Chapter 30: Train With Me

By the next morning, the whole academy seemed to be talking about nothing but the Alpha Challenge, and more specifically, about Roxanne against Joanna. She caught fragments of it walking through the halls with Isla, students murmuring that Joanna had been training for years while Roxanne had barely joined the team, that she was only competing because the Moonstones were protecting her, that it would be embarrassing for four royal Lycans to lose because of their newest addition. Isla looked ready to turn around and start a fight on her behalf, but Roxanne stopped her with a hand on her arm and told her not to bother.

"But they’re insulting you."

"I know."

"And you’re seriously not going to say anything?"

Roxanne shrugged and told her they’d find out soon enough when she actually competed, and something about saying it out loud settled the anger better than any argument could have. A few weeks ago she would have felt obligated to defend herself out loud. Now she was content to let her actions do that instead.

Joanna walked past not long after with several teammates trailing her, pausing just long enough to make sure her voice carried. "I hope the Moonstones are prepared," she said, and when someone asked what she meant, she added that it would be unfortunate if their newest teammate turned out to be the reason they lost. Roxanne looked at her without a trace of anger, just a small, unbothered smile.

"You seem very worried about me."

Joanna’s expression tightened. "I’m worried about the reputation of the competition."

Roxanne walked away without another word, and Isla whispered that she liked her better when she was being terrifying, which made Roxanne laugh despite everything.

Later that afternoon, she found the four brothers gathered around a table covered in papers, and Liam’s grin the moment he spotted her told her immediately that something was up. "Good, you’re here," he said, gesturing toward the mess of documents.

"What is this?"

"Your training schedule," Lucien answered calmly.

She stared at him. "My what?"

Roshan pointed toward the stack. "Competition preparation."

Liam tapped one section proudly. "I called mine the fun portion."

She scanned the pages, finding combat, wolf control, speed, strategy, scent work, and endurance all laid out in careful blocks. "You made me a training schedule."

"Yes."

"You made me a training schedule."

"Yes," Lucien repeated, unbothered by the repetition.

She crossed her arms. "Why?"

Liam looked at her like the answer should have been obvious. "Because we’re going to win."

"And because Joanna has significantly more competition experience," Roshan added.

Roxanne looked between them all. "So I’m the weak link."

Nobody answered right away, and the silence told her everything she needed to know. Her expression hardened.

Kai, who had stayed quiet through the entire exchange, finally spoke. "I’m training her."

"No."

He raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"I don’t need four royal babysitters."

Liam laughed loud enough to draw a look from Lucien, who ignored him completely while Kai stepped closer. "Then prove you don’t need training."

"You think I can’t?"

"I think you can," he said, and the answer caught her off guard enough that she almost missed him continuing. "But if you’re going against Joanna, being capable isn’t enough." He tilted his head toward the training field. "Come."

She hesitated for exactly one second before he added, "Unless you’re afraid."

She walked past him without another word. "Lead the way."

The training field was nearly empty by the time they got there, and Kai explained straight off that Joanna had significant strength advantages, which Roxanne already knew perfectly well.

"So?"

"So don’t fight her strength."

He moved fast, and she barely blocked the first strike before the second one caught her off guard and sent her stumbling back. He didn’t give her a moment to recover before sweeping her leg out and putting her flat on the mat.

"You could’ve warned me," she said, glaring up at him.

"You wouldn’t have listened."

She got back up. "Again."

This time she anticipated his approach, twisted away from his attack, caught his arm, and landed a clean hit against his chest. He looked down at the spot, then back at her.

"It was good," he said. "Again."

Her smile disappeared. "You’re kidding."

"No."

After several more rounds, she was breathing hard while he barely looked winded, and frustration finally got the better of her judgment. She charged, and he caught her, turning her own momentum against her until she was pressed close against him, his hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Too much force."

"I almost had you."

"No," he said quietly. "You almost made yourself predictable." He released her and started explaining instead, telling her that if Joanna was stronger, she’d expect Roxanne to match her force for force. Don’t. Make her chase instead. Change direction constantly. Use her momentum against her the second she committed.

Roxanne tried it, moving differently this time, faster and sharper, slipping past him until she nearly caught him off guard again. He allowed himself a faint smile.

"Better."

"Finally," she said, grinning.

He demonstrated a counter next, positioning himself behind her, one hand catching her wrist while the other settled briefly at her waist to shift her balance. She froze at the closeness, his voice low near her ear as he told her that if Joanna grabbed her like this, she shouldn’t pull away. She should turn into it instead.

She turned sharply, ending up facing him at a distance that suddenly felt far too small, his hand still resting lightly at her waist. His eyes dropped briefly to her mouth before returning to hers, and then he let go entirely.

"Again."

"You really like saying that."

"It works."

She sat on the edge of the mat afterward, taking the water he handed her, studying him for a long moment before finally asking why he was pushing this so hard.

"You could just let me compete and lose," she pointed out.

"Because you hate being underestimated," he said simply.

"And you don’t?"

"I hate watching you underestimate yourself more."

That landed somewhere she wasn’t prepared for, and she didn’t have a sarcastic response waiting for once. He’d noticed something she rarely admitted even to herself, that half her battles weren’t with other people’s doubts at all.

"You have nothing to prove to me," he added, picking up the training gloves.

"Then why train me?"

"Because I know you can win," he said, and turned away before either of them could sit in that too long.

Liam’s voice cut through a second later. "Wow. Emotional."

Roxanne nearly choked on her water while Kai closed his eyes in visible frustration. Liam strolled onto the field, insisting he’d been standing there for at least thirty seconds, and Roshan followed close behind with a stack of papers, saying he had updated competition information to share. Lucien arrived last, declaring training over for the day, and Roxanne pointed at him gratefully.

"Finally, someone sensible."

"He was going to make her do ten more rounds," Liam said, pointing at Kai, who said nothing in his own defense.

"You’re worse than an entire coaching staff," Roxanne told them.

"That’s because we’re much more attractive," Liam said.

"Speak for yourself," Roshan added, and Roxanne laughed despite herself, the tension of the last hour finally easing.

Then Roshan spread the updated rules across the table and pointed to a section near the bottom. "They changed the second stage."

"What was it originally?" Lucien asked.

"Team combat." Roshan tapped the page. "Now it’s solo wolf control."

Roxanne’s smile faded instantly, since wolf control was exactly where she had the least experience compared to everyone else competing.

"When did this happen?" Kai asked.

"The request came from Joanna’s team," Roshan said.

The pieces settled into place all at once. Joanna wasn’t simply trying to beat her. She was reshaping the entire competition around Roxanne’s weakest point.

Liam looked genuinely concerned. "We can appeal it."

"I’ll speak to the organizers," Lucien said immediately.

Roxanne shook her head. "No."

They all turned to look at her as she picked up the revised rules, read through them once more, and let a slow smile spread across her face.

"Good?" Kai asked.

"Good," she said, folding the paper neatly.

"Good?" he repeated, eyebrow raised.

She looked out toward the empty training field, all the earlier frustration gone, replaced by something sharper.

"Now I know exactly what I need to beat."