Aila approached Gamma Chiara after the little show she and Damon gave the pack. She couldn’t help but notice and be surprised by what the Gamma was wearing; she was such a badass but wore a similar outfit to the rest of the women who were trying to catch the eye of Alpha Damon. Most of her physique was on show with a pair of shorts and a sports bra; although it was nothing like what she saw Lydia in, she couldn’t help but think they were similar in looks. Except for the hair, scars and the scary aura the Gamma seemed to portray at all times.

Gamma Chiara shouted a few orders, letting Darren take over training with the small group of thirty while she met Aila halfway. Her arms were against her chest as she eyed the two figures behind her.

“I didn’t realise I was teaching your.. friends as well,” She stated. 

“We’re just here to cheer her on!” Ajax replied with a cheeky wink. 

Gamma Chiara ignored him and set her eyes back on Aila and showed her to some mats further back. Nobody else was using them, and Aila could see how some of the pack members scrutinised her as she approached them. Her excitement to start began to turn into nervousness, but Aila quickly composed herself and reminded herself how she was an athlete before everything went down. Although she hadn’t really been in many fights, she knew this would be technical.

Her face now portrayed no emotions to the continuous onlookers who glanced her way, but Gamma Chiara quickly picked up on Aila’s apprehension. 

“Tomorrow we will train in the hall. Today, you need to show them how much of an opponent you are even when you aren’t trained. You’re going to be challenged a lot while you transition into their Luna. They need to know that you can handle yourself and handle the pressure of ruling,” Gamma Chiara mind-linked her, though she spoke to Aila; her hands were busy with putting chalk on them.

Aila did the same before replying, “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You’re going to hate me once I’m through with you,” Gamma Chiara’s response brought a small smile to both of their faces, although Aila’s was more of an acceptance to the challenge. 

“Okay, today I will assess you more than anything. I need to see how you fight and where we need to start from,” The Gamma spoke aloud, as though she was announcing to the pack that they were beginning.

“Okay, but I have to tell you, I haven’t trained in combat before,” Aila replied sheepishly. She also wished that they were in wolf form; maybe then Malia could take control.

“I can’t keep fighting your battles for you, you know. Would be nice to see you winning them for a change,” Malia snickered. 

She has a point.

“I know I do, now watch it!” Malia shouted.

Aila barely dodged an oncoming attack from the Gamma; she used her distracted form to her advantage and from there continued an onslaught of attacks. Though she had not trained, Aila knew the basics of stances from ‘boxercise’ and how to block blows. Gamma Chiara, though, was relentless. She caught her multiple times with a right hook to her unprotected ribs, then sent a swift kick to her ankles. Aila fell back on the mat but was quick to roll to the side, where Chiara’s foot immediately stomped in the space she was at.

“Do you think she is taking it easy?” Aila asked her wolf but was sidetracked again as she jumped up out of the way of another kick. 

This time, Aila decided not to stick to boxing. Gamma Chiara was obviously doing some form of mixed martial arts because she switched between punches, swipes to kicks. Aila lunged forwards and tackled her to the ground, instantly sending a left hook to her face but was blocked and somehow was spun, so she was now on her back. Gritting her teeth, Aila immediately covered her face and blocked the blows there; Chiara then went for her stomach, but Aila had quite strong abs and could take the hits. Especially after the beat downs she kept taking from Connor.

The thought of Connor and how he treated her made her temper rise, and she was instantly motivated more to take it out on the person fighting her. She kicked Gamma Chiara in the back of the head, sending her flying over her; Aila’s eyes began glowing, showing off how brilliantly crystal blue they were. She scrambled up and faced the Gamma, who was already going towards her; the pair kept blocking each other’s blows. Aila made sure to be quick enough that her opponent didn’t wrestle her down to the ground again.

She found that her speed and strength was much greater than before she was a werewolf.  Even though she had no prior training in combat, she easily kept up with Gamma Chiara; the difference was that the Gamma was analysing her moves, and she knew how to fight. Chiara flew towards her with a flying kick which Aila dodged and swiftly turned around, smacking her square in the face. Gamma Chiara’s nose began bleeding, and she put her hand up to it before looking back at Aila, who took a step back with her hands raised in surrender.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” Aila asked her with concern laced in her voice.

Gamma Chiara smiled, a full grin, teeth showing smile. Aila would say that she was beautiful but the blood trickling into her mouth was not a pretty sight. The Gamma came forwards and brought her hand out; Aila eyed it suspiciously before bringing her own out to shake it. She braced herself when their hands connected, but nothing happened.

The Gamma laughed at her reaction, “I’m not that much of a bitch, you know. Good job! Your speed and strength are similar to an Alpha’s. Tomorrow, I will teach you how to fight but for now, let’s go for a ten-mile run.” 

Aila’s mouth nearly dropped open.

Ten miles!?

Gamma Chiara laughed at Aila’s expression again, “I would say I’m joking. But I’m not. You’re a werewolf now! Come on!” She wiped the blood from her face before jogging; and waved her hand for Aila to catch up to her. 

The pair jogged off at a decent pace. Aila couldn’t help but watch the other pack members who fought each other. Gamma Chiara then mind-linked her, “I put my warriors through ten miles a day before exercises, then we scrimmage after, and if anyone is still capable, we then fight in wolf form. Don’t get me wrong, we still train as wolves. I tend to plan those sessions out. But everyone prefers fighting in their wolf form, to ‘release their beasts’ as it were. The fighting is a lot more bloodthirsty. Pups aren’t allowed to join in until they turn sixteen.”

Aila looked at Gamma Chiara and saw a glint in her eye when she spoke of the fights being bloodthirsty. Her attention then went to some of the wolves they jogged past, and she saw how similar it was to her fighting those rogues. There was no difference between the two scenarios; they appeared to be trying to kill each other. Her eyes then settled on Alpha Damon, whose arms were crossed as he scrutinised a pair of men fighting. He glanced up after feeling her gaze; his features were unreadable as he stared at her before he looked back to the fight before him.

“Stop giving each other googly eyes. You’re slowing down!” Gamma Chiara barked aloud, snapping Aila out of her daze and increasing her pace to the Gamma’s. She swore the Gamma increased it on purpose, but she was not about to argue with her.

The pair ran for ten miles; the circuit consisted of them going out of the mansion’s grounds, running nearer Silver Thorn town and back to the woods, near the mountains before returning. Aila was out of breath but was surprised that she actually lasted the ten miles; her usual runs were three lots of 5km runs a week, which was only because ice hockey season was over. 

When they made it back to the mats, Aila was allowed to grab some water before she was ordered to do push-ups, crunches, skips using a skipping rope and other exercises that consisted of eight rounds to complete them. By the end of it, Aila had ditched the shirt and came to understand why most of the pack were nearly naked. Not only was the training so intense that she sweated so much, but werewolves seemed to have a higher body temperature than humans. 

Aila laid on her back on the mat while she breathed heavily after completing the insane workout. It was then that a certain someone decided to show their face. Lydia. She passed by with a few other girls walking behind her. Aila sensed trouble when her eyes locked with Lydia’s and saw a sly smile on her lips.

“I’m not quite sure what the Alpha sees in her. Her hair is so freakishly white,” Lydia sneered; her shrill voice was loud enough to catch a lot of the pack’s attention. The two girls trailing behind her giggled; the scene was bizarre to Aila. If she didn’t think Lydia was the same age as her, she would believe her to be a teenager with a crush on her man. 

Aila sat up and rolled her eyes, “Seriously? What are you? Thirteen?” 

Lydia strolled towards Aila, who began standing up. Malia was already pacing in her mind, ready to pounce at any given moment. Lydia put her hands on her hips, and her friends behind her did the same; if the situation was different, Aila would have laughed at how ridiculous they all looked. 

“This”, Lydia raised her hand toward Aila, “is who our Luna is meant to be?” She scoffed. 

The next moment Aila shifted into her wolf form and ripped Lydia’s head off from her body-

“Malia!” Aila interrupted Malia’s fantasy that distracted her.

“I swear, if you don’t sort her out, I will,” Malia growled back to her, which caused Aila’s eyes to glow again as she stepped up to Lydia. Although Aila was above average height for a woman, she still had to tilt her chin up slightly to meet Lydia’s gaze. Gamma Chiara stepped behind Aila, which caused Lydia to narrow her eyes at her. 

“I think you better stop while my wolf is still restrained. She’s not as tame as me,” Aila spoke in a quiet and menacing tone.

Lydia took another step towards her and sneered, “I’m not scared of a nobody stealing my crown,”

Aila immediately punched her in the nose hard enough that they heard the bones crunch. Lydia gasped out and placed her hands around the area. Her eyes were wide as they teared up, “You bitch! My nose is broken!” She screeched before running off with her minions behind her.

Malia was cackling in the background; she had taken control over Aila the moment Lydia took that step towards her. Aila smirked at her retreating form and turned around to face Gamma Chiara, who was laughing heartily. She also found Alpha Damon approaching them, his eyes were lit up in amusement, but he quickly composed himself with a neutral expression.

He stopped suddenly when Kane caught up to him, and they seemed to discuss something via mind-link; Damon’s demeanour changed, and he looked at Aila directly, giving her an apologetic smile.

“You did really well today,” His deep voice pierced through the mind-link to Aila. She smiled mischievously, which caused him to chuckle before turning around and jogging off with Kane. They both shifted, shredding their clothes as they did so. About ten wolves followed behind them, which made Aila look in alarm.

“Don’t stress, it’s nothing they can’t handle,” Gamma Chiara smiled at her before she raised her voice to the remaining members of the pack who were scattered around the field, “Practice is over! Make sure to eat before you leave! There is plenty of food in the kitchen. And please, pleeeeease take your shoes off or wipe your feet before entering. You’ll have me to deal with if you don’t!” 

Aila decided that although Gamma Chiara was scary, she could see herself becoming friends with her. Or maybe it was because the woman was helping her and found it hilarious when Lydia was punched in the face. Women really do bond over someone they both hate, and from how the Gamma and Lydia had spared each other a glare, she guessed that was the case.