d want me to help guide your brother,”

I blanked for a second at his openness of wanting to appeal to me. I finished cleaning him up quickly and put some medication on him before standing up.

“I would want you to do it without acting like you’re trying to teach him everything. He’s a teenager if you approach it like that he’ll ignore you till the sun goes down,”

“Anna,” I looked over and Max was walking up to me.

“Max,” I smiled politely and greeted him.

“My pack and I are leaving today. I know the tournament did not go as many thought but I wanted you to know I’m glad you’re happy and if there’s anything you ever need you should just ask,” he reached out to shake my hand.

I laughed internally at the formality of it.

“Thank you max it was really truly nice to get to know you and I hope you find a luna who’s worth you,”

I went to pill my hand away but max surprised me by bending down and k*ssing my hand.

Then the heat came.

“She’ll be taken care of,” he said behind me, putting his wonderfully large hand on my waist.

The feeling of his touch made me shiver and burn at the same time.

Max let go of me.

“Anna,” he nodded and left.

Grayson squeezed my hip with a growl.

I’m well aware that James instigated this but you as the older male should not have taken it that far,”

“I didn’t see the issue in teaching him a lesson when he was so desperate to learn one,”

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance.

“You are not his mentor, his teacher, or his father. If he comes to you for advice then give him some but taking it upon yourself to beat him up so he won’t be so restless is not okay,”

“I did not beat him up and I’m your mate. I would think you’d want me to help guide your brother,”

I blanked for a second at his openness of wanting to appeal to me. I finished cleaning him up quickly and put some medication on him before standing up.

“I would want you to do it without acting like you’re trying to teach him everything. He’s a teenager if you approach it like that he’ll ignore you till the sun goes down,”

“Anna,” I looked over and Max was walking up to me.

“Max,” I smiled politely and greeted him.

“My pack and I are leaving today. I know the tournament did not go as many thought but I wanted you to know I’m glad you’re happy and if there’s anything you ever need you should just ask,” he reached out to shake my hand.

I laughed internally at the formality of it.

“Thank you max it was really truly nice to get to know you and I hope you find a luna who’s worth you,”

I went to pill my hand away but max surprised me by bending down and k*ssing my hand.

Then the heat came.

“She’ll be taken care of,” he said behind me, putting his wonderfully large hand on my waist.

The feeling of his touch made me shiver and burn at the same time.

Max let go of me.

“Anna,” he nodded and left.

Grayson squeezed my hip with a growl.

ΔΙΕ

“I’m surprised he was so daring to touch you,” his voice was like an open declaration of war.

I huffed and shoved his hand off of me. I turned on my heel and walked away from him before he walked away from me.

You don’t speak to me but apparently no one else can.

That evening I spent the night laughing and joking with my family. We jas a simple meal and are it together. We sat down and talked and went over memories and I savored their voices and their smiles.

4

My father walked me up to my bedroom and came in with me his arm around my back the whole way. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“I know it is probably the most unsure moment of your life so far. I wish I could tell you what was going to happen and that you had nothing to worry about. I can’t. I do know that you are strong that whatever happens you will not break,” he sat down on the edge of my bed with me. 1

“I have a feeling you’re not entirely sure of your mate and I don’t blame you. He seems like a very stoic and guarded man. He hasn’t acted like the men in your books do but he will take care of you. I’ve met his mother and I don’t think she’d let him live if he didn’t. know that I’ll always be there for you if need me. No matter what happens are going to be safe,” He k*ssed my head and then held me in his big arms.

3

For a second I was three years old.

*

“I love you so much. Call please when you stop for the night. And when you get there. And when you’re unpacked. And. And every day,” my mother squeezed me tightly for the eighteenth time that day.

“I will of course mama. I’ll text you all the time,” I held onto her for a few minutes keeping myself standing by her arms.

1

This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.

I hugged Charlie goodbye and k*ssed him on his cheek. “Be good. Keep them safe,” I nodded. “I love you,”

Then Theo. “Don’t let Cea stay out too late on her own. Make sure Charlie goes once a week. Check on mom to make sure she doesn’t just cry. I love you,”

1

I hugged Cea and gave her the sl*p of paper with my new address on it in case anyone else forgot.

“I want to know everything okay,”

“Of course,”

I got to James and wrapped him up tightly. My youngest and closest brother, the one to comply with all my crazy schemes and listen to all my teenage drama.

“I know everyone is telling you to rein it in and I’m not saying you shouldn’t be careful, but you’re young. Have fun, be wild, and make some memories that you’ll never forget. You are only a teen once,” I squeezed him once again before letting him go.

“Just don’t pick a fight with a giant. I love you,”

My father grabbed my hand and started walking me to the car.

1

“Remember. No matter what I will be right here,” hugged me goodbye.

“I love you, papa,”

“I love you my pup,”

Then I left.