The Human Luna

Training Part Three

Ailani's P.O.V

The training ground was set up differently when we got back. Seven archery targets were lined up next to each other, and a set of arrows were neatly placed about 40 feet in front. A tall blonde girl already held her arrow in position, sucking in a small breath as she drew the string back, and released.

From where I was standing, it looked as if the arrow had hit the bulls eye smack in the middle; and from the way the girl grinned I was convinced even more that it had. After her, a much older woman let go of her arrow and hit the exact same spot, nodding her head gently as if to congratulate herself.

"They're good Ailani, but you're better." Jack stated as we watched more people take their turn.

I breathed out a laugh. "Thanks," I said.

One by one we watched as seven people stood beside their set of arrows, aimed at the same time, took a sharp breath simultaneously and let go as if they were all in sync. The precision and accuracy of each individual was mind blowing; suddenly I wasn't feeling too confident.

"Ailani." The sound of my name rolling of off his tongue gave me goosebumps. I held my breath for 30 seconds so that I couldn't smell him, and then turned around when I had enough courage to look at his face.

I gulped when I saw the glint in his eye, a gleam of curiosity and...Something else that I couldn't put my finger on.

"You're next." He gestured his hand towards the 4th target, and obediently, like a child, I walked towards it. Everyone that had been waiting at this one took a step back and made their way towards another queue. No one picked up an arrow though; all the werewolves stood silently waiting for me to take my turn.

**********

"I bet you anything she'll flop."

"I doubt she's even a pro. The bitch thinks she's Catniss from the Hunger Games."

"If she hits anything apart from the bulls eye, I'm gonna laugh."

I could hear a group of girls talking about me from a few feet away, but I paid them no mind. Grabbing the first arrow, I positioned myself slowly and carefully, head up, eyes narrowed on the target and feet spread apart.

"She's so gonna miss the middle." One of the girls said. This time, with all the tension building like a dam with water, my palms started to sweat and my breathing got shallower.

I pulled the string back with my index finger, and held it there.

"I can't even watch."

"No please do, or you'll miss the show."

"SHUT UP!" Adrian's voice pierced through the open air, and in the split of a moment the girls squealed, and my finger let go of the string.

I would've hit the target, but I forgot to hold my breath and the smell of Adrian and the power of his voice made my head spin and my finger slipped and it all went to shit.

"I told you she'd miss the target," one of the girls mumbled.

My face went red with embarrassment. I felt like a failure. Most of all, I felt like I wasn't worthy of Adrian. I didn't know where he was, but it felt as if his disappointment was seeping through my veins.

The murmurs from the crowd surrounding me made it even worse. At the moment I wanted to find the comfort of Jack and Katie, but I had been reduced to a statue and couldn't bring myself to turn around.

Breathe Ailani. Breathe.

I had hit the target straight in the middle, but at the top, straight through the number 1. I looked at the rack and realised I still had 10 more arrows I could use.

Taking another arrow, I pulled the string back with more confidence and released my hold. The arrow shot and landed straight on the number 2, directly underneath the first arrow.

The third arrow hit the number three, and I just kept going after that, creating a straight line of arrows until finally the last arrow I struck hit the bullseye smack in the middle.

"Fucking show off." I heard one of the girls murmur.

I grinned and looked over to them, giving a quick wink as I walked over towards Jack and Katie.

**********

"As the target moves, I want you to hit the bullseye smack in the middle. Understood?" Adrian said.

I nodded my head and looked forward. His voice gave me chills; and I was almost addicted to his smell, so much that sometimes I found myself not wanting to hold my breath.

The targets were moving at a medium pace, fast enough for me to feel nervous; slow enough for me to still have a good view of the small cross in the middle. The girls that had once tried to make fun of me were now standing aside, mouths clenched in annoyance, yet holding stares of curiosity and excitement.

I hit the target with ease, and shivered as I felt Adrian's breath blow on my neck. Startled, I jumped back a little, only to find his solid body standing right behind me, closely analysing my technique.

"Good." He said, then placed his large, strong hands on my right shoulder. I nearly moaned from his touch.

"Now relax your shoulders a little and aim for the bullseye again. This time it's gonna move a little faster."

I nodded my head determinedly, but couldn't think straight with his hand touching my skin. I must have been hesitating for a long time, because all of a sudden I felt Adrian take away his hand and step backwards.

"Sorry," he politely. "Whenever you're ready."

I aimed the arrow at the target that was moving too fast for me to fully focus on. The arrow hit the area just outside the bullseye, but I was close enough.

"Ailani, you're skill is spectacular. You must teach me sometime."

When Adrian said that I looked at him with a confused look on my face.

"I've never been very good with a bow and arrow," he admitted.

I smiled shyly and agreed to help him. When I said yes there was a flicker of something in his eye, that immediately had me melting like a puddle. Then all of a sudden his eyes went from their normal colour to a dark brown, and his hands started shaking slightly.

It wasn't until Marcus came running to him that he went back to normal.

"Alpha what happened?" Marcus said standing in front of him.

He took one more glance at me and then shook his head, walking back towards the hotel. "Training is off." He said.

And so I stood there, watching as the other werewolves followed suit to the hotel, each giving me weird looks as they passed me.

Jack and Katie came up to me after everyone was gone. "What the hell just happened?" Katie asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, still dumbfounded. "I don't know. One minute he was fine, the next it looked as if he wasn't himself anymore.

"His werewolf is beginning to take over." Jack declared. "Which is weird because he doesn't know you're his mate yet. It must be some kind of intuition I guess. His wolf is slowly beginning to realise who you are."

"It's happening." Katie said. "It's just started."