The Alpha kings Secret Mate

Chapter 4: The First Lesson

The morning came too soon.

I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Damon's cold expression, the hunters storming into the house, and Kade's red eyes burning in the darkness.

But today wasn't a day for dwelling on the past.

Today, my training began.

The sun had barely risen when Kade kicked a pile of dirt onto the fire, putting it out. He glanced at me, his gaze sharp.

"Up."

I groaned, stretching my stiff muscles. My entire body ached from yesterday's journey.

"Do I get breakfast first?" I muttered.

Kade smirked. "No."

I blinked. "Wait—what?"

"You eat after training," he said, standing up. "Not before."

I scowled. "That's ridiculous. How am I supposed to train on an empty stomach?"

Kade raised an eyebrow. "You want to be strong, don't you?"

I clenched my jaw. "Yes, but—"

"Then stop whining."

My lips parted in shock. Whining? I wasn't whining! I was making a reasonable argument!

But I could already tell there was no use arguing. Kade was already walking toward the trees.

"Come on," he called over his shoulder. "Before the sun gets too high."

I let out an irritated sigh but pushed myself up anyway.

Fine. If this was part of the training, then I'd endure it.

For now.

---

Kade led me to a clearing surrounded by tall trees. The ground was covered in soft dirt, and there was plenty of space to move.

"First lesson," he said, turning to face me. "Fighting."

I swallowed hard.

"I—" I hesitated. "I've never been in a real fight before."

Kade's lips twitched. "I know."

The way he said it made my skin prickle.

"That's why we're starting with the basics," he continued. "Fighting isn't just about strength. It's about control. It's about knowing when to strike and when to hold back. When to move and when to stand your ground."

I nodded slowly.

"Now," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Hit me."

I blinked. "What?"

"Hit me," Kade repeated. "Come on, little wolf. Show me what you've got."

I hesitated.

Kade stood with his hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed. He wasn't even trying to defend himself.

Was this a joke?

I frowned and stepped forward, balling my fist. I swung at his chest—

—only to hit nothing.

In a blink, Kade had shifted to the side. My fist cut through empty air, and I stumbled forward, almost falling flat on my face.

Laughter.

I spun around, my cheeks burning as Kade smirked at me.

"That was pathetic," he said.

I scowled. "You didn't even let me hit you!"

"You think your enemies will let you hit them?" Kade tilted his head. "They won't stand still and wait for you to land a punch, Aria. You need to be faster. More precise."

I clenched my fists.

Again.

I lunged forward and swung at him with my right hand. Kade dodged—again—but this time, I didn't stop. I threw another punch, then another. Left, right, left—

Every. Single. Time.

He dodged effortlessly.

It was infuriating.

I was panting now, my arms aching, but I refused to stop.

I aimed for his side, hoping to catch him off guard—but he caught my wrist mid-swing.

In one swift motion, he spun me around and trapped me in a lock, his arm tight around my neck.

My breath hitched.

"You're too predictable," he murmured against my ear. "You attack without thinking. You let your emotions control your moves."

I struggled against his grip, but he was too strong. My heart pounded as I realized just how much stronger he was than me.

"Relax," Kade said. "Fighting isn't just about throwing punches. It's about knowing your enemy's weaknesses. Anticipating their moves."

His arm loosened slightly, just enough for me to breathe.

"Now, try to break free."

I gritted my teeth.

Think, Aria.

If I was up against someone bigger and stronger, I couldn't rely on brute force. I had to use my speed. My agility.

I shifted my weight and dropped suddenly, slipping under his arm. Before he could react, I twisted around and drove my elbow into his ribs.

Kade staggered back slightly, and I leapt away, breathing hard.

Silence.

Then—he laughed.

"Not bad," he admitted, rubbing his ribs. "You learn fast."

I felt a strange sense of pride at his words. But I didn't let it distract me.

"Again," I said, lifting my fists.

Kade smirked. "Now you're getting it."

---

For hours, we trained.

Kade taught me how to block, how to dodge, how to strike with precision.

I wasn't strong, but I was fast. And the more I fought, the more I understood—this wasn't just about power. It was about technique.

By midday, I was covered in sweat, my muscles screaming in protest. But I refused to stop.

Kade finally called for a break. He tossed me a small piece of dried meat from his bag.

I grabbed it quickly and tore into it, my stomach starving after the intense training.

As I ate, Kade watched me with a thoughtful expression.

"You're improving," he said.

I swallowed my bite. "Yeah?"

He nodded. "But you still hesitate. You hold back when you should strike."

I frowned. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Kade's eyes darkened. "That's the problem."

I stared at him.

"You think your enemies will show you mercy?" he asked, his voice quiet but sharp. "You think they'll hesitate when they sink their claws into you?"

A chill ran down my spine.

"You need to understand something, Aria," Kade continued. "This world isn't kind. No one is going to save you. No one is going to spare you."

His red eyes locked onto mine, serious and intense.

"If you want to survive, you need to stop fighting like someone who's afraid to win."

His words hit something deep inside me.

Afraid to win.

Maybe he was right. Maybe, deep down, I was still that weak omega. The one who had been rejected, thrown aside, forgotten.

But I didn't want to be her anymore.

I wanted to be stronger.

I would be stronger.

I took a deep breath and met Kade's gaze.

"Then teach me," I said. "Teach me how to win."

A slow smile spread across his lips.

"Good," he murmured. "Because this was just the beginning."

The sun had risen higher, casting golden light over the clearing. My breath came in sharp pants as I tried to shake off the exhaustion creeping into my muscles. But Kade wasn't done with me yet.

"Again," he ordered, standing a few feet away, his arms crossed.

I groaned. "Kade, I can barely lift my arms."

He arched an eyebrow. "Then fight without them."

I blinked. "What?"

Before I could react, he lunged at me.

His speed was terrifying.

I barely had time to twist my body to the side before his hand whooshed past my face. Instinct took over, and I kicked out, aiming for his legs.

Kade dodged effortlessly.

"You're relying too much on your upper body," he said as I scrambled backward. "A real fight doesn't just use fists. You have legs. Use them."

I exhaled sharply, shaking the sweat from my forehead. My body was screaming at me to stop, to rest, to collapse onto the ground and give up.

But I didn't.

Instead, I rushed forward, pushing past the ache in my muscles. This time, I didn't throw a punch. I feinted to the left, then spun and kicked low.

Kade barely dodged in time. I saw the momentary flicker of surprise in his red eyes.

It made my exhaustion worth it.

"Better," he admitted. "But still too slow."

I clenched my jaw. I knew he was right. Every move I made felt sluggish, as if I were trying to swim through thick mud.

"You're tired," Kade said, reading my expression. "That's good."

I scowled. "How is that good?"

"Because that's how you get stronger," he replied simply. "You don't train when you feel strong. You train when your body wants to give up. That's when real warriors are made."

His words echoed in my mind.

Real warriors.

I had never thought of myself as a warrior before. I had always been too weak. Too scared.

But I wasn't that girl anymore.

I squared my shoulders. "Again."

Kade's lips twitched. "That's more like it."

---

Hours passed.

Every inch of my body ached. My hands were raw, my legs trembling, but I didn't stop. I kept moving, dodging, striking.

Kade was relentless, but I was stubborn.

"Good," he said after what felt like an eternity. "That's enough for now."

I nearly collapsed onto the ground in relief.

Kade smirked. "Don't get too comfortable. You'll be sore tomorrow."

I glared at him. "I already feel like I got hit by a wagon."

He chuckled, tossing me a waterskin. "Drink."

I grabbed it, gulping down the cool liquid. My throat burned from all the panting, but the water helped ease the dryness.

For a while, we sat in silence. The only sounds were the rustling trees and my heavy breathing.

Then Kade spoke.

"Why do you want to be strong, Aria?"

I froze mid-sip.

I lowered the waterskin slowly, my fingers tightening around it.

Why?

I knew the answer. But saying it out loud felt… difficult.

"I don't want to be weak anymore," I murmured.

Kade studied me carefully. "That's not enough."

I looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"You don't just train because you 'don't want to be weak,'" he said, leaning forward. "People fight for something. A purpose. A reason that pushes them forward, no matter how much it hurts."

His red eyes burned into mine.

"Tell me, Aria," he said quietly. "What's your reason?"

I clenched my fists.

I thought about Damon.

I thought about the way he looked at me with disgust when he rejected me.

I thought about the way my pack laughed when I was cast out.

I thought about how helpless I felt when the hunter attacked me, how I would have died if Kade hadn't saved me.

I hated that feeling.

I hated being powerless.

But most of all, I hated that part of me still carried the pain of Damon's rejection.

I took a deep breath.

"I want to prove them wrong," I whispered. "I want to prove that I'm not weak. That I never was."

Something flashed in Kade's expression—something unreadable.

Then he nodded. "Good."

A long pause stretched between us before he stood up, brushing dirt off his pants.

"Get some rest," he said. "Tomorrow, we start weapons training."

My eyes widened. "Weapons?"

Kade's smirk returned. "You didn't think fighting was just about fists and kicks, did you?"

I swallowed hard.

Weapons.

That meant things were about to get even more serious.

But I didn't care.

Because for the first time in my life…

I felt like I was becoming something more.

And I wasn't going to stop.

Not until I was strong enough to never be weak again.

I lay on the cool grass, staring up at the sky as my muscles ached from exhaustion.

Every part of me wanted to sleep, but my mind was too restless.

Kade's words kept repeating in my head—What's your reason? I had told him I wanted to prove them wrong, but deep down, I knew it was more than that.

I didn't just want to prove myself; I wanted to become someone who couldn't be broken again.

Kade stood a few feet away, sharpening a dagger against a stone.

The steady scraping sound filled the silence between us.

He had barely broken a sweat during our training, while I felt like I had been run over by a stampede. His strength was unreal, but it wasn't just about power—he moved like a shadow, fast, precise, deadly.

If I wanted to survive, I needed to be like that too.

"You'll need a weapon," Kade said suddenly, breaking the silence. He didn't look up as he spoke, still focused on his blade. "Something that suits you. Not everyone fights with their fists alone." He tossed the dagger into the air and caught it with ease. "Tomorrow, we'll find out what works best for you."

I swallowed, nervous but excited. A weapon. That meant I was really doing this—not just training for survival, but training to fight back. For the first time, I wasn't just running from danger. I was preparing to face it head-on.

As the sun dipped lower, I closed my eyes and let exhaustion take over. Tomorrow would be even harder, but I wasn't afraid. Because for the first time in my life, I wasn't just an outcast omega. I was something more. I was becoming st

ronger.