Brutal!

The training grounds were empty except for two figures.

Aiden stood in the center, rolling his shoulders, pretending he wasn't the least bit nervous.

Lucian was a few feet away, arms crossed, his piercing gaze locked onto him like a predator analyzing its prey.

The silence stretched.

Aiden had expected Lucian to start with basic drills-- stances, balance, or even proper breathing.

Instead, the older boy's expression was unreadable as he finally spoke.

"Shift."

Aiden blinked. "What?"

Lucian's eyes darkened. "Shift into your wolf. Full shift."

Aiden hesitated.

He had shifted before, when his parents were trying to tell him what he was, but not as much as the other kids in the pack. He had lived among humans for too long.

His control wasn't as refined, and shifting on command wasn't second nature yet.

Lucian's voice remained cold. "Or are you only good at talking?"

Aiden clenched his fists, heat creeping up his neck.

He tried to remember what his parents had told him, how he could summon the shift. He tried but nothing happened.

It frustrated him because he wasn't planing to be a failure in front of Lucian. He tried and tried while Lucian didn't bother even for a second to help him in any way.

He kept looking at him with mocking eyes. Which only angered Aiden until he made it. His body tensed, as he tried to force the shift.

His bones ached as his muscles stretched and contorted, his form trembling. Dark brown fur sprouted over his arms, his nails sharpened into claws, but...

Halfway through, his body refused to complete the transformation.

Pain lanced through him, and with a gasp, he fell to one knee, panting.

Lucian's expression didn't change. If anything, his disappointment was heavier than a slap to the face. "Pathetic."

Aiden growled, glaring up at him. "Pathetic?! Give me a sec..."

Lucian didn't.

Without warning, Lucian lunged.

One second, he was standing still. The next, his hand closed around Aiden's throat, claws just barely grazing his skin. The force sent Aiden sprawling into the dirt.

Aiden coughed, shaking off the daze.

"That's lesson one," Lucian said flatly. "If you hesitate in battle, you die."

Aiden barely had time to roll out of the way before Lucian's boot came down where his ribs had been. Dust flew up from the impact.

Aiden scrambled to his feet, heart pounding. He wasn't scared. Not really. But Lucian was faster than anyone he'd ever fought, and he hadn't even shifted yet.

Lucian circled him, his gaze colder than ever. "You wanna belong to my group? I don't associate with failures, and if you can't catch up today then just know you don't belong, and don't even think of coming back."

Aiden clenched his jaw.

"What? Not talking anymore? Isn't it what you are best at? A man who is only talkative but can't do anything- can't shift, can't blow a punch- should be embarrassed to call himself a man!" Lucian said. "If you want be here then show me!"

Then, Lucian shifted.

It wasn't slow or painful like Aiden's. His body rippled effortlessly, his bones reforming in an instant, fur bursting from his skin.

A massive black wolf stood before him, its yellow eyes locked onto him with sharp intelligence.

Aiden hated that he liked that, that he liked how Lucian's wolf looked. How easily he slipped into it.

And then it attacked.

Aiden barely had time to throw himself backward as Lucian lunged, claws slicing through the air where his chest had been.

But Aiden could tell that Lucian wasn't really planning to hurt him.

He rolled, staggering upright, but Lucian was already moving again.

There was no time to think.

The black wolf was everywhere at once- circling, lunging, snapping at his limbs with precise strikes. Aiden barely dodged, but it wasn't enough.

A clawed paw slammed into his side, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, gasping for breath.

Lucian shifted back in a heartbeat, his movements seamless.

Aiden coughed, pushing himself up. "What the hell is your problem?" He yelled angrily.

"I thought you needed training." Lucian looked down at him, unimpressed. "That was just introduction. Stand up."

Aiden wiped the blood from his lip. "Am not doing it! If you don't want to train me then say! Or you wanna kill me altogether so that I don't belong in your family anymore."

Lucian stepped closer. For the first time Lucian smirked, "You seriously think I care wether you are around or not?! Am too busy to notice petty things around."

Aiden couldn't believe what Lucian had just said to him. He is impossible, maybe after all Jackson was right.

Lucian scoffed. "Get up."

Aiden dragged himself to his feet, legs trembling slightly.

"Again," Lucian ordered.

This time, he didn't wait. He attacked before Aiden could fully steady himself, forcing him to react on instinct.

Aiden ducked, but Lucian was too fast. His leg was kicked out from under him, and he hit the ground again.

He had barely landed when Lucian spoke. "Shift!"

Aiden tried. His body resisted.

Lucian's boot pressed against his chest, holding him down. "You can't fight like a human. If you don't learn to shift mid-battle, you're useless."

Aiden grit his teeth. He really got frustrated, maybe this was a bad idea after all.

Lucian removed his foot and stepped back. "You have zero strength! Are you even a wolf?! You are just a mere human! Do thirty press up."

Thirty press ups?! Is he kidding me?!' Aiden had wondered. He didn't start doing anything as he was still wondering when Lucian's sharp voice cut through his bones, "Did you hear me?! I said, stand up and do thirty press up!"

Aiden forced himself up, muscles burning. His fragile body already aching.

"I would rather shift." He said before Lucian cutting him.

"I said press ups! And don't talk back at me! Ever again, today should be your last time doing that!"

Aiden saw that he had no choice there, the way Lucian was eying him, it drove chills down his spine.

He went down in press up position, but could even do five before collapsing to the ground.

Lucian exhaled sharply, really frustrated, "Pathetic! Useless!" He muttered to himself, but Aiden heard him.

Aidan's anger just escalated more. He focused on the shift without being told. This time, he didn't think about the pain. He just let go.

Something clicked.

His bones cracked, and his body completed the transformation faster.

He stood on four legs, his fur-covered chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. His ears twitched, picking up sounds he hadn't noticed before, the distant rustling of leaves, the soft hum of the wind.

Lucian shifted back into his wolf form. And lunged at him without a warning. This time, Aiden wasn't completely helpless.

Lucian lunged, but he reacted, slipping just out of reach. But couldn't directly fight him. He knew he couldn't.

He struck again, faster, testing Aiden's reaction speed. Aiden barely dodged, using his smaller size to slip under him, but Lucian twisted, catching him off guard.

Sharp teeth sank into Aiden's scruff, and he was thrown to the ground once more.

He growled, shaking himself off as he stood. "What was that for?! Did you have to bite me!" He yelled after shifting back.

Lucian shifted back, watching him with a critical gaze. "To test your healing speed. That is important too. You're slow. Your instincts are weak. Your movements are sloppy."

Aiden's ears flattened. "Thanks for the motivational speech." He said limping away before Lucian pulling him back.

"Who do you think you are walking away on? It's not over until I say so."

Suddenly a voice interfered, "Lucian, seriously? Let him go, he is just a kid, learning for the very first time. You are being really brutal to him."

Jackson said walking towards them.

"Is he? Because what I see is-- a grown teenager who is as weak as boiled noodles!" Lucian said letting go.

Aiden didn't didn't hesitate before struggling to walk away again.

"Be here first thing in the morning!" Lucian yelled after him.

"I won't. And not because I fear you or whatever you are refering to as training, but because I don't want to be." Aiden couldn't contain his anger.

"Didn't I warn you against talking back at me?!" Lucian had asked.

"Well, kill me if it irritates you that I can't stop myself from saying out loud my thoughts." Aiden retorted back.

Lucian didn't say anything more as he stared at Aiden walk away. He couldn't believe how hard headed Aiden was.

Jackson on the other hand, couldn't help but smirk at the exchange.