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“O w!”

“You must be on guard at all times. Anticipate an attack.”

Morlie placed a hand on her stinging cheek and attempted to rub the hot pain away as she stepped back, hoping to put herself out of arm's reach of Rieka. From the center of the living room, she glanced from Rieka to Rudie, who was back at the island working on their morning meal, trying to figure out if the other young woman had steered her wrong. Rudie had appeared excited at the sight of Chanin’s mother when she showed up unexpectedly, offering to train Morlie against Minsi.

She returned her gaze to the older woman, who seemed to have a relaxed wide-leg stance with her lethal hands in her pockets. Morlie didn’t trust it, not after the slap. Even though the strike wasn’t as hard as the one she’d received from Chanin’s ex-lover, it still had her cheek hot and pulsing.

“Why would I think someone on my side would hit me?” Morlie demanded.

Her parents and sister had raised her to respect those who were elder, and because of that, she would not look for something to hit her mate’s mother back, but the tightness in her core and the low growl inside of her wouldn’t stand for being someone’s punchbag at all.

“We are Lupine. You are Lupine, Morlie.” Rieka stepped toward her.

Morlie didn’t hesitate to step back. “I know this.”

“You might know it here.” Rieka slipped a hand from her loose pants pocket and tapped two fingers against her temple.

“But you must know it here.” She withdrew her other hand and pounded a fist to her stomach.

“Our hierarchy is built on fierce strength and loyalty, nothing else. Chanin is Alpha because he is the strongest, fastest wolf in our Pack. When he shows weakness, someone will challenge him and attempt to take his position.”

Lowering her hand, Morlie frowned. “What does that have to do with me? Will I have to fight to defend Chanin?”

“Never for him, but there may come a time he will need you at his side, not cowering behind his tail.” Rieka set her fists on her hips.

Even as she stared at Rieka’s face, she kept one eye on the woman’s hands.

“Your concern is just like his. The bitches are always in heat. Never forget that someone wants to take your spot even after you’re fully claimed.

Minsi knew this. Even though Chanin refused to make her his mate, she managed to maintain her place in Chanin’s bed because she spent years terrorizing the single she-wolves in the Pack, ensuring none of them had the tits to step up to her. She always struck first.”

“Chanin just allowed her to harass others?” Morlie tried to fit that piece into the image of Chanin she was building. Knowing he would continue to have sex with a woman who was so vicious to others unsettled Morlie.

Rieka shook her head. “It isn’t about allowing anything. Males don’t like to involve themselves in the rivalry of females. The hierarchy must be established and maintained.”

“But he defended me,” Morlie recalled, getting up from the ground after Minsi’s attack and seeing Chanin’s wolf snarling and ready to rip out the other woman’s throat.

“Because you were a human. Unless provoked, it is against our laws to attack a weaker species. As Alpha, he had to put her in her place with a warning.”

A warning . Morlie didn’t like Minsi, but she hoped things wouldn’t get to the point that Chanin had to put down the other woman.

However, now that Morlie understood some of the Pack mentality, now more than ever, she wanted to ensure Minsi and any other female Lupine recognized her place beside Chanin and that nothing but death would remove her from it.

She’d beat death once, and this time, she’d do it by her own might.

“What do I need to know?” she asked, even as she realized the sting in her skin was already beginning to ebb away. “Should I shift?”

“No. Your wolf has an innate sense of survival.”

Morlie nodded, understanding what Rieka meant. Her wolf was capable, but her human side was weak. “Then let’s get started.”

A small smile tilted one corner of Rieka’s mouth. She glanced down. “Let’s start with your posture and stance.”

Following Rieka’s gaze, Morlie stared at her feet and her hands at her sides. “What’s wrong with the way I’m standing?”

“You look weak.” Rudie declared from the kitchen as she stood at the island, scraping out the stringy meat of the squash with a fork.

Shocked, Morlie eyed the short woman. Before she could comment, Rieka drew her attention back to her.

“Your shoulders are slumped forward as if you lack confidence, and your feet are too close together.”

Attempting to change things up, Morlie widened her feet and pressed her elbows into her side to help keep her shoulders back. “Like this?”

Rudie burst out laughing while she chopped the leftover roasted rabbit. “You look like a peacock.”

She shot a scowl at her friend. “You’re not helping.”

“But she is right.” Rieka arched a single brow as she circled her. “Instead of trying to fake a strong position, just set your shoulders back and push your tits out. They’re on the small side, which will also help with that problem.”

Morlie gasped at the insult. Taking in the toned, svelte figure of the woman before her, Morlie admitted her petite frame felt emaciated and flimsy.

Rieka didn’t even pause as she continued, “Lift your chin so that it is level to the ground.”

At first, it felt odd, but she followed Chanin’s mother’s instructions. “Am I trying to show I’m tough or attract a male?”

“Both. A confident woman is a strong woman.” Standing behind her, Rieka continued.

“You are my son’s mate—the one the Great Spirit chose for him.

Chanin will be faithful and never stray, but you always want his attention, desire, and respect.

With that, you will both be pleased for decades to come. ”

Morlie listened to the wisdom of the woman and took it all in. She knew Chanin lusted for her now, but what if it wore off? Would he regret being stuck with her? Possibly resent their match? She wouldn’t let that happen.

Rieka tapped the outside of one of Morlie’s feet. “Shoulder-width apart and shift the opposite foot of your dominant hand forward slightly.”

As Morlie did as she was told, Rieka continued, “Hmm, you're left-handed. Good. Drop your right hip.”

“Why is it good?” Morlie met Rieka’s gaze when the older woman moved before her again.

“No one ever sees the first strike of a lefty coming.” Rieka’s smile was slow and small.

At least Morlie had one thing in her favor when it seemed everything else about her the woman saw as hopeless.

“I’m going to hit you.”

“Again?” Morlie slumped as the word slipped out. Relaxing her posture brought some relief because her spine between her shoulder blades was starting to burn.

“Tits up,” Rieka ordered. “Yes, again. The first lesson of a Lupine is to learn how to fight through pain.”

“I prefer to learn how not to get hit,” Morlie complained, but she watched Rieka to figure out when the strike would come.”

“That is the next lesson.” Rieka had both hands in her pockets as she stood two feet from Morlie. “You ready?”

No . Morlie swallowed, trying to prepare herself for what was to come. “Yes—”

Whack.

Her vision was black on impact but cleared just as pain erupted in her nose, causing thick, fast rivers of blood to run from it.

Grrr . Morlie’s wolf growled, and hair sprung along the back of her neck.

Morlie gritted her teeth, forcing her beast to stay inside. She began to draw up the hem of Chanin’s shirt to staunch the blood.

“No. Leave it. You’re a wolf-shifter now.

That tiny owie will heal before Chanin returns.

You have to learn how to fight through the pain.

” Rieka postured herself like she had instructed Morlie, then tossed her head back to flip her long, blonde ponytail over her shoulder as she raised her hands, taking a clear fighting stance.

Morlie could feel her nose swelling, and she’d already lost the ability to breathe out of one side.

“Hands up,” Rieka growled. “Loosen your knees.”

Doing as she was told, Morlie tried not to think about the injury to her face as she balled up her fist.

“Keep your elbows into your sides and hands about cheekbone level.”

“Okay.” Morlie licked away the coppery fluid spreading over the seam of her lips.

“Now, this time, I’m going to swing slowly. I want you to try and knock my hands away.”

True to her words, Rieka threw a handful of punches slow enough for Morlie to see them coming in sufficient time to swat them away.

“Good. Now faster.”

Morlie stayed focused and watched the fists fly, batting them away left and right. They kept a steady pace and maintained a quick rhythm. She felt confident as the speed increased, but something different happened as she started to smack at Rieka’s fist. Before Morlie knew it, she was on her ass.

“Dammit!” Morlie slammed her fists into the ground. One second, she dodged fists; the next, Morlie had her feet swept out from under her, and she found herself staring up at the ceiling.

Rieka stared down at her and held out a hand. Once Morlie took her hand, the older woman hauled her back to her feet effortlessly.

“Watch the hips. Lesson three.”

“How many lessons are there?” Morlie assumed her stance. Her spine no longer ached, and both her nostrils were open again, but she could still see too much of her nose, and it felt and looked disjointed.

“As many as it takes.” Rieka shrugged one shoulder.

“You’re doing well,” Rudie cheered on from her crossed-legged position on the couch.

Morlie wasn’t even sure at what point Rudie had finished cooking and sat down. “Thanks.”

“Your opponent may try to distract you with a punch or grab your shoulder, then sweep your foot to knock you off balance. Because once you are down, they can leap onto you and hold you in a position under their weight that will cause you great damage or death.”

“I want you to watch if my hip shifts to rebalance my weight to step up, and then you sweep my lead foot. You’ll need to bring your foot up to push my foot out of the way by rotating around to catch my foot, counterbalance to knock me down.”

Rieka repeated her instructions as she moved, talking Morlie through each step, then performed the same move in real-time, then slowed it down again. The first five times, Morlie still ended up on the floor. Only for Rieka to step back and call out, “Again!”

Once Morlie was only down a third of the time, Rieka added to her training.

“If my foot starts to leave the ground in a kick, anticipate the strike, absorb it, and sweep out my weighted leg quickly and hard. And pounce.”

Morlie discovered she could get Rieka down, but she was too slow at leaping onto her chest, giving the other woman time to get out of the way and get up and able to kick out. Only because Rieka didn’t follow the move-through was Morlie left with a head on her shoulders.

The tenth time Rieka came at her, Morlie felt something click in her mind. Her visual acuity seemed to snap into place, and it became easier for her to pick up on the subtle shifts of Rieka’s body and respond.

Morlie’s movements became more fluid, like second nature.

On instinct, Morlie struck out. When her fist made contact with Rieka’s jaw, Morlie froze in shock. Everything happened at lightning speed.

“Oh, damn. I’m sorry.” Morlie pulled the hand back and scrambled off the other woman’s chest where she had straddled her. She couldn’t believe she’d not only taken down Chanin’s mother but hit her.

“Nice. After breakfast, I’ll teach you to hit because you punch like a girl, not a she-wolf.” Rieka rolled up from the floor and gave Morlie a wide smile.

Rudie laughed as she vaulted up from the couch and headed to the table.

Morlie grinned in appreciation as she followed the two other women important to Chanin.

She wiggled her nose, checking it for residual soreness.

She found only a few twinges but didn’t miss the aches on her sides.

It would be a long day, and she knew her body would bear the evidence by the end, but she felt surer of herself and less of a liability and was more than grateful for the older female Alpha’s expertise.