Fortunately for me, no one comes into the office. Austin and I sit in our own little worlds of work relating to safeguarding of Black Shadow. Looking at us, you'd think we'd had an argument but there is no tension in the room and we keep stealing glances at each other. I can't tell you how long we sit in opposite ends of the room but eventually Rick comes knocking."Hey guys, if you're making out then warn me now" he calls and gets two hearty laughs. Taking that as a signal, he comes into the room and almost hits me with the door. "Jeez- sorry, C. What are you doing behind the door?" he asks, eyeing me up from my comfortable position."It helps me work" I shrug."Aus, your mate is weird" he says breezily, looking to Austin casually. I scoff and roll my eyes."Tell me something I don't know" Austin mutters and I growl at him. Rude bastard. "Training starting?" Rick nods and Austin stands. "I'll be right there" Rick leaves the door slightly ajar and Austin comes over to me, crouching do
"Cecily Turner, you are in so much trouble!" I hear Austin's voice shout from the doorway. The whole pack freezes at the sound of his Alpha voice and I can't help but giggle. Ryan and Rick give me looks that mean I've done something stupid."Am I now, Alpha Black?" I call back to him playfully. Suddenly a rush of kids come into the hall, smiling giddily and laughing."We caught him, Luna! We pushed him over and tackled him down!" the small boy from before comes over to me, jumping up and down with excitement. I laugh and lean forward until my face is level with his."Did you tickle him? The Alpha's very ticklish" I ask and the boy shakes his head. But he grins at me knowingly. "Get the water guns from the garden and we'll get the Alpha" the boy rounds up the others and they disappear through the doors again. They are only gone a minute before Austin enters and the pack goes quiet again. His trousers are matted with mud here and there, on his bare chest as well and he looks annoyed. I
I wake to the frantic shouting of voices. Footsteps sound through the house, both heavy and light. Snarls and growls come from my open window, cries and calls of our fighters drowned out by the furious growling of werewolves."Alpha! We're being attacked on the Northern side!" I recognise the sound of Charles, my dad's best friend. Attacked? The blaring of our sirens cut into my ears harshly and I cover them with my hands. What's happening?I curl up under my covers, stuffing my face in the pillow. "Mommy!" I scream, too scared and confused to move; I can hear the crying of my baby sister, Theresa, mixed the calling of my big brother as he yells for Dad. "Mommy!"My door suddenly bursts open and my mother stands there, a frantic look on her face. The sirens are still going off and other cries of other women are filling the house. "Cecily, I'm here." My mother is the most beautiful person I have ever seen: she has gorgeous blue eyes, bright and always shone of life, her luscious brown
I know this path off the back of my hand: The Eastern trail, heading around the side of the pack territory towards the deepest part of the forest no one goes into. It merges with the Southern trail, heading towards the training ground.The training ground. Where I spend most of my time, where I've been training since I was six. No one tells me to, no one forced me into it, I wanted to. Since I was helpless to help my mother when the Red Blood Pack attacked us, I wanted to be ready for the next.Despite being six at the time, my father agreed and let me train; lightly at first with his Beta teaching me slowly. He occasionally trained me instead while the rest of the pack trained under Beta Stewart's order. They all thought after a year or two, I'd have enough and stop, being a true teenage girl but no. I wanted to intensify my training, surprising everyone, even my father. So instead of sitting around waiting for a mate, I train and I fight.And I'm damn good at it.My legs carry me at
It isn't fair. He did it to purposely throw me off. I frown just as he charges and his shoulder clips mine because my side step is slow."That's cheating. You mind-linked me before charging," I complain, climbing back to my feet. Dad places a hand on his chest, faking the hurt."I would do no such thing." He squawks. Then he charges but this time I'm ready. I duck, sticking my leg out and his ankle catches on mine making him stumble. He leans back against the elastic, bouncing back towards me and as he swings his arm out to catch my chest, I lean backwards so I'm almost doing the crab. When I straighten, Dad wraps his arms around my upper arms, holding me to his chest. I am hesitant to do it but it's training."You said I shouldn't go easy, right?" I look to Lewis and Charles, who both nod. "Just checking," so I won't get in trouble. I swing my head back, connecting to a nose. The arms slip slightly so I go forward, lifting my legs to kick my dad's chest. He falls onto his back with a
"Hey, sis!" Sam calls, rushing past me with a peck on the cheek."Bye, sis!" Alec calls, repeating the process but slower and he's not even three steps down when Dad calls my name from his office. "You're in trouble." He sings, following his dim-wit brother down stairs. They have always been a handful ever since they were younger, especially after Mom was killed. I walk into Dad's office, expecting the worst.The room's the darkest room despite having the biggest window with the desk near the far wall, leaving the floor with enough room to hold up to twenty people. There's a stair case winding up behind him with an overhanging balcony where the chest containing some of Mom and Dad's wedding things is standing.Exactly the way it's always been.As I look at Dad, he's on the phone with someone but he beckons me in with a finger and as I pass the photo of Mom, I press my fingers to my lips then to her face. You might think it's weird but it's the only thing I have left to show I love her
I wake up to the sound of knocking on my door. Yawning widely, I look up sleepily and call: "Come in," and a small head pokes in. It's an omega and she's pretty much been 'my omega' since I was twelve. "Hi, Ellie.""Morning, Cecily. Sorry to wake you but Alpha wishes to see you." Of course he does. Omegas act almost like servants within a pack because they help keep the Alpha's house tidy and the pack house too. Most packs mistreat their omegas due to them being the lowest rank of wolf- they don't have very big or strong wolves but not our pack. They are considered family among all of us, just the way my mother wanted it."Thanks, Ellie. I'll be right there." I yawn again, stretching my whole body as she closes the door behind her. My top lifts as I reach to my ceiling yet not matter how hard I try, I'm nowhere near reaching it but I try to every morning. When my back clicks nicely, I go to the bathroom and wash my face before hurrying downstairs, still only wearing shorts and a vest
"Whose Beta are you?" I demand and he stands to face me again. "Who's you're Alpha?" He snorts, shaking his head before launching himself at me but the two wolves behind me intercept the attack. They both barrel into his chest and his attack towards me is lessened as they crash to the floor in a bundle. The other three have the second wolf pinned to the floor, the three of them having to sit on him to keep him in place. When the Beta somehow manages to shake off my warriors, I take the chance to punch him hard on the head. He yelps, his head hitting the wall.Stand down. There are too many of them. Everyone is in the training ground; they've won. Luke's voice sounds in my head and I frown. Stand down? Why? Cecily, they're too strong. They want to speak to the Alpha but we are the only one's here.I'm not giving in to them, Luke. Are you insane? I argue mentally but everyone else is captured and he is clearly being told to tell me this. I don't hear his voice reply but I relax, sighing