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I took a deep breath, allowing his belief in me to wash away any doubts. “You’re right,” I replied, a newfound confidence in my voice. “I guess I still get first-day jitters even after being out of school for so long.”
Cole squeezed my hand again, a proud smile on his lips. “I know you do, Marley. But you’re a lot stronger than you think you are. Easily the strongest woman I know.”
We got in the rental car and made our way to the location River had texted Cole that morning. It was a training ground the shifters usually used, but when they weren’t training, it was used for these self-defense courses. When we arrived, we discovered that the space was a massive warehouse, complete with corrugated metal walls and a flat roof. The hangar-like doors let in the cool autumn air and bathed the space in sunlight.
Inside, the space reminded me of Shift into Fitness, but it was twice as large. Every corner of the training facility seemed to hold a different apparatus, each more intriguing than the last. Enormous tires were scattered across the landscape, ready to be lifted and flipped as part of some intense exercise routine. Rock-climbing walls loomed overhead, their textured surfaces riddled with candy-colored stones. Rope ladders dangled from above. Obstacle courses stood tall, adorned with a myriad of structures designed to push people’s limits.
“Well, look what the dog dragged in,” a familiar voice called from across the room.
I turned to see River walking over to us in a muscle shirt, his hair braided neatly down his back. I smiled and waved at him. He broke into a jog to get to us quicker.
“Glad you came ready to break a sweat,” he said to me as he approached. He clapped Cole’s hand and shook it. “Good to see you, too, Alpha.”
Cole nodded and looked around the room again. “Nice place,” he commented.
River nodded, eyes shining with excitement. “Yeah, it’s a real boon for us. Plenty of room to train and play without having to leave the compound.” River’s voice carried a blend of enthusiasm and pride.
“So, when does everyone else get here?” I asked.
“In a couple hours. I hope that’s all right—I wanted to give you a tour and get an idea of your fitness level so I can pair you up with the right people. And I wanted to make sure you get everything you can out of the time you have here. All told, you’ll probably be with me for about four hours. If that’s cool with you.”
“Fine with me. Can Cole stay and watch?” I asked.
River grimaced. “As much as we welcome everyone, we have a pretty stringent policy against mates staying with their partners in these scenarios. We’ve had a couple of fights that could have been avoided. Certain parties got in a tizzy because of the scenarios we were running with other pack shifters.”
Cole stiffened beside me. “What kind of scenarios?”
“Well, we’re not trying to do security theater here, Cole,” River said. “We need to make sure that these men and women can actually protect themselves against shifters. So, we pair them up against real shifters.”
Cole’s protective nature was one of the many things I loved about him, but it could also be a source of tension between us. As we stood there in the spacious training facility, Cole frowned. Concern flashed in his eyes, showing just how unwilling he was to leave my side.
“I think I can take care of myself and manage my emotions,” he said sharply. “How can you keep an eye on every person training today? What if someone gets a little too intense with Marley? I should be here to step in.”
“And are you planning on waiting until she flags you for help, or will you leap in at the first sign of her discomfort?” River asked. “Be honest.”
Cole’s lips twisted into a bitter scowl.
I gently placed my hand on his arm. “It’s okay, Cole,” I said soothingly, trying to calm his worries. “River is a skilled trainer, and I trust him. Besides, I need to learn to handle myself in these situations. I can’t do that if you’re always looking out for me.”
“I just worry about you,” Cole admitted, his voice softening. “I know you’ve been nervous around shifters before. I don’t want you to bite your tongue when I’m not here to advocate for you.”
“I know,” I replied, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “But I’ll be fine. I promise.”
River nodded. “We have a lot of failsafes in place—we don’t play around. If it makes you feel more comfortable, I’ll be her partner the entire time. That way, you’ll know exactly what she’s up against. That work for you?”
My stomach flipped. I didn’t know why the idea of going against River was making me so nervous. Maybe it was just because he was so clearly suited to this kind of thing. He didn’t have the same build as Cole, whose strength was his athletic ability and well-developed muscles. River was built more like a dancer or a surfer—lithe and slender with well-defined bands of muscle hugging his arms like cables of reinforced steel. I was fit, but I had no doubt he’d be able to overpower me in seconds.
Cole looked at me, then back at River, sizing him up.
River put his hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Listen, man, the last thing I’m interested in is hurting your mate or earning your ire. Your grandfather has been a huge help to me. I have a personal investment in not fucking this up.”
Cole looked at me again. “Would you be okay with that? Or would you prefer someone else?”
“I feel safe with River,” I said. “After all, he took good care of me last night, right?”
After a moment of hesitation, Cole sighed. “All right,” he said. “Stay partnered with River. Make sure you ask for breaks or help if you need it. I’ll be back in about four hours to pick you up.”
A warm smile spread across my face. “Thank you, Cole. I’ll be waiting for you. This training will be good, and it will make it easier for me to be with you and not feel so bad about not becoming a shifter.”
