Chapter Six

I was awakened by a sudden, blinding light pouring in through my window. My eyes reluctantly squinted open, revealing my servant who had just opened the blinds, letting the bright morning sun flood into the room. I groaned in irritation, never particularly fond of bright lights, especially during the early hours.

"Rise and shine, Miss Millie. It's time to get up so I can assist you in getting dressed and accompany you to the kitchen. You'll be having breakfast with the king this morning," my servant informed me as she stood at the foot of my bed, nonchalantly pulling the covers off me. I sat up and shot her a disapproving glare, but she seemed entirely unfazed by my expression.

"Come on now, we haven't got all day," she urged, and I couldn't help but wonder if she'd maintain this tone if she knew my true identity. Rolling my eyes, I reluctantly left the comfort of my bed, primarily motivated by the chill in the air without my blankets.

With a sigh, I complied and stepped over to the vanity desk and chair, which I had overlooked the previous night.

I obediently took a seat at the vanity desk, and the servant promptly unbraided my hair, running a brush through it with practiced ease. Afterward, she pulled it into a tight ponytail, securing it neatly.

"Alright, please stand up and follow me to the closet," she instructed with her usual bossy demeanor. Despite her tone, I complied and followed her into the closet. She scrutinized my clothing selection, swiftly dismissing most of the options until she settled on a pair of snug leather pants and a form-fitting black mesh shirt. Completing the outfit, she handed me a pair of sleek black boots.

"Here, put these on. You have less than five minutes to get dressed before I return," she declared before turning on her heel and leaving the room without waiting for my response. I couldn't help but wonder what had put her in such a foul mood. Back in my old pack, speaking to anyone in such a manner would have undoubtedly led to punishment.

Keeping her time frame in mind, I swiftly dressed in the chosen outfit. As if on cue, she reentered the room within a mere minute, as she had warned.

"Alright, you're ready. Follow me; I'll take you to the packed cafeteria," she instructed briskly, turning and walking away before I could respond. I shook my head, then trailed after her.

Navigating through the halls felt like navigating a maze. We took so many turns that I'd already lost my sense of direction. Passing by various individuals, we finally arrived in the kitchen, then proceeded through it until we entered a room featuring a fireplace along one wall and a lengthy table in the center. The only occupant at this table was Damon, with a plate piled high with bacon, eggs, hash browns, and sausages in front of him.

I offered him a warm smile and opted to sit across from him. My own plate boasted the same mouthwatering spread as his, and I had no objections; I was ravenous. We dug into our food and exchanged light conversation.

"How did you sleep?" Damon inquired between bites of bacon.

"I slept like a baby," I replied, happily scooping scrambled eggs onto my fork. The food was delectable; I wished I had even more on my plate.

"How did you sleep?" I inquired.

"I slept well. Are you ready for training?" Damon asked.

"Yes, I am," I confirmed.

Damon's eyes focused on my outfit, and he remarked, "That outfit is suitable for training."

I blushed slightly, allowing a small smirk to escape. "Yes, I like this outfit. I never wore clothes like this in my old pack."

Damon then dropped a surprise bombshell, saying, "I was thinking we should have our ceremony later tonight. Announce that you are the queen and anoint you as such."

This announcement caught me off guard, and I gulped down my food, not expecting things to progress so rapidly.

"Okay," I replied nervously.

Damon tried to reassure me, saying, "There's no need to be nervous. My pack has been waiting for their queen for decades now, and they will be very excited to know that you've been found."

I couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "The girls won't be so excited."

Damon, with his heightened werewolf hearing, heard my comment and responded, "The girls will get over it, and if anyone makes trouble, you better tell me. I will not tolerate anyone treating you badly in my pack."

I inwardly sighed, thinking, 'Geez, he heard me, but then again, he is a powerful werewolf.'

Then, my wolf Ellie chimed in with a teasing remark, "A handsome werewolf too." I couldn't help but chuckle softly as I finished everything on my plate.

"What's so funny? I'm being very serious," Damon inquired.

I replied, "Oh, nothing, just something my wolf said, that's all."

Damon nodded and said, "Ah, I see. Well, it's time for training, so come, follow me."

***

We arrived at the training grounds, which were located in the backyard, and they were enormous. Everything about this place seemed larger than life. There were two training arenas, one to the left and another to the right, with natural grass flooring in between.

In these arenas, some people were engaged in sparring, while others practiced archery on a dummy target or honed their punching techniques. Some even jogged laps around the training area. Beyond the training grounds, there were woods from which people were emerging.

Damon introduced me to an older man, likely in his fifties, who was bald with a white beard. He had a chiseled physique, displaying an impressive eight-pack and muscular arms.

"Renin, I'd like you to meet Millie. She joined our pack last night, and she'll be your new trainee," Damon introduced.

Renin greeted me with enthusiasm, saying, "Oh, how exciting! We haven't had anyone new in this pack for decades, and I haven't trained a newcomer in just as long. Hi, I'm Renin, and I'm going to make your life challenging every day. Hope you're ready."

"Oh, she has no idea what she's in for. I have some stuff to take care of; I'll see you tonight," Damon said before leaving. Now, it was just Renin and me, and my nerves were kicking in.

"Okay, first things first, run," Renin instructed. I glanced around the training grounds, spotting a track nearby, and immediately started running toward it. After a few moments, a question crossed my mind, and I stopped.

"How many laps?" I asked, feeling the intensity of the exercise.

"Until I tell you to stop," Renin replied. My eyes widened in surprise, but I took a deep breath and began running the track. My legs burned, my throat ached, and my heart raced. I lost count of the laps after just three, feeling like I might run out of air at any moment, and my vision began to blur.

"You can stop now," Renin said. I immediately halted, dropping to the ground to catch my breath. Lying there, I gazed up at the white, puffy clouds. Renin stood over me, offering a water bottle.

"Drink this, take a five-minute break, and then we will start the next training," he instructed. I accepted the water bottle, sat up, and took a few sips. Rather than getting up, I remained seated on the edge of the running track, making way for others still running.

Once my brief break was over, I mustered the energy to walk over to Renin. Hydrating had restored my vision, but my body felt utterly fatigued. I couldn't wait for training to be over, though I had a feeling we were far from finished.

"Okay, next I will train you how to fight," Renin announced, and I braced myself for what lay ahead. Suddenly, without warning, he launched a punch directly at my face. Reacting swiftly, I managed to dodge the initial strike, but Renin continued his assault. In the process, I stumbled over my own feet and ended up sitting on the ground, determined to learn despite my initial fall.

We went through these exercises for an hour, and by the time we finished, it felt like two hours had passed. I was utterly exhausted, parched, and famished.