The Pack's Hacker (by Cooper) novel Chapter 270

Piper

I’m not sure I like the excited, almost maniacal grin on Alpha Quirin’s face when he walks out rubbing his hands together.

“Alright! Let’s see what they’re teaching you Academy brats these days,” he says. “Kennedy says I’m not supposed to put you in the hospital, but since she AND Luna Yara are here, I feel confident that any damage I do can be undone.” 1

Word spread quickly that we wanted to spar with Alpha Quirin and since everyone heard about what happened to Alpha Christer yesterday, most, if not all, of the pack warriors not currently on patrol, are here to watch.

“So, how do you want to do this? Do you want me to take on all four of you at once?” he asks.

I frown.

“No. Then we wouldn’t be able to tell how we do individually against you,” Zach says and the rest of us agree.

“Okay, who’s first?” he asks.

“You choose,” Chase says.

He looks the four of us over quickly then points to me. “Piper.”

Of course he picked me. I thought that maybe he’d be different than other Alphas and treat me as an equal, but I guess not. As usual, my mouth starts to run before I can stop it.

“Picking the easiest target first, Alpha” I snap, stepping forward. I’ll show him ‘easy’.

He stills, tilting his head at me. “I’m very fast, even by Alpha standards, but I’m not as fast as most she-wolves. In my experience, she-wolves who know how to fight well use their smaller stature, their speed, and their agility, which is almost always better than a male warrior’s, to their advantage. I chose you first because I see you as my biggest competitor in this group.”

“Oh,” I say, startled at his words.

“Oh,” he says, giving me a look that says I shouldn’t underestimate him again. Then he settles into a stance that isn’t exactly offensive, but it isn’t defensive either. “Don’t prove me wrong.”

While I’m still trying to figure out if he’s taking offense or defense, he leaps at me. I duck quickly out of the way, instinct kicking in as I punch out, connecting with his hip.

“I see I was right,” he says, the excitement of the fight back in his eyes.

“Get him, Hellfire!” Zach says.

“Hellfire?” Alpha Quirin asks me.

“I have a sharp tongue and a bit of a temper,” I say, dodging a punch to the face.

“I see,” he says, dodging my punch.

After that, it takes all of my training and focus to spar with him. He doesn’t fight like most Alphas.

After I tag him again, he steps back.

“How is it an Alpha female from an existing pack knows how to fight like a rogue?” he asks.

“My family took in a rogue girl when I was younger. No one else in the pack would spar with her, so I did. She taught me her fighting skill, and I taught her mine,” I say, thinking of one of my very few friends. Well, Vivienne would say we weren’t friends because rogues don’t have friends. Even though she joined our pack, she’s always considered herself a rogue.

“My pack of rogues would like you. My daughters would too. You should come visit my pack sometime. If you’re going to become an elite warrior, it would be good for you to learn how to fight a bit dirtier than you do. My warriors could teach you that.”

“Thanks. Next time I see Vivienne, I’ll see if I can’t get her to come with me,

“I say.

“Tell her my pack is made up almost entirely of previous rogues. They’re a different breed of fighter, but we’ve all become a very tight-knit family because of Kennedy.”

“The last warrior who said that ended up on the ground at their feet,” Quirin says, his chest expanding with pride.

“Damn,” Zach murmurs.

“Alright, who’s next? Just Landon, you’re up.”

I laugh at Alpha Quirin’s name for Landon, but step back, or limp back to stand with Zach.

He throws an arm around my shoulders. “You did great, Hellfire.”

“He’s really good,” I say as we watch Quirin square off against Landon. 1

“I knew you’d be a smart fighter. And a dirty fighter, too. You’d have to be to get a position at the Academy ahead of Alphas,” Quirin says, dancing around Landon who also gets his share of hits in.

By the time we’re done, we’re all limping except Alpha Quirin.

“Well, that was fun!” he says, making us chuckle.

“Thank you for not sending anyone to the pack hospital,” Luna Kennedy says, smiling at her mate. His entire demeanor changes as he strides purposefully toward his mate, taking her mouth in a very dominant, possessive kiss.

“I like it when my mate is happy with me,” he growls against her mouth before continuing their kiss.

Damn. I want that. I want a man who looks at me the way Alpha Quirin looks at Luna Kennedy, the way Alpha Warren looks at Luna Yara, the way that Yorick looks at Cyra.

I want it so much it hurts.