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35. Crisis council
Lena WindsorHi, guys! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I've been going to a rough time mentally. I'm getting better, though, and I think I'll be able to post a couple more times this week. Thank you for reading and for your support!
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The Way You Taste 36. On the brink of battle
HOLDEN’S POINT OF VIEW The second I'm out of the Council Room and in the Pack House bunker, fear and anxiety hit me head-on. There is no shame in admitting it, I’d be mad if I weren’t afraid in this situation. Ghost Pack is home to 1,533 werewolves, and this bunker is equipped to house 200 people, with enough food and water to keep them for an entire year. It’s the center of a spider web of underground tunnels leading to several other bunkers, which also have enough room, water, and food. All in all, we can keep our 1,533 pack members and an extra 200 safe and fed should we need to. The ghost of the Siege of Sandy Hills looms large over us, so we’ve prepared for it in the last 60 years. We’re ready to stand natural disasters, bombs, nuclear attacks, radiation, and biological weapons. Not that we ever thought anything other than rogue attacks and wars with other packs would ever happen, but hey, better safe than sorry. Right now, the atrium is alive with urgent activity. It’s like a
The Way You Taste 1. Fresh start
WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW As I stand by the Ghost Pack territory border, I look back on everything that has led me to this decision. I take a deep breath in and let it out with a heavy sigh. My mother’s eyes are full of sympathy and understanding, but also longing. Longing for me when I’m not even gone yet. And maybe longing for this pack. The tears pooling in her eyes mirror mine. My father, on the other hand, looks stoic. I know he’s putting on a brave face, he would miss me almost as much as Mom would. Lachlan, my brother, couldn’t make it because he had to work. This was my last time driving my red Fiat 500 for the next three months, so my parents came separately in Dad’s car. Dad’s old bitterness doesn’t allow him to step foot into Ghost Pack territory. Of course, that made Mom stay behind too. “Be brave, hun,” Mom says, holding her sobs. “You can always call us.” “Don’t baby her, Nora. She should focus on her training. Don’t call us until after boot camp,” Dad says roughly
The Way You Taste 2. Man of science
HOLDEN’S POINT OF VIEW I can hear Nick skipping down the stairs and humming an upbeat song. If I didn’t know the guy as well as I do, I’d say he just got laid. “Morning, Alpha,” he says. “Beta” I reply. “Princess. Dragon. Satan” he nods at my siblings. Darcy, a.k.a. Satan, my youngest half-brother, blows raspberries at Nick, who mimics him. Soon, Sophie, my half-sister, and Dorian, my other half-brother, join them and they’re seasoning my breakfast with their collective spit. Great. Chef’s kiss. Which one of them is five, again? “Please eat, Nick. I’m in a hurry today. I have lab duty all day and I want to take a look at the barracks before I leave” I say. “Sure. Olivier is already there” my Beta replies. “Course he is” I chuckle. Olivier is one of my closest friends, and the only reason he isn’t a future ranked wolf is I ran out of ranks… In five years, when I become Alpha, Nick will be my Beta, Rhys will be my Gamma, and Sally will be my Delta. Olivier will be right
The Way You Taste 3. The Cadet Program
WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW The Barracks are located not too far from the Pack House. They are four three-story high shipping container-style buildings, placed around an atrium. This atrium is what they call the Meeting Hall. A horde of young werewolves with smiley faces and bright eyes are in the Hall. I know there are 25 of us because that’s their yearly limit of incoming Cadets. I look around, taking in as many details as I can. There’s a small stage, and when four people walk into it, the Hall goes silent. I can feel their auras, and Jamie makes me bow my head. As a lone wolf living amongst humans, I haven’t had many chances of meeting ranked wolves, but right now, their four combined auras are overwhelming. I feel the urge to submit, to show that I am at their service. I feel the urge to obey and protect them. “They’re our leaders, chosen by the Goddess to guide us. It is our duty and pleasure to serve them,” Jamie says. I scoff. That feels like a bit of a stretch to me, but
The Way You Taste 4. What life will be like
WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW “We are very happy to have you here,” Olivier steps forwards and says. “Ghost Pack is not at war, it hasn’t been at war or close to it for decades, but the Cadet Program is a most welcome spoil of war. It took Alpha Michael II a war to realize that his pack’s education and training were lacking, and now we honor him and all those who lost their lives in the Siege of Sandy Hills by ensuring their legacy endures.” “I like this guy,” Jamie purrs. “Our goal is not to train soldiers to win a war, our goal is to make every able-bodied pack member the living, breathing embodiment of what Ghost Pack stands for. We stand for education. We stand for strength. We stand for innovation. We stand for unity. We stand for equal rights. And we stand together.” “Heck, I’d vote for him,” someone next to me whispers, and I snort. A few heads turn our way, sporting scowls and frowns. “We believe each pack member should know the basics of defending themselves, but they shoul
The Way You Taste 5. The Fifth Cohort
WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW CONTENT WARNING: TRANSPHOBIC AND ABLEIST LANGUAGE Sally leads us to a waiting room, and when my name is called out, I walk into Dr. Shaurya Patel’s office. I’m mesmerized by how dark her shiny eyes are – almost like a wolf’s. After taking my medical history and performing some routine exams, she looks up from her computer and beams at me. “You’re all set, deary,” she says. “Now, I will give you your first dose of MBS. As you’ve been informed in your preliminary interviews, you also have the option of taking birth control with it. Is that something you would like?” Heat creeps into my cheeks, and Dr. Patel seems to notice. “This is a judgment-free zone, Willow,” she says in a motherly tone, with a tight-lipped smile. “I don’t care what your sex life is like, I’m just offering the option of taking it along with your monthly MBS.” I am currently on the pill, but that’s not something I’ve ever been allowed to discuss openly. I never got to visit a doctor i
The Way You Taste 6. The big day
HOLDEN’S POINT OF VIEW All day long, Hendrix continues to get on my nerves. He’s mad we’re not taking the lead in the Cadet Program this year. He’s mad I’m “wasting my time” studying biochemistry instead of leading our people. He’s mad I’m not Alpha yet. He’s mad I’m not mated yet. He’s mad I’m not there welcoming the Cadets on their arrival. He’s mad I’m thinking in a human way. He’s mad I’m thinking too loudly. He might as well be mad I’m breathing. In previous years, while I was in college, I was able to take a more prominent role in the Program. Hendrix was very happy with that. Both of us are really passionate about improving the quality of life in Ghost Pack, and the Cadet Program is one way to do that. But, as a grad student, I’ll be less involved in the next few years. Within our territory, unbeknownst to most humans, we have a thriving town. We host a couple family-run markets, restaurants showcasing the cultural diversity in our pack, a small movie theater, apparel sto
The Way You Taste 7. Mate!
WILLOW’S POINT OF VIEW As we get ready for the welcoming dinner, Felix, Xenia, and I get to know each other a bit better. It turns out Xenia’s father was born and raised here in Ghost Pack, then met his mate in Sol de Luna Pack, in Puerto Rico. The two of them lived there, and that’s where Xenia grew up. As the child of a Ghost Pack member, she was allowed to apply to the Cadet Program and decided to do so. She tried out FOUR TIMES and only now got accepted. She said she wasn’t the greatest at fighting, but she worked her ass off and made it. If she’s been accepted into the Program, that means she has to be good. And her commitment to it, training and trying out for four years? She’s definitely going to be an asset in this “not a competition” thing. I didn’t ask her about her glasses, though. I thought it would be rude. But I will figure it out. “Add that to the ever-growing list of things we need to learn about Wolfkind,” I tell Jamie. “Yes, ma’am,” she jokes. Felix grew
Latest chapter
- The Way You Taste 36. On the brink of battle
- The Way You Taste 35. Crisis council
- The Way You Taste 34. Gathering storm
- The Way You Taste 33. Shadows of legacy
- The Way You Taste 32. Testing love
- The Way You Taste 31. Forging strategies
- The Way You Taste 30. Crossroads
- The Way You Taste 29. The morning after
- The Way You Taste 28. Leap of faith
