My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game

Dawn’s POV

I found myself grouped with the three guys again, but when it came time to pair off for combat training, Nico and Koa automatically gravitated toward each other. That left Asher and me to square off against one another.

Corbin demonstrated the techniques he wanted us to master, and I felt my confidence surge. Sure, Asher had size on me, but I had always dominated in hand-to-hand combat. Size meant nothing when you had skill and strategy.

This would be my first time fighting Asher though. I had no idea what he was capable of, but I was about to find out.

We began working through the different techniques Corbin had shown us, and I had to admit Asher packed serious power behind his strikes. I needed to be smart about this. I had to find a way to take him down before he saw it coming. I had to be clever and unpredictable.

But every move I attempted, he countered effortlessly.

I could not get him on the ground. Not even close. Not once during the entire session. The worst part was sensing he was holding back, going easy on me.

How was that even possible?

I had been one of the top fighters at my previous base. I had been training my entire life, honing my skills until they were razor sharp.

How had these guys just waltzed in here and made me feel completely outclassed?

We trained relentlessly until dinner time arrived. The guys headed out, and I told them I would catch up with them later. Instead, I made my way to the weight section and started pushing myself harder.

I needed to elevate my performance because this base operated on an entirely different level than my old one. I had to get stronger, faster, better. I needed to prove to these people that I belonged here and was not some weak link that would drag the team down.

The truth was, I had no idea what happened to Hunters who were deemed liabilities. I was too terrified to even let my mind wander in that direction.

All I knew was that failure was not an option.

I had been grinding away in the training room for about two hours when I heard the door creak open. I spun around to find Asher standing in the doorway.

"I knew I was being too hard on you today," he said, his voice carrying a hint of guilt.

"No, you were not. It was exactly what I needed," I replied firmly.

"You needed me to completely dominate you all day?" he asked, one eyebrow arching upward.

"I needed you to push me to my limits so I could see exactly how much work I have ahead of me," I explained. But he just rubbed his forehead and walked closer to where I was standing.

"Dawn, there is nothing wrong with your fighting ability. You are really skilled. I have just been doing this longer than you have. And I am bigger," he said matter-of-factly.

"Size does not matter. Not in combat, anyway," I shot back.

His eyebrow lifted again, and I felt heat creep up my neck as I realized how that might have sounded.

"Really?" he asked, and I bit down on my lip, feeling embarrassed by my choice of words.

"I am just frustrated because nobody has been able to beat me before. You are the first person who has in a very long time," I admitted.

"Come on, let’s go get some rest. I am sure you will perform better tomorrow. This place is incredibly demanding. They run constant training sessions and never give anyone a break," he said.

"Yeah, I think that policy is pretty awful," I agreed.

He draped his arm across my shoulders and guided me toward the exit.

We left the training facility and began crossing the compound together. The only people visible were the guards, whose numbers had doubled since we received word about the attack on my former base.

Walking beside Asher felt strange, and I found myself breathing in that distinctive scent he always carried. I could not understand why I was so drawn to it, or why it had such an appealing effect on me.

I had never given boys a second thought before now. My entire focus had always been on training and nothing else.

But as we walked back toward our quarters in comfortable silence, I felt Asher slowly shift his hand until it brushed against mine. Then he wrapped his fingers around mine, intertwining them together.

A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, but I kept quiet. I simply let him hold my hand as we made our way back to the bunk house.

The compound felt different at night, more intimate somehow. The usual chaos and noise had settled into a peaceful quiet, broken only by the occasional footsteps of patrolling guards. The moonlight cast long shadows across the pathways, and I found myself hyperaware of Asher’s presence beside me. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

His hand was warm and calloused from years of training, completely engulfing mine. I wondered if he could feel my pulse racing through my fingertips, if he noticed the way my breathing had changed.

I had spent my entire life focused on becoming the perfect soldier, the ultimate Hunter. Romance and relationships had never even registered on my radar. But something about Asher made me question everything I thought I knew about myself.

As we approached the bunk house, I realized I did not want this moment to end. Tomorrow would bring more training, more challenges, more opportunities for me to prove myself. But tonight, walking hand in hand with Asher under the starlit sky, I felt something I had never experienced before.

I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could be more than just a weapon.