A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38

ALEXANDER

The clang of fists meeting forearms, the muted thud of feet shifting on packed earth, and the occasional breathless laugh carried across the yard before I even rounded the comer

Td been expecting to find Faye somewhere in the eastern wing, but I wasn’t expecting this

There she was sparring with Kyle of all people…moving like she’d been born to fight. She wasn’t just keeping up with him, she was matching his rhythm, predicting his moves, countering with speed that would’ve made half my warriors take a second look. Kyle swept a leg toward her, and she dodged, spinning into a quick jab that caught him in the ribs. He grinned, even as he blocked her follow–up.

They were talking, too…something light, judging from Kyle’s expression. There was an ease between them that I didn’t often see from her with others here. She looked… free.

I stopped for a moment, letting myself watch. It wasn’t something I usually did, but there was something about seeing her like this that caught me off guard.

Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail…a few strands escaping and sticking to the sweat along her temple. Her skin gleamed in the late morning light, and the way her eyes

focused…reminded me of someone who belonged in the thick of a fight, not sitting in quiet rooms waiting for decisions to be handed to her.

I didn’t step forward until I caught the shift in Kyle’s expression. He’d spotted me over her shoulder, his grin fading into a more formal smile.

“Good morning, Alpha Alexander,” he said quickly, lowering his hands.

Faye turned then, twisting at the waist. The second her gaze landed on me, she straightened, but she didn’t drop her stance right away. She didn’t say anything at first, just… looked at me, breathing hard from the workout.

“Good morning, Kyle,” I returned evenly, before adding, “Could I have a moment with the Luna?

Kyle glanced at her for confirmation. She nodded, and he gave a short bow. “Luna,” he said warmly.

“See you later, Kyle,” she replied, her voice light.

As he walked off, I shifted my attention fully to her. She planted her hands on her hips, still catching her breath, her chest rising and falling steadily. Her skin was flushed from exertion,

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and something about the sight sent a ripple of heat through me before I could shove it away

“What’s up?” she asked casually, like I’d just strolled over to ask for the time. No defensiveness, no edge like before. Just that steady, unbothered tone.

I had to wonder if it was genuine, or if she’d perfected a way to keep people from seeing whatever storm she might have been hiding.

This morning, when she hadn’t shown up for breakfast, I’d sent Maya to get her. Maya came back saying she wasn’t in her room. That had been enough to have me asking questions, and Cole had been the one to mention seeing her heading toward the eastern wing in workout clothes. I hadn’t thought much of it until I remembered how she’d left dinner last night…and how Bella had been the reason.

“You weren’t in your room,” I said by way of explanation. “Maya couldn’t find you, then Cole said you were headed this way.”

Her mouth curved slightly, not in a smile exactly, but close. “I made a date for a sparring session with Kyle,” she said. “I’ve missed sparring… missed being in action.” She shrugged like it was nothing.

“Good. But that doesn’t explain why you didn’t show up for breakfast,” I countered.

Her answer came without hesitation. “Because I didn’t feel like walking into the dining room and dealing with Bella’s drama this morning.”

The way she said it…level, almost dismissive…caught me off guard. No visible bite, no lingering bitterness in her tone, just a statement of fact. Her presence obviously set Bella off. She knew it, she’d chosen not to feed into it, and she’d moved on with her morning.

I studied her for a moment. Most people in her position would’ve been in a bad mood still. She… wasn’t. Or at least she wasn’t showing it. Maybe she was better at compartmentalizing than I’d given her credit for. Maybe she’d learned that skill the hard way.

“About that,” I said finally, stepping closer so my voice stayed between us. “Bella had no right to talk to you like that. I’ve already made it clear to her that what happened at dinner last night shouldn’t happen again.”

Faye’s gaze stayed on me for a long moment. There was no gratitude in her expression, but there wasn’t suspicion either. Just a quiet acknowledgment, like she was filing away the information but refusing to let it be a bigger deal than it was.

She didn’t thank me, and I didn’t expect her to.

What I didn’t say…what I wasn’t going to say…was that watching Bella go after her last night

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Chapter 38

had triggered something sharp and ugly in me. Not because I thought Faye needed me to shield her…she’d shown she could stand her ground…but for some reason, I couldn’t take it.

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