AZARIAH THE UGLY QUEEN OF THE PACK

Jace's pov

The sound of a loud ear piercing whistle rings out , signaling practice is over. Thank fuck. Every muscle in my body is screaming, ones I didn't even know I had at that.

Even though I'm in the best shape of my life, these sadistic bastards find new ways to torture us. Daily.

I use my discarded t-shirt to wipe the blood off my face. The bastard I was sparring with got a few lucky shots in. What can I say, I was distracted. It also may have been that I underestimated his ability to actually land a punch. And my face was paying the price for it.

"Jace, hold up". I hear Blake yell out to me.

Blake is one of the sadistic bastards who ran this training facility.

I stopped and turned immediately, giving him my full attention. Blake was not somebody you wanted to show disrespect to, unless you didn't want your own mom to recognize your face that is.

"Whats up sir?" I'm still wiping up the blood as he approaches.

" That" He gestures to my face. "You fucking new here or something pup?" He crosses his arms over his muscular chest, and the display is aggressive enough that I take a step back.

" Sorry sir, I guess I'm just having an off day".

" You guess??" He yells in my face. "Cause if I had to guess I'd say the top student here just willingly got his face beat to a pulp. Have you forgotten basic self defense pup?"

Shit. He's yelling loud enough now that we've drawn a crowd.

"No sir" Thats all I manage to say before I see his huge fist come flying towards my face.

I dodge the impending hit, but apparently he isn't done. He continues to swing at me, in a flurry of motion, and although I manage to avoid getting hit in the face, he lands one in my left rib cage.

All of the air is instantly stolen from my lungs, making it burn as I try to draw air in. Fuck, there's definitely broken rib.

I don't have a chance to let my guard down though , as he keeps coming at me. I know what he's looking for and he won't stop until either I land a hit on him or I'm unconscious on the ground.

Yup, thats how these bastards work.

After several more attempts, on his part, to land the final blow, I see an opening. I swing with what little energy I have left.

CRACK

My fist lands squarly on his jaw. Thank fuck. Cause any longer and I definitely would have been facing the option number 2.

Great, now blood is running off my right hand as that hit split a few of my knuckles wide open.

But I don't dare move an inch. I'm not stupid, nor do I have a death wish. I've made this mistake once before, only once.

After staring me down for what felt like an hour, but in all reality was maybe thirty seconds, his face splits into a huge grin, showing his front teeth that are covered in blood. Glad to know more than just my hand felt that one.

He turns his head and notices the crowd, "Unless you wanna trade places here with Jace, move it the fuck out."

Blake takes a step towards me and reaches out to place his hand on my shoulder.

"Talk to me Jace, this isn't you. Your five days away from getting out of this hell hole, and I haven't seen your face look this bad since your first year here. ."

" I'm just overthinking the final test." LIE. " Wondering if I'm as good as everyone thinks I am , or expects me to be." Another lie. I know I'm good , otherwise I wouldn't have made it in the top five out of the hundred and twenty warriors who came here three months ago.

In the top 5, there's one member from each pack. So the fact that I made it to this point confirms that I have what it takes. I've dreamed of this very moment since I was 14yrs old.

That also happens to be the age I realized that I did not just see Azariah as a friend. Did that have anything to do with my decision to prove my worth as a top warrior?? Hell yes. I wanted her to see me as something more.

The first two years of training here, there are no cuts. But in the third year they make cuts daily. Someimes just for having a stupid look on your face. I personally seen someone get cut for that exact reason.

There's no way I can tell him the truth, that some curly, dark haired angel, who occupies my every thought is the reason I was distracted.

I'm more focused on the fact that in a week I'll be able to see her extrodinary face in person, than on my training right now.

Blake just nods at me , believing my lie. He pats my shoulder a couple times , nods his head and walks away. I'm glad he doesn't push the issue. I'm not the worlds best liar.

Thank goddess thats over, cause I need a shower so bad I'm sure the wolves in the next town over can smell me.

I've never been more thankful for the upgraded accomodations I'm currently in. Once you make top 5, you get your own room and private bathroom.

Prior we were all shoved into a military style barracks, complete with a communal shower. As wolves nudity shouldn't bother us, and for the most part it doesn't. I'm just not really a fan of being in that close of proximity to more weiners than an Oscar Mayer factory.

Just as I'm stepping out of the shower, I hear someone knocking loudly on my door. I throw a towel around my waist, as to not scare the unsuspecting person on the other side, and ran to open the door.

" Jace Lyk?"

" Ya thats me" I say looking at the younger boy who's holding a large box.

"This is for you" He says as he shoves the box towards me.

Once I have it in my hands the boy, who's name I don't get, runs off down the hall as if I'm the devil himself. Weird.

I don't even need to look at the tag to know who its from. I can smell her on it.

Fresh rain.

The way rain smells when its raining on a sunny day. And yes there's a difference.

My heart instantly picks up speed, beating so fast you would think I just had to run for my life. Her smell does that to me more often than I'd like to admit.

I close my eyes and bring the box closer to my face drawing in a deeper breath. I can instantly see her in my mind, wild curly black raven hair, hair that she hates but I personally love. I have pictured that wild hair of hers splayed across my pillow and bed an insane amount of times. Her eyes are a mesmerizing cross between blue and grey. More blue when she's happy or excited, more grey when she's sad or pissed off. I've been on the recieving side of both colors, more than once.

Her body is shaped like an hour glass. Curves so delicious if one were to stare to long, you'd have to come up with some creative ways to hide the boner you were sporting. Baggy sweat pants is usually the way to go if you were planning on spending any amount of time with her. Yes, I'm talking from experience.

But the thing I love most about her.. her smile. I don't care if it sounds cheesy, its the truth. I love how when I come home from being here she puts on this thousand megawatt smile like she's missed me more than she loves chocolate.

Goddess , will I ever grow a pair big enough to ever tell her how I truly feel for her.

"no and do you wanna know why? "

Oh great, Ehron has decided to pitch in his two cents worth.

I'm not in the mood for your bullshit right now Ehron.

"well to bad. Your a pussy, thats why. Your to afraid to take whats ours, and one day someone else will, and we'll be left in our own misery with your dumb ass to blame.."

I flop down on my bed and scrub my hand down my face. Not this shit again. I decide to ignore my obnoxious wolf who enjoys nothing more than tormenting me ,and open the box Azariah sent.

I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting. Definitely not this.

I find myself hunched over, holding my broken ribs, and laughing so hard there's tears running down my cheeks.

One wouldn't think a pair of silk boxing shorts was this funny.

I wipe the tears off my face to get a good look at my gift. Not that I expected any different, but they are an exact replica.

A replica to what your wondering.

Well let me tell you.

I'm currently holding a pair of red and white striped, with blue trim, silky boxing shorts, just like the ones Rocky Balboa wore in Rocky 4 when he fights Ivan Drago.

Azariah has this little obsession with the Italian Stalion, Rocky Balboa. I can't even begin to count how many times she's made me have a Rocky marathon day. Numbers one through four only though. She hates number five. Her theory is, if she doesn't watch it, then it didn't happen.

I glance down at the box they came in and notice the card. The front of the card has a picture of Rocky and Apollo Creed on it with their arms around each other. Cute. The back has her handwriting.

Jace

I'm so so so proud of you.

I know your final test is soon and is gonna seem impossible.

But guess what

It should have been impossible for Rocky to beat Ivan

but he did it.

I thought maybe you needed to wear the motivational shorts!!

I miss you

Kick ass and hurry the hell up and come home.

Love Azariah

Fuck! How is it possible that my heart is filled more love for her than before. I gotta try to figure out a way to see her as just my friend.

"you've been trying this for years. you get the same results every fucking time. Failure! she's ours and you need to do something about it. "

Ehron is right about a couple things here. First Ive tried hundreds of times to just look at her as a friend, and I fail every time. Second, someone will capture her heart one day. Someone who deserves her. And that person is not me.

I decide to facetime her. I know I probably should just text her seeing how distracted I already am due to thoughts of her, but common sense seems to have left me.

She picks up on the third ring and I'm instantly reminded as to why this was a bad idea. The sound of her voice is like a punch in the gut. I'm immediately sporting wood so hard its borderline painful.

Yup. Just one look at her face can do that to me. I wonder if I took matters into my own hands if she would notice. She'll probably be able to see the motion in my shoulder, then this conversation will just be weird.

Pain and suffering it is.

"Admit it, you love them!!!" She says with a big shit eating grin on her face.

I need to keep my composure if I plan to fool her for a bit. "There awful Azariah. You don't actually expect me to wear them do you?" I exaggerate a loud groan as I say this.

" What the fuck Jace! " Her beautiful smile falters and I almost feel bad. Almost.

I groan loudly again, and give her what I hope is a pleading look. " Come on, I can't wear these. I'll be the laughing stock of the entire camp. How will I ever show my face again?"

She gives me her famous blank faced stare. The one that warns you to choose your next words wisely.

I try my best to match that stare, but in the end lose.

The grin splits across my face before I can even stop it.

"Just fucking with ya girl. There the best!! Honest, this is the best gift I've ever gotten."

Of course it wouldn't matter what she sent me. I'd love it either way.

Her smile returns faster than it left. "Hell yes they are. Micah says there terrible but I think he's just jealous I didn't get him a pair."

We chat for a while about their school situation , and she tells me about Micah's stalker, aka, Priya. It feels amazing to hear her voice and laugh with her.

I don't know how I'm ever gonna go on like this. Go on pretending I just look at her as a friend. Six years is how long I've already been doing it, I'm not sure I have much left in me. I've thought about telling her at least a thousand times, but I always chicken out. Its more than just being afraid of rejection. Azariah comes from a very high ranking family. Me, not so much.

Don't get me wrong, she's never treated me as anything other than her equal. It's my issues. I'm the one who doesn't feel good enough to be her mate.

"Anyways Jace, I better get to bed. Micah's at his witts end with me being late everyday."

" Alright. See ya soon Azari."

She smiles warmly at me and I can just tell from the look on her face she's about to say something that'll deliver a blow to my heart.

" I am seriously proud of you. Regardless of how you do in the finals, your always number one to me"

And there it is. The shot that goes straight to the heart. I need to hang up fast before my poker face falters.

"Thanks, see you soon." I hang up fast before she can see my eyes starting to water.

Well isn't this just great. Im laying here, still hard as fuck, now thinking of her laying in her bed as well. I bury my face in both my hands. What the hell am I gonna do?

" What you always do loser. Jack off while picturing her bent over in front of you cause your to big a pussy to make it a reality."

Why Goddess, why of all the wolves, did I get this opinionated prick???