King Bailey POV
I stride into the training ring with Thomas in tow. Thomas is smiling broadly as he mind-links me.
Wanting to show off for your mate are you? Do you want me to take it easy on you? I don't want your mate to freak out that you might get hurt he says with concern.
No, I want her to see the full extent of our powers. I want you to shift into lycan form. She needs to see that I can protect her if it comes down to it. I want her to know that I can be the mate she deserves to have.
Plus you want to show off Thomas adds knowingly
I deign not to answer that one, aware that Riley is watching us anxiously from the crowd that has gathered to watch the lycan king and his Beta fight together.
I begin to strip and notice Riley blushing from the corner of my eye. She steadfastly looks away and I can't help but grin at her reaction. She's so innocent, I think to myself and then feel my cock harden at the thought she might not have actually done the deed, pleasing myself and my lycan immensely. I put my clothes to the side and then shift, my wolf massive as it turns and faces Thomas who is doing the same, a look of nonchalance on his face, despite the fact that this is going to be one hell of a fight.
He's barely shifted before I attack. He dodges the flurry of quick and agile moves, before attempting to lunge towards me. I turn and kick him, sending him sprawling backwards as he lets out a ferocious roar in anger. I dart towards him and slash his midsection with my claws as he defends himself and sends me staggering back. He's good, I marvel and while training the other lycans and creatures, he's only gotten better over the years. I'm impressed despite myself.
He jumps and I dodge, just avoiding him. I sideswipe and he cracks his front paw at me, getting me across the chest as I growl in rage. He's drawn blood. My lycan is growing pissed. I see red but fight back the urge to kill. This is meant to be a friendly sparring session, I try to remind my lycan, but both of us are aware of Riley watching, her eyes wide in disbelief as she watches how fast Thomas and I can move, our bodies like a blur at moments as we attack and lunge towards one another only to separate and do it again and again.
The crowd is cheering. "Way to go Thomas."
"Get him Bailey, smug bastard he is."
"Look out!"
"Dodge damnit dodge" they shouted.
As usual, the spectators are caught up in the moment, elbowing one another and urging their favorite person on. It rankles when Thomas is encouraged although I have to admit that it's funny how insulted my lycan gets over it.
I roll underneath Thomas as he jumps and get his underbelly. He howls and drops to the ground. I can see the blood trickling from his wounds. I cut deep but not deep enough to cause serious injury. He's practically foaming at the mouth. Thomas's lycan is just as stubborn and dangerous as mine. Both of us are circling one another. Neither of us are prepared to give up just yet. We don't want to submit to each other or admit defeat. We're enjoying ourselves. It's been a long time since we've fought one another. I lunge again and Thomas manages to sidestep and get me across the chest, gouging me and causing more blood to trickle down. It looks worse than it is but I hear Riley's sharp intake of breath across the circle and when I look her face has gone pale.
Maybe we were taking it too far? I hesitate but Thomas continues to attack and I'm forced to defend myself as Riley's pallor continues to whiten and go ashen. I let out a roar of frustration. We fling ourselves at each other. A scream from the crowd forces us both apart and my head turns automatically towards Riley, who is now on the floor. I shift, my lycan filled with worry as Thomas does the same and I bolt over to her, forcing the crowd to part ways.
"Riley" I shout in panic, kneeling beside her and ignoring the blood-streaked all over me and the nakedness of my body as I cup her face, trying to wake her back up "Riley, wake up honey."
"Who is she?" someone whispers curiously.
"She's new to the pack" another shoots back as the crowd watches intently "I heard she's King Bailey's mate."
"No way" breathes another.
"You better believe it. Look at how he's trying to get her to wake up. That's the mate bond" someone hisses.
Riley is unresponsive and I can feel myself panicking and then her eyes begin to slowly flutter open. I feel a sense of relief wash over me as I help her to sit upright. She blinks, rubbing a hand on her temples a look of confusion on her face.
"What happened?" she mumbled, while I glanced over at Thomas who had begun to get dressed.
"You fainted," I said quietly "while Thomas and I were sparring."
Her eyes widen. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry" she breathes, looking embarrassed, her cheeks flushing a becoming pink color as I gaze at her "I didn't mean to. I just was so worried about you that I..."
"You were worried?" I sounded smug and a little arrogant.
She looks at me confused. "Well yes, I mean look at you" she gestures weakly at me as I look down at myself bewildered.
"You're covered in blood and clearly injured" she said sadly as I fought back my laughter at her innocence "I thought you were going to kill each other" she added grimly.
"Riley" I said, smoothing her hair back from her face and cupping her cheek "Some of the blood on me is Thomas's and very little of it is mine. I'm not as injured as you think I am" I said honestly.
"Oh" she says weakly.
"Lycan's heal incredibly quick sweetheart. Look at Thomas."
She glances at Thomas, who luckily is fully dressed by now. He grins at her and exposes his stomach which is fully healed by now. Her mouth parts open in shock.
"Wow," she breathes as I chuckle.
"I'm sorry if we worried you but we are both fine," I say as the crowd begins to disperse.
I stand and then help her up. She looks at me and then glances away, her cheeks burning bright red. I can't help but notice that her eyes keep darting towards a certain part of my anatomy that makes me grin inwardly to myself. I take it as a compliment and my lycan finds it amusing.
"Um, maybe you should get dressed" she says, turning around.
I chuckle "I don't mind if you look. After all, you're going to see all of me eventually" I say nonchalantly.
I hear a sharp intake of breath but she refuses to turn her head around so I sigh and walk back into the training ring, beginning to don my clothes. Thomas subtly leaves and I walk over to Riley and press a hand to her shoulder, causing her to start.
"I'm dressed" I say slightly grumpily.
Part of me wonders what she looks like undressed and immediately my member begins to harden in response. Shit. That was a bad idea. A very bad idea. I'm practically drooling now and my lycan is sending all sorts of naughty thoughts and images to my mind. I swallow hard. Riley thankfully is oblivious to what I'm thinking.
"Do you have a um" she pauses "a lake or anything in the forest?"
I stare. Then it hits me why she's asking and could have slapped myself in the head. Duh. She's part siren. She's going to be drawn to water. I should have thought of that myself instead of trying to show myself off like an idiot. I groan inwardly.
"We have something better" I tell her as she eyes me suspiciously "Come with me."
I could fix this. Part of me wanted to watch her in the water, another part of me wanted to join her. What did a siren look like, when she swam? Was she graceful like a mermaid? Did her hair change color? So many questions on the tip of my tongue as I grabbed her hand and began to lead her inside the forest, but I kept them to myself. I would know the answer soon enough and I would get to watch my mate in her most comfortable surrounding. Water. Siren's loved it. I was willing to bet my life on it that Riley felt most at home in the water as well. It was as much a part of her as the forest was for Lycans.