The Alpha's Companion

Chapter 42 - Sparing, Part 2

When she arrived in the practice ring, a few shifters were already there, sparing in their human forms.

Watching Car standing off to the side, talking to another shifter, Lacey had mixed emotions about her. Why would Scar stand up for her to Julien? Was it for Lacey’s benefit, or for her own? But Lacey figured that the truth would come out eventually.

"Yeah, you should have seen me during the attack!” Scar said to the other shifter. “I scared off those Wildclaws! Once they saw my moves, they headed for the hills!"

The shifter she was talking to just listened but said nothing, obviously afraid of her.

"Oh, yeah?" Lacey said, slipping on her MMA fighting gloves. "During the attack when I was fighting alongside the Alpha, I didn't see you at all."

"You probably just didn't see me," Scar interjected.

Lacey shook her head, smiling. "I don't think so." When she was ready, she walked into the practice ring, barefoot, and ready to work off some steam. "You mind?" She was asking the shifters if they minded giving her the ring.

They shook their heads as they backed away, giving her a wide berth. One smirked, motioning toward the ring. "No, not at all, Alpha Queen. Go right ahead."

Lacey bounced on her toes from side to side, loosening up. Then she looked over at Scar. "Do any MMA fighting?"

One corner of Scar's lips curled into a smile as she shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Why not?” She donned her gloves, took off her jacket, and walked into the ring. “I've been wanting an opportunity to beat you anyway."

Lacey lifted an eyebrow. "Well, good luck with that." Then she leaned in conspiratorially. "But I don't think I'm the one that's going to be getting the beating today."

Scar smirked. "Don't bet on it."

"Raye, will you do the honors?" Lacey asked.

He chuckled. "I'd be glad to." From the sound of it, he wanted to see Scar get beat just as badly as Lacey wanted to be the one to do it.

"Ladies, I want a clean fight." He looked at both of them, bouncing on their toes, and then said, "Go!"

They both walked to the center of the makeshift ring and touched gloves. Then Scar threw a punch at her face right away, but Lacey dodge it and swept her legs, and Scar landed face down in the dirt. Everyone cheered.

Scar jumped up with her legs, not touching the ground with her hands. "Lucky shot."

Lacey shrugged. "Perhaps." Then she threw a punch and connected with Scar's jaw, feeling a certain sense of satisfaction when she felt the bone crunch under the blow. "Keep your guard up."

One side of Scar's lips curled into a sneer, growling, and then lunged at Lacey. Lacey dodged the punch and then caught Scar with a back punch.

Scar jumped up and wrapped her legs around Lacey’s neck and then flipped her over her head, onto her shoulders, nearly pining her. But Lacey bounced right up. Scar smiled.

Lacey landed a roundhouse kick to Scar’s side, and then threw several punches to her midsection. Everyone on the sidelines cheered. Then Lacey threw a kick to her head, but Scar dodged out of the way and landed a kick to Lacey's side.

Lacey quickly grabbed Scar with her feet around her neck, but Scar didn't slide out of it. Then Lacey punched her in the face repeatedly. As everyone cheered again. Lacey released her and offered her a hand up, but Scar flipped her over and punched her in the face once. Lacey slid out from under her, just in time and Scar’s fist hit the ground. Lacey pinned her in a Full Nelson, holding her tightly, not giving an inch. "Do you give?"

"Never!" Scar yelled, her voice strangled.

Lacey tightened her grip. "Either you give, or I'll put a sleeper hold on you!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

Lacey smirked. "Try me."

"I’ll never concede! Not to you!"

Lacey knew that was true with Julien, too. She shrugged and then put the sleeper hold on her. "Okay, you asked for it!" Within seconds, Scar was out cold, lying in the middle of the ring, and everyone cheered.

Lacey spit the blood from her mouth and then turned to face everyone. "Let that be a lesson not to brag. Never get cocky! No matter how good you are, there will always be someone out there that's better... including your opponent."

A moment later, Scar came to and Lacey walked over and offered her a hand up. But Scar pushed it away, got to her feet on her own, wiping the blood from her mouth.

Lacey smirked and then turned to face the pack. "Okay, everyone! Grab a partner and your practice gloves, and let's work! This afternoon, we'll coordinate and run strategy drills in our wolf forms. Let's go!"

As everyone excitedly paired off and started practicing, Scar quietly packed her things and headed inside.. But Lacey knew it was far from over.