ROTTEN LOVE

TOMORROW| 34

Exiting the room took longer than expected. It's late evening and there is nothing left to do.

The nerves for tomorrow consume me.

There is an excitement of possibly reuniting with my brother and Maddox present. I'll be back with my boys and my body knows it.

I make it downstairs and run into beta Max.

"Oh, hello, can you tell me where Zain's at," I look at Max's scrunched eyebrows. He seems displeased.

"Luna, Zain should be in the fields. I would escort you but I got to get some security details for tomorrow in order," he practically dismisses me.

I give him a hesitant smile, "No problem. I know where that's at."

He doesn't wait for a response, and leaves. I don't take offense to it and take his eagerness as stress.

I walk out of the compound and toward the training fields. It's not far but the distance has managed to coat my skin with light sweat.

As I approach the fields, I hear the grunting. When they get in sight, I see Zain in a pit of females.

His chest was bare. His arms crossed in dissatisfaction. The females fight around him and he walks around monitoring.

He is the very image of authority. The scene somewhat makes me breathless. I forget how much power this man radiates.

"Stop," he roars. He walks toward a dark-haired female.

Everyone instantly stops moving. I realize not only is he bare from the hip up but there are a bunch of sweaty, breathless, well-shaped females eyeing him.

Some hardly wear any real tops. They rock the sports bra look. A slight feeling of uneasiness takes over.

Zain gets to the female and touches her shoulder. The feeling turns to something darker as his large hands slightly caress her arms.

"Many of you are pulling your punches. You are not following through. Throw a fist," he orders the female and she does with such precision.

"Your body should follow. Allow for the force to come from not only your arm but from your core and your upper body strength. Move with it," he moves her shoulder as she throws another punch.

His other hand rests in her abdomen reminding her to stay tight. I bite my lip at a sense of frustration.

The punch does seem faster but I don't care.

I get closer and his attention for the first time jumps to me. A slight smile grazes his face. I don't return it.

He releases the female, "You are dismissed. Go look for Max. He will assign everyone their roles for tomorrow."

They all nod and leave. However, I notice the glares as they leave the fields. I am not their favorite person, that much is clear.

He bends to get his water bottle and the bobbing of his throat as he chugs it down has me questioning why I am upset. He takes a long sip and stares at me.

I look away and cross my arms.

"I was going to look for you after this," he says somewhat out of breath.

I don't respond.

He raises an eyebrow and tosses the bottle on the floor. "Are you mad at me?"

He walks towards me at what seems like a slow predatory pace. My heart fumbles but I keep my arms crossed.

"There is nothing to be mad about," I defend myself.

He makes it to the front of me, "And yet, my mate is."