The first week unfolded much as I expected. The mean girls wasted no time, throwing barbs and whispers my way. The guys didn’t jump in immediately like they used to. When I first arrived, being human and best friends with the Alpha’s son made me a big deal**no matter your race, species, or supernatural abilities, teenagers can be cruel. Back then, the guys would leap to my defense, but that only made me a bigger target. They saw me as weak, easy prey.
After the accident, even getting out of bed felt like a battle. The kids at school didn’t make it easier. Jeremiah dragged me to training sessions, forcing me out of the house when I wanted to hide away. It gave me an outlet, especially when my grief turned into anger.
One day during training, a girl who had been humiliated by a prank she tried on me came back swinging with extra force. She had syrup smeared on her pants for half the day, and she wanted revenge. Because I was human, she assumed I didn’t know how to fight**even though I trained alongside all of them daily. That was her first mistake. Her second was underestimating me because she was a wolf and I wasn’t.
I beat her badly that day. Since then, I’ve trained with the guys as a future warrior and taken self-defense classes at my mom’s studio. While I can’t shift into a massive beast like they can, I still spar with them, even when they’re in wolf form. It’s made me quicker, more aware. The guys might go easy on me, but the jealous girls certainly don’t. My skills are varied**and probably better for it.
I’ve also been working with trainers to sharpen my other senses, treating them like muscles to be strengthened. I’m surprisingly good at tracking and hiding from trackers**even Jeremiah, who has some of the strongest Alpha blood, can be fooled.
“So, what’s this meeting about, exactly? All the alliances are solid, right?” Tommy asked Jeremiah as they circled each other in the sparring ring after school.
Jeremiah dodged a flurry of punches but didn’t respond immediately**he tends to talk with his hands while fighting, which left him open to a leg sweep that sent him sprawling. He rolled away before Tommy could land another kick, then pushed Tommy’s foot aside and stood to counterattack.
“I think it’s more about getting me and the other future Alphas ready to take over. Meeting the other Alphas, building relationships, that sort of thing. I’ve known most of these guys my whole life, so it’s mostly a formality,” Jeremiah explained.
Before the sparring got too intense, Jason stepped in, tapping Tommy on the shoulder to switch partners. We rotated often to build stamina. I went first, landing a solid right hook, but was soon taken down by a punch to the ribs. I might have heard a few cracks, but I wasn’t about to admit it. The last time they thought they hurt me, no one dared challenge me for a whole month. I’ve been working with our main healer at the clinic, learning ways to recover faster and avoid getting sick. Werewolves don’t suffer from illness or disease like humans do, and they heal from broken bones in days and scrapes within hours. My human body takes longer, but the herbs and teas from our healer help speed things up and ease the pain.
“When do you leave?” Jason asked as they circled, their movements fluid and practiced. Jason’s sandy blonde hair fell into his dark eyes, a calm contrast to Ben’s military precision and Tommy’s wild energy.
“We take off tonight. Make sure you keep an eye on her,” Jeremiah said, nodding toward me. I nearly spit out the water I was sipping.
“What? ‘Watch me?’ Why do I need a babysitter? You’ll be gone for the weekend,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady but failing.
“You know there have been rogue attacks along the southern borders. They haven’t come close to us yet, but now that I’m transitioning to Alpha, we’re vulnerable. You’ll be a target for several reasons. The other new Alphas have noticed the same thing. It’s just a precaution, I promise.”
“What reasons exactly?” I pressed. His protectiveness had been growing lately, and I didn’t like being kept in the dark. Something was going on, and I needed to understand.
“You know why, Ken. Come on.” He pleaded, sensing where this was headed. But he couldn’t focus on me for long**Jason was still grappling with him, and they all used me as a distraction.
“Nope. I’m going to need you to spell it out,” I said firmly.
He sighed, glancing at the others as if expecting them to rescue him. They knew better than to jump into this argument, but they weren’t backing down either.
“Fine. It can’t happen again. I just can’t handle it. None of us can.” He gestured toward the guys.
“What, Jeremiah,” I emphasized his name, “can’t happen again?”
“You can’t get taken again!” he growled, teeth clenched.
“Nothing happened last time,” I shot back, voice rising. “They had me for two days. You have to get past this.”
“Bullsh*t! You were targeted because of me. That can’t happen again.”
I shifted tactics. “Who had to rescue me then, hmm?” I fought to keep calm, though inside I was boiling. I understood his feelings, but I refused to tolerate his irrational reactions.
He took a deep breath and paused his fight with Jason. “You got yourself away, okay? We all know that. But the point is, you’re human**and you were left unguarded.” His voice was low, almost a growl.
“The hell? I’m a warrior in this pack. Anyone in my position could’ve been taken. Or am I not good enough to hold that title anymore?”
“You know you are,” he admitted with a grunt. “I just… I can’t lose you. People know you’re important to me, and they’ll target you because you’re human.”
“Ben, Jason, and Tommy are important to you. Are you going to assign babysitters for them too?”
“What? No, of course not. That’s their job. They’re just…” He stammered, realizing he was losing the argument.
“Just what? Guys? Werewolves?” I shrugged. “I know you worry, but I’m not stupid enough to run into danger. So stop treating me like fragile glass. And what about your Luna? Are you going to lock her up when you find her? I want to be around to see that fight.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.