2

GRAY 

  

The busses start filing into the squad complex a little after 9 a.m. and I’m already on edge. I’m always a little tense on the first day of training camp when the new recruits arrive- the complex sits on my pack’s land, and as alpha, my pack is my top priority. Inviting a bunch of other wolves into our territory every year- even if they’re from packs aligned with ours- carries inherent risks. The training program for the squad has been incredibly successful for the past few years, but you never know when you’re going to get a bad egg. I’m always prepared to vet every new recruit. 

Years ago, when my pack aligned with the others to form the six-pack, I was quick to volunteer to head up the security squad. It was my brainchild. I know firsthand how dangerous the shadow pack really is, so I was eager to develop thorough and sophisticated security safeguards against them. 

I was barely eighteen when the shadow pack came for mine. We fought back, but only half of us were lucky enough to make it out alive. My parents were killed in the battle, making me the new alpha long before I was ready. I gathered the survivors and we went on the run before the shadow pack could return to finish us off. A month later, we linked up with another pack, which ultimately led to the six-pack alliance. Our numbers were so thin, I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done if it wasn’t for the six-pack. 

While I wasn’t ready to become alpha at 18, I adapted quickly and soon discovered that I’m damn good at it. I started the security squad, the recruiting and training program, and oversee the whole thing while juggling my duties as alpha to my growing pack. It has been five years since we started, and the squad now runs like a finely tuned machine. I’m like a proud papa. 

The squad complex sits on my pack’s land, though it’s off in the woods about a half mile from the edge of our little town. The complex is huge, made up of an indoor training center, an outdoor arena and track, an IT hub with all the latest tech for our geek squad, offices, and barracks for the squad and recruits. The whole six-pack contributed to clear the land and build it up within a matter of months. For such a quick job, the place is seriously impressive. 

The recruits are starting to file off the buses and take it all in, the dull roar of their conversations stealing the silence of the forest. We’ve got 49 recruits this year- the most we’ve ever had. The largest contribution is from the Summervale pack, and we also managed to snag another kid from there for our IT unit. From what I hear, the kid’s somewhat of a hacker genius- the geek squad is eager to have them join. 

“Your crew is stacked this year,” I comment to my buddy Theo as I watch the kids from Summervale file off their bus. 

Theo stretches his arms out in front of him, cracking his knuckles. “Guess we know how to grow em’,” he replies with a smirk. 

Theo’s the eldest son of Alpha Anders, the head of the Summervale pack. He’s in line to replace his father as alpha one day, but Anders has no plans of relinquishing control any time soon. He told Theo that he’s still waiting for him to mature- which makes sense, because the guy’s a total hothead. Even so, Theo knows when to get down to business. He was my right-hand man in getting the squad up and running and he’s been living at the complex ever since. He’s all alpha- honestly, he’s kind of a dick sometimes- but we get along really well. He’s probably my closest friend. 

All five of us who run the squad are pretty tight, considering we’re all alpha types. Theo, Jax, Brock, Reid, and I are all in our early twenties and we’re fitness junkies with short fuses. Putting all of us in the same room sounds like a recipe for disaster, but somehow we’ve made it work. We’re all practically brothers now. 

I’m still casually watching the recruits get off the buses when I first see her. Even from a distance, I can tell she’s a total knockout. Long blonde ponytail, perfectly tanned skin, and legs for days. She got off the Summervale bus, and I’m about to ask Theo who she is when another girl steps off behind her and I do a double-take. 

Am I seeing double? 

It seems like a crime for one female to be that attractive, but twins? Sometimes God really does give with both hands. 

The ponytailed twin is athletic looking, like she knows her way around a gym. I can see her toned thigh muscles working under her yoga pants as she walks and my wolf practically howls. I can barely tear my eyes away from her for a moment to check out the other twin with the hipster glasses, who seems a bit out of place at training camp. She’s wearing jeans, for pete’s sake. 

“What’s the story with the twins?” I murmur quietly to Theo. He’s watching them too, practically drooling. 

“They were just kids the last time I saw them. They really grew up. Damn.” Theo continues watching them appreciatively. 

I shake my head in an attempt to banish my thoughts. The shadow pack has been on the move lately and the last thing I need right now is to be distracted by a female. Even one that looks like that ponytailed blonde. I bet she’d look so fucking sweet on her knees with that ponytail wrapped around my hand. 

I turn away and clap a hand on Theo’s shoulder, leaning in. “Down, boy. We’ve got a job to do.” 

Theo rolls his eyes and shoves me. “Doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun this summer.” He smirks. 

I give him a stern look, then swivel to face the buses again, cupping my hands around my mouth. “Hustle up, recruits!” I call, and chuckle to myself as they start scrambling to grab their bags and head over. 

I raise my arms and point over toward the barracks. “Drop your bags over there and gather ‘round,” I holler, and I watch in amusement as the throng of new trainees practically trip over each other in their rush to deposit their belongings. I fold my arms across my chest. 

“This is gonna be fun,” Theo mumbles, laughing to himself. 

I nod, grinning. “Always is.”