They walked around the field. The sound of bones breaking and fists slamming against the leathered pads was all that was heard, you wouldn't believe you were in the middle of a neighborhood.
Everyone was divided into groups of four, paired up with a partner and three trainers who kept everyone in check and made sure they knew what to practice.
Some were on the grass, others on the concrete and it didn't matter what lay beneath you- they still threw each other up in the air and landed on the ground.
One of the guys tossed the girl up using his shoulder, he grabbed around her throat midair and slammed her down into the concrete.
Lola winced, the sound of the girl's back echoed like pop rocks and sent fantom pains down Lola's own body. Never having experienced pain like these warriors had she couldn't know what exactly they went through but it wasn't impossible to imagine.
"She'll heal," Ash said, not a shred of empathy detectable in his voice.
She continued after him, trying to keep up as best as she could with his turns and ducks under the thick wooden stubs the warriors lifted and the levers they pulled which seemed to hold the weight of tons.
When they stepped up on a plastic matt-covered ring, she noticed the main road into the town down below. It was far away but noticeable.
"Aren't you afraid they will see you?" She asked and looked at the cars that drove into town.
Ash's lip pulled in a twitched smile and grabbed a pair of gloves.
"Once the Blackwoods decided to make this town their home, they knew they needed to make some adjustments. It's tradition in the Lycan pack, that the title of Beta always goes to a witch or a wizard. Someone who is a servant of nature and comes from a strong bloodline. They made sure that these grounds were safe, from the gate and up to the mansion, it's all under a veil of magic so when humans look up from the road, all they see is houses and humans just like them," he paused for a beat, "maybe a little richer." He continued.
Another pair of gloves came flying in the air and bounced against Lola's shoulder before they landed on the ground. Ash raised an eyebrow and stalked toward her, he slowly bent down and hooked his finger in the string that held the gloves together.
"I thought you'd catch them." He said.
"Because I'm so coordinated," Lola laughed.
She stopped for a moment, the laugh died in her throat and the flutter in her stomach turned to a hornet's nest of stings and nauseating buzzing. She was laughing and felt happy for a split second but then the guilt washed over her. Seeing Ash's face, the joy in his eyes when he heard the sound reminded her of the man she married and the way that his eyes lit up each time she let him closer- not physically, closer to her heart, the one she guarded with her life.
Ash dragged his tongue over his lips, undid the tie on the gloves, put one under his arm, and gently grabbed Lola's hand. He slid the glove on, not making a sound and his eyes were laser-focused on the job- that or he couldn't bring himself to see the fight she was having with herself.
The inner turmoil of a woman in love feeling happy for the first time in a long time, but with a man who wasn't her husband.
It's because Ash is my friend, it's okay to be happy with him, she told herself. But the words did little to ease the guilt.
He put the other glove on, tying it tightly around her hand, and pressed his thumb to the back of her hand and held it still.
It took a moment before he let her hand softly fall to her side and their eyes met, in a silent understanding.
Lola knew what Ash felt, she knew he lusted for her and that even this was furthering his hope that maybe- if this distance continued with Jax- he would have a chance with her.
She tried to comfort herself by repeating the fact that they were cousins and that Ash would never do that to his cousin but even that defense was starting to wear thin as she gazed into his eyes.
The tenderness with which he gazed back and how he closed the distance between them so effortlessly.
"What are we doing here?" She asked, breaking the silence and looking away so that he wouldn't notice the redness on her cheeks.
Ash dragged his tongue over his lips, watching her profile when she turned her head- pretending to look at the ring they were standing on.
"We're fighting."
The redness spread and covered her face, a cherry red flushed her skin and her fingers fell open. Her arms hung by her sides in a less-than-defensive position.
"We're gonna what?"
Ash held his hands up.
"No," she whisper-shouted and looked around.
To her surprise nobody was paying attention to them, everyone was preoccupied with their own training, and if anyone tried to step back or break formation they were scolded by the trainers.
"Hands up to cover your face," he instructed.
Twice her size with supernatural strength he stood waiting for her to get ready.
"Ash, I can't fight." She whispered.
The thin black leather hugged her hand and protected her knuckles, the red strap around her palm pressed into her hand and she noticed the sharp edge of the stitched line.
"It's to give you an edge," Ash said when he saw where she touched.
She shook her head and admitted defeat before the fight had begun, removed the gloves, and turned with a scowl
"Hey," he ran over, held the glove put on her hand, and tied it back up.
"Just because you don't know how to fight doesn't mean you can't learn. Remember what you are, we'll go off from there and try to find any hidden talents you may have." His soft voice lulled her into a feeling of safety. But one thing still made it itch.
"There are too many people here," she said.
Ash shrugged his shoulders and looked at the uncaring warriors.
"Trust me, you're the last person they're thinking of." Not hearing how that sounded Ash lifted her hands and formed her fists.
Her fear was Chelsea and her friend lurking somewhere, watching her embarrass herself.
The words were still present in her mind and reminded her of how Lavina didn't need to practice, she knew how to fight and she could take on any werewolf and be a fair opponent.
"Arms strong, move your feet and never look at the hands, look at my chest or my face." He instructed.
She drew a breath and felt her hands starting to shake so he fisted her hands harder.
She tried to listen to the advice that Ash was giving but her eyes flickered to her hands, her knuckles, and the fact that her cardigan was ridging up her wrist- the curved pale bump started to show, and she could see the scar.
Little bumps formed on her skin from the cold and she looked at her hairs standing straight up. Fascinating how something invisible like the wind could cause such a big reaction from a person's body, her thought spun, deeper into memories that came with the scar and the creatures she got it from.
She hadn't stopped like that in a while, to just think and remember- maybe because she had never felt safe enough to remember until now, knowing that nothing could hurt her as long as she was within the borders of this town.
"Lola!" Ash managed to stop his fist, shift his arm, and protect her face. But he couldn't stop the weight of his body falling forward when he shifted his feet, his heel getting caught behind the other and his body now hurdling over her.