Dominic
The day passed slower than usual.
For once, I wasn't buried in pack matters, and Ashen despite his earlier protests had actually stayed inside.
It was strange.
Not bad. Just…different.
Ashen had always been tense, always on guard, always waiting for someone to push him, challenge him, or hurt him. But today?
Today, something in him had eased.
Not completely.
Not enough for him to notice.
But I noticed.
I noticed it in the way his body didn't flinch every time I moved. The way his eyes weren't constantly scanning for threats. The way he laughed—really laughed, even when he didn't mean to.
It wasn't often, and it wasn't loud.
But it was real.
And fuck if it didn't do something to me every time I heard it.
Right now, he was sitting on the couch, arms crossed, watching me with thinly veiled amusement as I scrolled through the pack's reports on my tablet.
"You're boring," he muttered.
I smirked but didn't look up. "I'm leading a pack."
"Still boring."
I glanced at him then, arching a brow. "Want me to give you paperwork to do?"
He made a face. "No thanks."
I chuckled. "Thought so."
He huffed, leaning back against the cushions. "I don't get how you do this all day."
I shrugged. "You get used to it."
He hummed but didn't say anything. I expected him to get restless, to pace, to push like he always did.
But instead, he just stayed.
And after a while, he relaxed enough to close his eyes.
I watched him for a moment longer, taking in the way the tension in his face had finally faded.
Good.
He needed this.
Even if he didn't know how to admit it.
The next morning, Ashen was already up before me.
By the time I stepped outside, he was in the training grounds, stretching, his muscles tight with anticipation.
I smirked. Of course he was eager to get back to training.
"Ready to get your ass kicked?" I teased as I approached.
Ashen rolled his eyes. "I've been ready."
The other warriors were already sparring, but a few of them kept sneaking glances in our direction. No doubt still whispering about everything that had unfolded in the last few days.
I ignored them. Right now, it was just me and Ashen.
We squared up, circling each other, muscles tensed in preparation.
Then he lunged.
I barely dodged his strike, catching his wrist and twisting it just enough to unbalance him. But Ashen had always been fast, and instead of resisting, he used the momentum to pivot, sweeping my legs from under me.
I landed with a sharp grunt.
A beat of silence.
Then—his smirk.
"Not so invincible, huh, Alpha?"
I laughed, pushing up onto my elbows. "Cocky today, aren't we?"
He offered his hand to help me up, and I took it—only to yank him forward at the last second. He tumbled into my chest with a startled sound.
I seized the moment, leaning in to press a quick peck to his cheek.
Or at least, I tried to.
Ashen moved back so fast he nearly tripped over himself. His eyes darted around the training grounds, face slightly flushed.
"People are watching," he muttered, voice barely above a whisper.
I tilted my head, amused. "So?"
His lips parted like he wanted to argue, but he just shook his head. "It's—just—not here."
For a second, I considered teasing him more, but I could see the slight discomfort in his stance.
He wasn't rejecting me.
He just wasn't used to this—wasn't used to being claimed so openly.
I smirked but backed off, giving him space. "Fine. I'll save it for later."
Ashen scowled. "You're insufferable."
I just chuckled, rolling my shoulders. "Come on, little wolf. Let's go again."
His eyes narrowed with determination.
And just like that, we were back in motion.
Ashen didn't hold back.
He never did.
Every strike was sharp, precise. Every dodge was calculated. His body moved with the kind of control only a seasoned fighter had—fluid, deadly, relentless.
But I had years of experience on him.
And when he made the smallest misstep a fraction too slow, weight shifted just wrong I capitalized on it.
I caught his wrist, twisting him around and pinning him against my chest in one smooth motion. His back was flush against me, breath heavy, heart pounding.
His scent wrapped around me still carrying traces of heat, though it had faded.
A dangerous mix.
"Got you," I murmured, my breath ghosting against his ear.
He tensed.
For a split second, his body betrayed him, melting into mine before he jerked away, ripping himself free.
His eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite place—frustration? Embarrassment?
He turned away quickly, dragging a hand through his hair. "Again."
I crossed my arms, watching him carefully. "You good?"
"I said again, Dominic."
I exhaled through my nose, debating whether to push him or let it go.
In the end, I just nodded. "Alright. Again."
And so we went at it once more.
But this time, his movements were sharper, more aggressive. Like he was trying to fight off something more than just me.
Something I still wasn't sure he was ready to face.
Ashen came at me harder this time.
There was something reckless in the way he moved controlled, but edged with frustration, like he needed to prove something.
Not to me.
To himself.
I blocked his strikes, dodging where I needed to, letting him wear himself out. The more he fought, the tenser his body became. His scent spiked with frustration, his growl low and feral.
This wasn't just training for him.
It was a fight against whatever thoughts were clawing at his head.
I let it go for a while. Let him get it out of his system.
Then I ended it.
One swift move sidestepping his attack, grabbing his wrist, and pinning him face-down against the dirt.
His breath came fast, body trembling under me.
I leaned down slightly. "Enough."
He struggled, but I didn't let go.
"Ashen." My voice dropped into something quieter. "What the hell are you fighting?"
Silence.
Then, a ragged exhale.
"I don't know."
I frowned, loosening my grip. He didn't move right away, just pressed his forehead into the dirt like he was trying to keep himself together.
I let him go, sitting back on my heels.
He pushed himself up slowly, his shoulders still rigid.
I waited.
Then, finally—
"Everyone saw me at my weakest," he muttered. "No matter what I do, that's what they'll remember."
Ah.
So that was it.
I exhaled, watching him carefully. "You think they see weakness?"
He let out a bitter laugh. "Don't they?"
"No," I said firmly. "I see someone who survived. Who fought for control, even when his own body betrayed him. That's not weakness, Ashen."
He clenched his jaw, staring at the ground. "You're the only one who thinks that."
I shook my head. "You're wrong. But even if you weren't I don't give a damn what they think."
He looked up then, eyes conflicted.
I held his gaze. "You don't have to fight me, Ashen. I'm not your enemy."
For a moment, he just looked at me.
Then he sighed, standing up and brushing the dirt off his arms. "I need a break."
I nodded, letting him go.
As he walked away, I watched him closely.
He still carried his past like a weight on his shoulders.
And he still didn't understand that he didn't have to carry it alone.
I watched Ashen retreat across the training grounds, shoulders stiff, hands curled into loose fists.
He was still fighting.
Not me. Not the pack.
Himself.
And no matter how much I wanted to shake some sense into him, I knew I couldn't force him to see what I did.
He had to get there on his own.
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair before turning back to the rest of the pack. The warriors who had been watching quickly averted their gazes, refocusing on their own sparring.
Good.
I wasn't in the mood for their whispers today.
Ryker approached, arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face. "You've got your hands full with that one."
I shot him a dry look. "You just figuring that out?"
He chuckled. "Nah. But it's funny watching you try to handle him."
I huffed, shaking my head. "He's handling himself just fine."
Ryker raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Because from where I'm standing, he's barely holding himself together."
My jaw tightened.
I knew that.
But Ashen didn't want me to fix him. He wanted to prove that he could stand on his own.
"I know how far to push him," I said.
Ryker hummed. "And when he breaks?"
"He won't."
I wouldn't let him.
But even as I said it, I knew this wasn't something I could fight for him.
Ashen had to choose to stop fighting himself.
And I could only hope that when he did, he'd realize that I'd been standing beside him the whole time.