Rogue Queen ➵

➵ XXXII. Preparation

Wednesday, January 17th, 2018, 12:00pm

Don't Worry About Me - Frances

Asher's POV

"You look like a bunch of dogs chasing their own tails!" Zaine shouts, eyes hard as he looks at the pack training hard.

Christ, he could be scary as shit. The usual fun side of him I'm used to is nowhere in sight, replaced by this drill sergeant with high-ass expectations that my pack seems to be having a hard time reaching.

The rest of the Royals aren't as hardcore, but they're putting us to the test, that's for sure.

"Alright, stop!" Killian shouts, making all fights cease, the wolves all looking at him. "Let's switch things up a little, I wanna get in on this training. You keep fighting, pretend you're in a real battle, enemies all around, where you have to worry about both fighting your opponent and being snuck up on by another opponent. While you fight two on two, me and my fam will slink around and try to take you off guard and attack."

"Be prepared," Rei adds, "we won't hold back much, and we will use our abilities, but we'll aim to pin only." She shoots a stern glance at Zaine, who pouts and lowers his spiked bat. "But remember, in a real battle, you don't get second chances. They will be trying to kill you, no holding back. So don't let yourself be pinned down. Give it everything you've got, and we'll be sure to win."

"Damn curved," Killian and Zaine say in unison.

Clove raises an eyebrow at them, "what?"

Zaine shrugs and grins. "We would say straight, but we're not."

"And for those who don't know," Clove says, rolling her eyes and moving on, "I have telekinesis. Rei has necromancy and pyrokinesis. Killian can enhance his five senses, along with speed and strength. And Zaine can shapeshift."

Zaine grins, shifting into Killian's double.

Killian eyes him then scowls. "Change back, I like it when you're slightly shorter than me."

"What, because it makes you feel like the man of the relationship?" Zaine replies in Killian's voice.

"No, because it makes it easier for me to hold you," Killian says, putting his hands on his hips like a diva.

Beside him, Rei and Clove both sigh, clearly wishing the two boys could focus.

How often does this kind of thing happen? Dean asks.

Too often, Clove replies.

"Alright, let's do this," Rei says. "Go back to sparring, but watch your back."

Around me, wolves continue their fights.

I lunge at Raiden again, quickly aiming a punch when he dodges. Dean, Raiden's partner, tries to pin me down, while Raiden turns his focus to Scott, my partner.

As we fight, I see a plume of flame erupt close to the edge of the many fights. So Rei must be somewhere over there. I see one of my wolves being lifted by an invisible force and thrown into another wolf. Clove's work, I know that. I'm not exactly sure where Killian and Zaine are, which is a problem. Killian's speed and Zaine's skill make them both dangerous opponents.

I spin away just as Raiden lunges at me.

Spin right, Jayden says suddenly as I go to retaliate, his tone urgent.

Without hesitation, I comply, spinning to the right just as someone tries to tackle me. My eyes narrow, seeing it's... Another me?

Zaine.