Free Insider by Micalea Smeltzer

way too much.
     
    “Christian,” Caeden said for the one-hundredth time. “You’re supposed to be teaching her, not killing her.”
     
    “Do you think Travis is going to teach her to fight before he kills her? I think not ,” she rolled her shoulders and raised her fists. “Besides I’m not hitting her that hard.”
     
    I could argue with that. My bruises were quickly forming bruises and I still had a round with Bentley and Bryce.
     
    Chris lunged towards me and I ducked, swiping my leg around behind her legs to knock her down. Despite not having shifted, Chris’ reflexes were much better than those of a normal human. She easily jumped over my leg. “Nice try,” she laughed and dove to tackle me.
     
    I twisted my body so that I broke the fall with my hands and not my back. As soon as my hands touched the ground I turned back around and brought my legs back so that I could kick her in the chest. She rolled off of me and then smiled. “Better.”
     
    “That ’s enough,” Caeden said. I was abou t to thank God when he continued , “of that. It’s time you practice in your wolf form. That’s the form Travis will most likely use to attack you. Not that Chris hasn’t been a most excellent teacher,” he flashed her a warning smile.
     
    “Kay, kay , I get it,” she put her hands up in a surrendering gesture. I was pleased to see that she was sweating and her chest heaving. Maybe I’d given her more of a workout than I thought. “I’m going to hit the showers,” she pointed with her thumb over her shoulder to the separate guy’s and girls showers. We even had lockers. I swear, the basement was a better equipped gym than any around town.
     
    “Sophie, you ready?” Caeden asked as he held out his hand.
     
    No.
     
    “Yes sir,” I answered instead.
     
    Caeden’ s lips quirked as I placed my hand in his and he hauled me up.
     
    “Outside,” he motioned to Bentley and Bryce.
     
    Bryce hopped up like an over active puppy and squeezed my shoulder. “This is gonna be so much fun.”
     
    “Oh yeah, loads,” I my words dripped with sarcasm. He grinned and ducked out the basement door and into the woods. Bentley was already ahead. “They are so going to kill me,” I said to Caeden as he lifted a branch over my head.
     
    Caeden chuckled, “Don’t worry I won’t let them.” He led me to a thick cropping of trees and bushes. “Strip,” he said.
     
    I quirked my brow and grinned, “You want a strip tease in the woods. That’s pretty kinky.” I unbuttoned my shorts and b egan to ease them down my hips in a joking manner.
     
    Color flooded his cheeks and he turned around with his back to me. “That was so not what I meant,” he said.
     
    I laughed as I removed the rest of my clothes and the laugh turned to a bark as I switched forms. It was so easy for me to become a wolf, freeing. I shook my shaggy brown coat. Sometimes, it felt like I was coming home when I entered into my wolf form.
     
    Caeden and I switched places so that he could switch forms .
     
    Caeden understood that I was uncomfortable changing in front of the others. I didn’t grow up running around naked like they did. It took some getting used to. I didn’t really mind around Caeden, since he’d been there with me the first time , but I still appreciated the gesture.
     
    In quicker time than it took me his gray wolf was beside me. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and his eyes took on a periwinkle cast. I wondered if my eyes got lighter, took on a different tone, like his. I guess I’d have to ask him.
     
    Can you smell them? He asked.
     
    I lifted my muzzle in the air and sniffed. I turned my head northeast. That way.
     
    Very good. He grinned but with his inch long teeth it seemed menacing. I want you to run as fast as you can to them. Speed is your greatest weapon against an opponent. Female shifters have much more speed than males so we know to never underestimate our girls. His human laughter filled my head.