Chapter 153

My next time watching Mia, I sit her on my lap and stare at her face. She has deep blue eyes like her half-brothers, but very dark hair. I suppose I can see some of their features in her face, when I stare like this. Heck, even when I’m not looking super-closely, the likeness is there.

Well, she’s got good genes then. If she takes after them, she’s going to be gorgeous.

I wonder though, what kind of personality traits she might inherit. Hopefully nothing from her father, the vicious bastard. Though even some of the personality traits from the brothers would be problematic.

Like if she gains Neil’s stubbornness. Or Archer’s temper. Or Beau’s indifference. Or Steven’s obliviousness.

Though they weren’t without good qualities too. Maybe, if she’s lucky, Mia will gain Neil’s protectiveness. Archer’s passion. Beau’s wit. And Steven’s innocent wonder.

“You could do worse, I suppose,” I say, tilting my head. She follows the motion. It’s adorable. I do it the other way, tilting my head to the left now. She does that too, mirroring the action.

I smile, and she does too. Then, she giggles.

My entire heart melts in love with this tiny little girl. She’s so precious, so fragile, yet so smart and sweet.

I can understand how Neil and the others would want to protect her so fiercely. I’m right there with them.

“I’m going to get stronger, Mia. For me and for you.” I would do whatever it takes to keep Alpha King Hayes away from this little girl. Though, from what Neil said, it seems unlikely he will try to come after her. But one could never be too careful.

Mia’s mother disappeared for a reason. She was afraid of something. Likely Mia should be afraid of the same thing. Not for the first time since I learned the truth from Neil, I wish Mia’s mother left more information.

And then… Mia isn’t the only one who needs protecting.

Neil has been a protector all of his life. Now, he has silver embedded in him to protect Mia and me.

Has anyone ever thought to protect him?

Even if I train my hardest, I’m unlikely to be stronger than an Alpha male, but I can at least become enough to stand at his side. To support him when the weight is too heavy for him to carry all on his own.

So I amend my vow to Mia. “I’ll get stronger for you and me, and Neil, too. Okay?”

Mia claps her hands together and then stuffs both in her mouth.

Laughing, I lean in and kiss her forehead. “Glad you agree.”

I know there is a gym and weight room in the Pyramid. I’ve walked by it many times. I’ve even looked in once or twice, though quickly skedaddled before anyone could catch and yell at me. I knew they wouldn’t like me sneaking around.

Now, I’m less worried about that, and more worried about what they’ll do if they catch me working out. But I don’t have any other options. There aren’t many gyms open to a woman who wants to be a warrior – at least, not that I know of.

Now that I know the underground fighting ring exists, I’m sure underground women gyms exist too. Though the chances of getting Beau to give that information up seems slim to none.

No, for me, there might as well be no gyms open.

So really, sneaking downstairs and into the Hayes’ brothers’ gym is my only option. They’ll understand, right?

Well. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.

I wait until one am and sneak down in the dark. I don’t turn any lights on. I’m not wearing shoes; I’m holding them in my hands instead. My socked feet don’t make a sound on the floor.

When I get to the gym, I peek inside first. The lights are off. No one’s in there.

It’s a shame for all that equipment to just sit there, unused. Really. I’m doing everyone a favor by making use of it. Can’t have it just go to waste.

I sneak inside and flick on the light. The place is immaculate. The machines are clean. The floors are polished. The mirrors that line one wall don’t have even one finger print smudge. If I haven’t seen the brothers down here myself using this equipment, I would assume it’s more or less abandoned.

I walk over to one of the rowing machines. I can jog, and I can do pushups and other exercises in my room, but I don’t get to move my muscles the way this machine makes me move them. I need to train my entire body to be strong enough to protect the people I care about.

I put on my sneaks, throw my towel over the handle of a nearby treadmill, and sit down on the machine.

I make it ten minutes into my workout before the door opens.

I immediately still.

It’s one in the fucking morning. What the hell is Archer doing here?

Maybe it should be obvious. He’s wearing gym shorts and a too small tank-top that shows up every delicious and bulging curve of muscle.

But who the hell works out at one in the morning?

Other than me, of course.

I swear to the Gods, I’ve never seen this man actually sleep. Maybe he’s some kind of ultra-werewolf. Or he’s just a right bastard who doesn’t let anyone see his weak sides – not even me.

Archer stops in the doorway when he sees me. It’s a long moment, before he steps farther inside and lets the door close behind him.

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

“Working out,” I say, deadpan.

He glowers at me. But he doesn’t say anything else.

Small miracles.

Instead, he goes to one of the weight benches where he pushes to beams together with his arms. He sits down on the bench, his back against the backboard. This sets him looking straight at me.

Asshole could have picked any machine. He probably wants to watch me quit.

Well, let him look. Let him see how hard I’m trying here.

I push myself harder, flexing and bending. Soon, I develop a sheen of sweat over most of my skin.

I glance at Archer to find him watching me with hooded eyes. He’s lifting an impressive amount of weight on the machine he’s on, and I nearly lose my rhythm as I watch how effortless he makes it look. I’d almost believe it except he also has a layer of sweat over his skin.

I swallow hard, suddenly salivating pretty hard.

Archer’s movements with the machine are deliberately slow. He wants me to watch.

Well, I’m watching alright.

Gods, Archer is unfairly hot. He won some kind of genetic lottery and then capitalized even further through sheer hard work and effort. Those muscles were the kind made for showing off. Not that they didn’t contain strength too.

I distinctly remember how easily he lifted me. Just as I remember how hot his mouth was on mine.

I swallow again.

Archer’s gaze drifts down to my breasts. He watches them sway. My sports bra doesn’t leave much to the imagination.

When Archer’s eyes lift to mine, they are burning hot, blazing in flame.

He lets go of the weights, pats his lap, and says, “Get over here, slut.”