His Defiant Warrior Luna

* bang bang bang * "Noooo" I groan into my pillow, snuggling deeper into the darkness. * bang bang bang * "Michaela, we don't have time for this today! UP! NOW!!" Dad yells through the door, his voice warning me just how thin his patience is. This and this alone has me throwing myself out of bed, piling my hair up into a bun whilst I race to find my runners. "Ready" I smile as I pull the door open, still catching my breath. Dad's only response is a huff as he rolls his eyes before walking away. It is only when we reach the main road that he finally talks to me, "I even reminded you to set an alarm Michaela. What's so hard about that?". "I'm so... sorry dad" I reply unsuccessfully stifling a yawn. Dad sighs before whispering under his breath "Your mother was exactly the same". I know this comment is not meant for a reply but I can't help but ask "Really?" in hopes to extend the conversation. But to my dissapointment dad quickly changes the subject, straight back to the task at hand. "So you have already passed the first trial, as we knew you would. I mean fitness as a were should just be a given" dad says quickly, downplaying what passing 'fitness' truly means. "Today, the second trial, Defense..." dad continues. "Which doesn't start for another three hours" I mumble. "...Which we already know you will ace. We've been working on defense since you were a pup" dad finally looks down at me with a soft smile. As we continue our walk towards the training grounds, dad lists off my 'reminders', and 'soft spots', as he calls them. But his words are muffled into the background as my mind fills with why we've been training defensively since I could walk. Mum. The pack wars took many; soldiers, alphas, betas, gammas, but it took few mothers. Three mothers, to be exact. A grandmother from the Western Plains, a mother of two from Red Dawn and my mother, the only civilian killed in Black sunset. "Hey Michaela" dads eyebrows crease together in concern as he looks down at me "you're ready" he reassures. "Yeah" I reply pulling on a soft smile, "yeah I'm ready". "Okay" he sighs gladly before starting up again "when your opponent is larger, what do we do?" "Well, if they are stupid enough, I use their size against them, and if they are smart, I use speed, and then I use their size against them". Dads wide grin almost reaches his eyes.... almost. The training grounds are empty as the sun begins to rise behind the trees. "Warm up" dad declares, like we haven't done this every day for the past year. "Warm up" I agree as I begin to stretch out. "We going sprint or marathon today?" I ask into the air as I stretch out my back. "Sprint" dad smirks, waiting until I'm bending down touching my toes to shout "Race you!". ———————————————————- My lungs are still burning as dad pushes more drills upon me, as if running up to the peak and down again wasn't enough running he decides laps are too in order. I never thought I would be glad to see Winter Bradley but I guess today is that day. She walks beside her brother, and our future Alpha, Weston Bradley, another face I could do without this morning. But their arrival also means an end to dads insanity level drills and back to the basics. As they make their way over, dad scolds in whispers beside me "You really should have worn your long sleeve". "Dad" I say, stopping our fake grappling, "They are going to know by tomorrow. What's the point?". "The point is it isn't tomorrow yet" dad says, stepping closer to turn my face side to side as if inspecting he hasn't bruised me. "Once the trials are over, your certification as warrior secured, they can see the truth but until then you are a threat and everyone knows the trials are not a clean competition". I roll my eyes stepping back and bowing to dad before waking into the packhouse for my break before the trails begin. The packhouse is just waking up, mothers and their daughters scurrying through the hallways making sure to be early enough to get the good seats, fathers and their sons discussing last-minute strategies and the established pack members just trying to make their way through them all. I keep my head down, attempting to make a path through them all and finally make it to the dining room. "Mmmmmm" my eyes close as the warmth, the bitterness and the caffeine of my first coffee of the day reaches my tongue. "Oh thank you goddess" I mumble taking my second mouthful before refilling the cup and placing the lid on top. "You sure that's big enough?" Jessa mocks from beside me. "That's what refills are for" I reply as we fall into step together. "You ready?" she asks. "Always" I reply with a grin before asking in return "And you?". "No need to worry my mother is" she groans "apparently Hudson's performance yesterday rules him out, Liam is borderline at best so that leaves.." she pauses, dramatically counting on her fingers before scoffing a laugh "oh everyone else". I laugh along with her, thinking of her mother and how her and many others have turned the trials from looking for our newest warriors to a trial to find their daughters mates. "I guess I'll just have to win then" I say softly smirking. "Oh could you?" Jessa beams "I'd so marry you" she adds before looking me up and down and making a face. "The wardrobe definitely needs improvement, you're lucky you're pretty otherwise it would push you to borderline as well". "Oh thank goddess I'm still in with a chance" I laugh softly in return. "Jessa... Jessa" Maria Redwood squeaks through the crowd. Jessa smile drops beside me, a deep sigh replacing it. "Gotta go" she groans, looking around to see if she has been spotted yet. "Jessa" her mother shouts again. "Mish" Jessa turns back now serious "Good luck today" she says but I can see the fear behind her words. Many have been wounded in the trials, severely wounded. "I'll be careful" I reassure "Now go before she marries you off to some chauvinistic pig". Jessa just shakes her head, hugging me tightly before going to find her mum. I allow myself a deep breath, letting her fears and anxieties wash off me, there is no room for them in my mind today. I am the first female of our pack to participate in the trials and if I end today as a laughing stock I may just be the last too...