Shield - A New Species Fanfiction (Wild at Heart Chronicles, Book 1)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

"This place is awesome," Paige murmured, taking in their new surroundings with interest. "It's like Make It or Break It meets American Ninja Warrior."

Shield didn't understand the reference, but he could tell she was as impressed by the expanse of the room as he was.

The Coliseum, as Rook had called what would be their personal training facility, was a tall, bricked building with an arched roof, located a mile from the women's dorm within one of Reservation's wooded areas. The space was bigger than the one Shield had wrecked at the recreation center, and even far greater in height than the basement from the testing facility. It had white walls and red padded floors, with blue designs strategically placed throughout the layout of the building. Window panels lined the interior, allowing sunlight to filter within the cavernous space and onto the collection of peculiar exercise equipment, some of which had even been installed to hang from the ceiling and walls.

Shield sniffed the air and picked up on old scents, most of them males. He frowned. If they were going to share the space with them during their stay, he hoped those present were mated like Moon and Obsidian.

Otherwise, playing nice was going to be harder than he thought.

"Alright, you two," Rook said, drawing his attention. She pulled out a cell phone from her back pocket, and pointed toward a corner of the room. "Stretch those muscles over there while I make this call. Natasha and company should be here soon."

"Company?" Paige asked, removing the jacket from her waist. "Are we training with others today?"

Rook parted her colored lips to reply, but instead she whipped her head to the side and cursed. They all saw her spin in a slow circle, nose lifted to the air, as she took deep breaths and scented the room.

A growl rumbled from her throat, alarming the males of a threat.

Moon and Obsidian, who'd remained in a relaxed pose by the door, tensed at the sound and growled in response. They shifted closer to the females, their bodies positioned for a fight.

Shield grabbed hold of an alarmed Paige and tucked her beside him, feeling his skin prickle with awareness as his nose suddenly picked up a fresh, unfamiliar scent.

They were not alone.

How had he missed that?

"Thought I teach you better than that, kotenok," a voice called out from above. "You have grown negligent in my absence."

Rook hissed.

Shield tilted his head back, pinpointing the source of her anger.

A large male observed them from the edge of a suspended platform in a crouched position, forearms resting over muscular thighs and lips stretched back into a grin. Shield inhaled a whiff of his scent, and caught a strong hint of wolf. The strange cadence he had spoken with, one that was foreign to his ears, enhanced the canine's even more unusual appearance.

His head was sheared down on both sides almost to the skin, but a section of his dark-gold hair remained in the middle, which the male had pulled away from his face into a careless knot. Metal glinted off the curve of his ears and as he rose to his full height, sunlight cast over colorful markings on the male's arms and broad chest. The clear definition of muscle revealed him to be shirtless, and it took a moment for Shield to realize those complex designs were in fact ink that had been etched into his skin.