Beyond and Wild

Chapter 14

Aderyn Pov

The cool morning air nipped at my skin as Bell and I walked toward the gym. Bell's excitement was practically contagious, her steps light and quick as she bounced beside me, clad in a pink tank top and black slacks. She looked like she was ready to conquer the world or at least the gym. I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, even though my own feelings were a mix of confusion and apprehension.

"Why are you dressed like that?" I asked, glancing down at her outfit. "I thought that the Alpha guy wanted only me to train."

Bell grinned and clapped her hands together. "I know, but I want to join in too! It'll be fun, don't you think?"

Her excitement was almost childlike, and I chuckled despite myself. "Yeah, sure, why not?"

As we approached the gym, the sounds from within grew louder—thuds of punches landing on heavy bags, the squeak of shoes against the floor, and shouts of exertion. My heartbeat quickened with a strange mix of anticipation and dread. When we finally pushed open the door, the first thing that caught my eye was the large ring dominating the center of the room. Two hulking men were inside, their bodies moving with a brutal kind of grace as they sparred. They weren't just fighting; they were snarling, the guttural sounds echoing off the walls. My brow furrowed. Those sounds—they weren't normal. They reminded me too much of something I didn't want to think about.

Why the hell are they growling like dogs?

Before I could dwell on it, a voice cut through the din. "Okay, that's enough!" A man with a French beard and tattooed arms barked the command, and the two fighters immediately halted, bowing before leaping out of the ring.

Bell nudged me, practically buzzing with impatience. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Relax, Tiger," I muttered, though I followed her toward the center of the room. As we walked, I could feel the weight of stares pressing down on me. The room had gone eerily quiet, every pair of eyes locked on us.

"That's the Luna, right?" I heard someone whisper.

"What's she doing here?" another voice responded.

"Shh, keep quiet. Didn't the Alpha say—"

The rest of the sentence faded into the background as I focused on the man standing before us. He was tall—really tall—maybe around 6'4". The kind of guy who looked like he could snap someone's neck with minimal effort. Intimidating, sure, but I'd seen worse. Much worse.

I composed myself, plastering on a polite smile as I extended my hand. To my surprise, he smiled back and shook it, his grip firm but not crushing.

"Hello, Luna," he said, his voice gruff but respectful. "I'm your trainer."

I pulled my hand back, shaking my head slightly. "My name's Aderyn, not Luna."

He hesitated, glancing at Bell, who merely shrugged. "Alright, Aderyn. I'm Train. That's what everyone calls me around here."

"Train, huh?" I repeated, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Well, you can call me Adie. Everyone does."

"Adie it is," he replied, nodding. "Now, let's get you inside the ring and not waste any more time."

I glanced at the ring, a pit forming in my stomach. This was the last place I wanted to be, but I couldn't back out now. Not with everyone watching. I climbed into the ring, the ropes creaking slightly under my weight, and turned to face Train.

"So," he began, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Do you know anything about fighting?"

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, I bit down on the inside of my lip, unsure of how to respond. Finally, I shook my head. "Not really."