The Scarlet Hunter

Chapter 4-1

Isla focused on the teeth coming for her and ignored the heat of the eyes that were locked onto this battle. With her forearms crossed, she braced, guiding the snarling jaws over her left shoulder, and tripped the legs associated with that mouth. Almost clear of the attack, passing claws scratched her chest. Even though she moved with the claws to minimize the injury, she would have taken some heavy damage if Gamma Jax wasn't held to the rules of engagement to not tear flesh when sparring.

"You had me," Isla called out, signifying that it was Gamma Jax's adherence to the rules that saved her and not her own moves. A frustrated and muffled yell leaked through her clenched teeth, sweat dripped down her forehead and into her eyes. She put her hands on her hips and dropped her head taking deep inhales of air like it was a precious and limited resource.

The other training warriors of her pack were paired off and sparring amongst themselves all around. Rolling sounds of bodies slapping the mats echoed the space. Heat and exhaustion of her pack rolled over her in waves. The smell of salt pumped into her lungs with her recovery breathing. So this is why it still smells like teen spirit in here.

Anyone who wasn't actively sparring was an audience to her and Gamma Jax. Alpha Alec and Beta Kelvin were making their rounds to offer tips and improve the forms of the trainees. Although Beta Kelvin stopped by between rounds with Gamma Jax to ask a couple questions here and there, Alpha Alec kept his distance. She didn't need him to stop by for her to know that he was watching her, stalking her.

"Not as much as you think." Gamma Jax returned to the mat after landing on his side from Isla's maneuvering. "That would have been superficial. Uncomfortable, but you wouldn't have bled out from it, and there wouldn't be enough tissue damage to limit you in a sustained battle. What I'm more interested in is your missed opportunity to clock me under my jaw."

Isla looked up at Gamma Jax as a bead of sweat stung her eye, grateful for the feedback. This was very different than her training at college, and if she were being honest, it felt more natural for her. What she learned from humans felt ornate. Whenever she mastered a human move, she would try to figure out how to make the move more effective in "real" situations on her own. But what did she know about fights, except her last night on the territory.

"Your reaction was spot on by guiding me over your shoulder. But with a more powerful thrust up and follow-through, you could have impacted my jaw from below, maybe even fracturing it. One hit wouldn't have been enough to stop an attack, but an impact to the head is an impact to the head. They add up."

"Let me release the rest of class, and we'll run through it again." Gamma Jax then called out to the rest of the trainees announcing they were done for the day and took a position opposite Isla. "Let's repeat our last round, but this time I'll lift my head so that you can get a full extension without hurting me and causing me to cry, kay?" Isla nodded and smiled at him.

She tapped into her aggressive side to release a more powerful attack this time. Jax was in a different position on his advance, so she could fully extend to where his jaw had been without making contact with him. This must be what it's like to fight wolves.

Noises and loud chatter erupted from the women's locker room. With Jax sliding to a halt on the mat after her toss, Isla broke her match to look around. Alec's eyes stared off as he was contacted through the mindlink. He eyed Beta Kelvin, Gamma Jax, and another warrior before leading them across the gym. Isla blindly followed the four sets of massive shoulders that blocked her view of the door they were approaching. It was like walking behind freaking redwood trees.

Once inside, the wall of shoulders she had been trailing shifted allowing her to peak through and see a half-circle formed against the far wall.

Alec looked at the crowd. "Whose locker is this?" A couple of the she-wolves looked at Isla. Pushing her way through, the metal door with her change of clothes on the far side came into focus. Well, shit. This again.