Looking To Belong (A Runt's Story)

Chapter 22

We entered an enclosed training room, and Tony led us to the back of the room and down some stairs. I looked around the large basement room as the heavy metal door closed behind me. The entire room was lined with some sort of metal plates, covered in numerous dents and scratches.

Will spoke quietly, "This is a room usually used for training Enforcers. The steel plates can usually handle any damage that may result from a slip in control when we are learning or trying something out."

I nodded in understanding. Tony looked as he said, "If you don't mind, I want to try a few things just to gauge Will's reaction."

"What do you want me to do?" I replied.

"We'll just try some basic stuff at first, can you please go to the far side of the room?"

I walked to the far side of the room. Tony appraised Will's expression as he walked into the middle of the room between us. He said, "Will?"

Will was still relaxed, "I would prefer her closer to me, but nothing that worries me."

Tony walked over to stand beside me. "Now?"

"I don't like it," Will said, with a frown. "Even just the thought of a guy standing beside her doesn't sit well with me. Irritating, but it is controllable. Possibly because I know you well. I am not sure how I would handle if it were a stranger." Will's emotions were starting to faintly simmer as the mate bond was making its presence known. Barely noticeable, but I could sense it affecting his surface emotions.

Tony nodded and turned to me, holding out his hand for a hand shake. I reached out, and even before I made contact, Will let out a low growl. Tony pulled back his hand and regarded Will with a raised eyebrow.

Will rubbed his forehead and apologized to the man who had trained him, "Sorry. It wasn't too bad when she was just standing there, but the instant she reached out to you, I couldn't help it."

Tony walked back to the middle of the room. "That reaction is actually quite typical for most higher-ranking males while their mate is unmarked. Which four times did you almost lose control?"

"I was chasing her and couldn't get through a bramble bush," Will said as he leaned against the far wall, more relaxed now that Tony wasn't near me. "The thought that I couldn't get to her nearly made me lose it. This morning, she was trying to wake me up and showed me a picture of her parents; I flipped until I realized that there were two people in the image and that the man was her father."

Will sighed as he continued, "I almost bolted today when I realized that she was up in a tree and I was scared that she would fall; the only reason I didn't run to her was because I didn't know where she was. Then, when she didn't contact me after several hours, I was nearly ready to run through the forest searching for her scent. Thankfully, she responded when I mindlinked her, and it turned out that she was just up on the hill watching me."

Will rubbed his temple as he admitted, "It is taking less to push me to the breaking point. I can feel the difference in how paranoid I am being, even from this morning to this afternoon. Just yesterday, we were both surprised at how little trouble I had with others being near her, even unmated males that I knew well. Yet, today, I didn't even want her near any of the people on the training field."

Tony regarded him silently for a few minutes while thinking. He mindspoke me, "There is one technique that may help. Do you happen to have a rather harmless memory that is likely to make him struggle for control?"

I considered his suggestion for a moment. "Is this wise? I don't want you to get hurt. I did have one guy offer to buy me a dress yesterday, and from what I have seen, that will make him fight for control." I shared the memory with Tony so he could evaluate it for himself.