The Forsaken Mate

Chapter Three.

Klaus looked confused as he looked at his pack. “Ah, training?”

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow. “And you were just going to leave me here?” The pack men always did this to me; left me behind with guards and when I asked to join, they’d all laugh at me. Well not anymore; I was going with the boys and they were going to show me how to fight because I had just as much right to be included in training as they did.

“Yes.” Klaus said without hesitation. “What else do you expect us to do with you? Make daisy chains?” He asked sarcastically, though his face was blank and his tone never changed.

I ignored his jibe and instead squared up to him. “Teach me how to fight.”

There was a moment of silence before they all began laughing. I stood in front of them as they were bent over, bellowing in laughter. My frustration and anger levels grew. Why was that so funny? “Why are you laughing?” I asked shrilly, very unimpressed. “I was being serious.”

That cut off their laughter. “You’re actually serious?” Klaus questioned with a straight face. Instead of risking their mirth again I simply nodded.

He smirked and narrowed his eyes. “You won’t last a day little girl.”

“I can try.” I replied without missing a beat. “At least let me join, if I complain, just once, I won’t ask again.” I pleaded. I knew that I was probably making a big mistake but I needed to do this- to prove to myself and these men that I was just as tough as them, and just as capable.

Klaus searched my face as the rest stood silent, waiting for their leader’s decision. “I’m not going to go easy on you because you’re a girl, or my mate.” He said, looking like he thought that I would change my mind.

“I never expected you to.” I’d be disappointed in him if he did; he shouldn’t treat me any different to his friends, if he did I wouldn’t feel like I deserved to be training with them. I had to prove myself just like any other man.

“We do most of our training in wolf form and some hand to hand combat. Are you sure you can handle it?” He asked.

I nodded again and took a step forward. “I can handle it; one complaint and I won’t ask again.” I needed this, if I couldn’t do this then I would feel like my father was justified in banning me from training, for treating me how he did.

He seemed to see that I wouldn’t back down and with a barely there nod a smile spread across my face, inside I was trying to contain the rush of excitement I felt.

“We’re running to the waterfall- last one back fights me first.” Klaus said as he stripped down so he could shift. I quickly shifted, ready to race as I watched him with a heated gaze- he was one fine man.

He shifted into his black wolf and took off running, followed by the rest of his pack and me. I kept up with Owen, the man who’d pointed out that I was a girl. Every time he sped up, so did I. I’d be lying if I said that it wasn’t tiring; because it was. My chest was burning, legs on fire but I kept pace and kept in front of some of the boys.

After half an hour of this torture, I could hear the loud rushing of water and through the trees a huge expanse of water stretched out before me with one huge cliff face on the opposite side with a gushing waterfall. I had asked, no begged, for this so there was no damn way I was going to complain about sore legs now.

I pushed through the pain and ended up eleventh to the lake; not last, but close to it. I flopped down next to there and edge of the pool of water and lapped up the heavenly liquid like a man in the desert for days.