Chapter 161
Lynette's POV
Kael turned and headed for the metal staircase. I followed him down. My boots hit each step with a dull clang. Elara walked beside me. Her shoulder brushed mine once. Twice.
"Stay close," I said quietly.
She nodded. Didn't argue.
We reached the bottom. The training ground opened up in front of us. But Kael didn't stop there. He kept walking. Past the outdoor field. Past the equipment racks. Toward a large building at the far end.
The door swung open before we reached it. Drake stood waiting. He held it for us without a word.
The air inside was cooler, heavy with the scent of sweat and rubber mats. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. In the center of the room sat a raised platform. A fighting ring. Padded floor. Rope barriers on all sides.
Around the edges of the room, wolves watched us. Ten. Maybe twelve. All male. All bigger than me. They leaned against the walls. Arms crossed. Eyes tracking my every move.
I kept my face blank. Didn't let them see me counting exits. Didn't let them see me noting the weapons rack in the corner. The first aid station by the door.
Kael walked to the edge of the ring. Started pulling off his jacket. "Tactics are useful," he said. His back was to me. "But building a pack requires more than theory."
He tossed the jacket to Drake. Rolled his shoulders. "You need to prove you can fight."
My stomach tightened. I'd expected this. Known it was coming. But I hadn't expected him to be my opponent.
Kael turned to face me. "Human form only. No shifting. We stop when I say we stop."
I glanced at Elara. She stood frozen. Her face had gone pale.
"She stays with Drake," Kael said. He gestured to the observation area. A row of benches against the wall. "Safe distance."
Drake moved toward Elara. She looked at me. I gave her a small nod. She went.
I climbed into the ring. The mat gave slightly under my feet. Softer than dirt. Harder than grass. I rolled my neck. Shook out my hands.
Kael stepped up opposite me. He was taller. Heavier. Reach advantage. Weight advantage.
But I'd fought bigger opponents before.
"Ready?" he asked.
I didn't answer. Just shifted my weight. Dropped into a guard stance.
He came at me fast.
His first jab aimed for my face. I slipped left. His second punch drove toward my ribs. I blocked with my forearm. The impact jolted up to my shoulder. Hard. Harder than I expected.
He's strong. Really strong.
I backed up two steps. Created distance. He followed. Pressed forward. Another combination. Jab. Cross. Hook.
I dodged the jab. Caught the cross on my guard. The hook grazed my temple.
My turn.
I stepped in. Threw a quick one-two at his midsection. He blocked both. I followed with a low kick to his lead leg. Connected. Not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to test.
He didn't even flinch.
Around us, the watching wolves started muttering. I caught fragments. "She's fast." "Too small." "Won't last five minutes."
Kael came at me again. Faster this time. I blocked. Dodged. Circled away. He wasn't trying to hurt me. Not really. Every strike was controlled. Precise. But he was testing me. Pushing to see where I'd break.
I won't.
I started watching his patterns. He favored his right. Led with his left foot. After three strikes, he always reset his stance.
There.
When he threw his next combination, I didn't just defend. I countered. Slipped inside his guard. Drove my elbow toward his ribs.
He twisted. Caught my arm. Pulled me off balance.
I went with the momentum. Used it. Dropped low. Swept his leg.
He jumped back. Avoided it.
We both paused. Breathing hard.
Someone in the crowd whistled. Low and impressed.
Kael's mouth curved. Not quite a smile. "Not bad."
We went at it again.
This time I didn't hold back as much. I used everything I knew. Everything I'd learned in twenty years of survival. Joint locks. Pressure points. Leverage over strength.
But I didn't use the killing moves. The ones that would snap bone. Crush windpipes. I kept it clean. Technical.
Kael matched me. Strike for strike. Block for block. He was good. Better than good. He moved like someone who'd been fighting his whole life.
Five minutes in, we were both sweating. My lungs burned. My muscles screamed. But I didn't stop.
I saw an opening. His guard dropped half an inch after a missed hook. I went low. Swept his legs hard.
This time I got him.
He went down on one knee. I moved in. Elbow ready.
He blocked. Drove his knee up toward my stomach.
I twisted away. Barely.
We separated. Both breathing hard now.
Kael straightened. Raised one hand. "Enough."
I stopped. Lowered my guard. My heart hammered against my ribs.
"Draw," he said.
The watching wolves went quiet. I could feel their eyes on me. Reassessing.
Kael stepped out of the ring. Drake appeared with towels. Water bottles. Handed one to Kael. One to me.
I took it. Drank. The cold water hit my throat like ice.
"Your combat skills are solid," Kael said. He wiped his face with the towel. "Better than most Alphas I've fought."
I didn't respond. Just waited.
He studied me for a long moment. "I can provide funding. Some resources. Access to my network."
My pulse jumped. This was what I came for.
"In exchange," he continued, "you work as a combat trainer for my pack. Temporary position. Until you've built your own group."
I thought fast. It meant staying here. In Pinehollow territory. Under his watch. But it also meant access. Information. Resources I couldn't get anywhere else.
"Deal," I said.
He nodded once. "Good."
I took another drink. My mind was already racing ahead. To recruitment. To training. To the fight with Wild Hunt.
But something nagged at me.
"Question," I said.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Wild Hunt is after me. Not you. Your pack is strong. Well-trained. Why do you need to strengthen your forces this badly?"
His expression went cold. Flat. "Even if they invade my territory, I'm not worried about a direct confrontation."
That wasn't an answer.
"Then why—"
"I have my reasons," he cut me off. His voice dropped. Hard edge. "They don't concern you."
I held his gaze. Saw the wall go up. Whatever he was hiding, he wasn't going to share it. Not yet.
I filed it away. Something to investigate later.
Before I could push further, footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Everyone turned.
An older man walked in. Sixty-something. Straight-backed. Wearing a dark suit that looked expensive even from across the room. His hair was silver-gray. Combed neat. His eyes were sharp. Assessing.
Kael's whole posture changed. Not submission. Something else. Respect.
"Hansen," Kael said. His voice was different. Softer.
The old man's gaze swept the room. Landed on me. Then shifted to Elara.
His eyes widened. Just for a second. Then something else flickered across his face.
Was that... relief?