Chapter 72

"Ready?"

His voice came from behind me. Low. Steady.

"Yes."

A lie. I wasn't ready.

The morning was cold and smelled of wet trees.

I stood in the center of the field. Usually, the training ground was loud and crowded, but Nathan had changed that. One look from him was enough to make everyone leave. He cleared a huge circle in the dirt just for us.

I could feel the rest of the pack watching from the edges of the woods. They were quiet, whispering and staring at me. They wanted to know why I was the only one standing next to the Alpha.

I forced my feet to move, taking that first heavy step forward.

"Good," Nathan said.

I heard the shift of his boots on the dirt. He moved slowly, deliberately—like someone who knew exactly how much space he owned.

"Let’s start with the basics."

He was standing a few feet away, his posture loose, almost bored. It was the kind of confidence that felt like an insult.