Hunter's Rose (First Draft)

Chapter Thirteen

I laid on my back, staring up at the lights as I tried to catch my breath. It was safe to say I was not very good at this.

"You're doing great, that time it took him almost a whole thirty seconds to knock your ass on the floor." Jackson's voice teased. He had come down halfway through Ace teaching me self defence. 

"Can I punch him?" I asked Ace, who was staring at me in amusement. 

"You know what? I think you could take him." He said as he reached a hand down to help me up. 

"Me? You think that giggles can take me?" Jackson scoffed from the couch he was sitting on. 

"Actually, I'm positive she could take you. Easily." Ace taunted, sending me a wink as Jackson stood up.

"Oh, it's on now." Jackson said as he came over to the ring we were in. I looked at Ace warily. 

"You got this shortcake. Every opponent has a weak spot, you just have to figure out what it is." Ace whispered as Jackson began climbing into the ring. "Plus, he's a guy. You and I both know what a guy's main weakness is." He said with a smirk before he climbed out through the ropes.

I couldn't help but laugh as I watched Jackson start jumping in place, throwing fake punches in the air. All of a sudden he stopped and ran full force towards me. I let out a squeak as I quickly jumped to the side, blindly throwing an arm out.

"Ouch!" He whined, I turned to see him rubbing his chest. "That was my boob!" He complained, narrowing his eyes when Ace's laughter rang through the room. 

"You're a boob." I taunted, laughing when he made a mock offended face.

"That's it." He came running towards me again. After a few minutes of him chasing and failing to catch me he finally stopped and sat on the floor. 

"Well, if nothing else you can always run from your attacker." He said with a breathless laugh. 

"As long as they're as slow as you pyro." I teased as I sat beside him, trying to catch my breath as well.

I glanced over to see Jai had come down and was in a deep conversation with Ace, his eyes narrowed as he nodded his head. Jackson reached over and pushed my shoulder with his hand, almost knocking me over. I quickly pushed him back, smacking his hand away when he tried again. Then we were in a full on smack war. 

"That's enough you two." Ace hollered, making us pause mid smack and glance over at him. "Jackson, take a break. Jai is going to spar with her for a bit." Jackson nodded, shoving my shoulder as he got up. I let out a laugh before kicking my leg out and tripping him as he went to walk. 

"Damnit." He grunted as he hit the ground, sending me a mock glare before making his way out of the ring. 

I stood up and glanced nervously at Ace as I watched Jai climb in, he was easily a couple of heads taller than me. I felt my hands start to sweat as he stood on the other end of the ring with his arms crossed, his head tilted as he observed me.

"You're weak." He stated as he took a step towards me. I took a step back, my face falling at his words. I watched as regret crossed his face, before turning hard again as he continued his steps towards me. "You're an easy target. You show how weak you are." He sneered out, I flinched back into the ropes.

I could feel my heart dropping at his words, but I could also feel fire start traveling through my veins. My hands clenched into fists at my side. I'm not weak, I'm not. 

"I'm not-" I croaked out, stopping when his frame stood over mine. He shook his head with a mock laugh, his hand coming up to my throat as he bent slightly. He didn't apply pressure, but it still made my breath hitch and tears rise to my eyes. I wasn't sure if they were from fear or anger.

"I could crush your neck so easily." He hummed, his eyes glaring into my own. "You're a weak, fragile, little....flowe-." My fist cut his words off. He shot backwards, his hand coming up to his mouth. "There she is." He hummed with a slight smirk as he glanced at the blood on his hand, but I was too far gone. My hands came out and shoved his chest, making him take a couple of steps back. 

"Fuck you." I hissed, blinking away the tears that tried to fall. He raised his hands as he took a couple of steps towards me, when he was close enough I shot my knee between his legs.

I felt a small thrill run through me as he fell to his knees and let out a pained groan. When he glanced up at me with a pained smirk I balled up my right hand and shot it at him, slamming it into his left cheek. His head snapped to the side before his body followed, making a loud thud as he hit the ground. He let out another pained laugh, which seemed to fuel me even more. I brought my right foot back and launched it into his side.

"I'm. Not. Weak." I growled in between kicks, stopping when his hand shot out and grabbed my ankle. I fell to the ground on my butt beside him, breathing heavy. 

"No, You're not." He stated softly, making my eyes shoot to his. He gave me a soft proud smile, making my glare fall as I stared at him in confusion. "That was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, and the worst beating." He admitted with a soft laugh. 

"But....you said..." I shook my head as I stared at him, feeling my forehead crease as I narrowed my eyes.

"I know what I said, I didn't mean any of it. I had to use something to rile you up, you weren't getting anywhere with that goof." He said as he gave me a guilty smile before his face turned serious. "There's a reason I call you little wolf, this just proved how true that name is." He stated, frowning when I let out a scoff. 

"Doesn't that still make me weak." I grumbled out, pulling my knees to my chest.

"On the contrary, it makes you even more dangerous." He said as he pulled into a sitting position. "People assume you're weak because you're small. You, easier than I would like to admit, just proved that statement wrong." His lips pulled into a smirk as his hand came up to his mouth again.

"Sorry." I winced slightly.

"Don't be. I more than deserved it." He said with another laugh. "I call you little wolf because although you're small, you're also fierce. You play that you like being alone, but you're much happier in a pack. You start out timid, which tricks your opponent into thinking you're an easy target, but when their guard drops you strike. Taking them down with more force than anyone would expect from your size. You're the most dangerous weapon there is." He said softly, a proud look covering his face.

"Alright, chief, I think you've made your point." I said, sending him a small smile as I stood up. "I'm a wolf." 

"A little wolf." He corrected with a smirk, reaching his hand up for me to grab. I smacked his hand away.

"I'm little, remember?" I teased, laughing as he narrowed his eyes at me, before quickly climbing out of the ring. Ace shot me a proud smile, making my grin widen.

"That was the best thing I've seen in my whole life!" Jackson exclaimed as I walked past them to the stairs, flinching when I faked a lunge at him. He narrowed his eyes at me as the room filled with laughter.