The Stolen Children (book#1)

Training

Poppy POV

It has been 3 weeks since we arrived back to our home. At first, it was strange, and I was really nervous, but within the first week, it really did feel like home. Everyone here is so nice and welcoming, and they all feel like family to me. At first, they gave me the option of becoming an Alpha female, me being the older sibling, but I refused, that really is a life made for my brother. Most packs frown about having a female Alpha, but mum and dad seem open to the idea. I see myself helping the pack but not from an Alpha position.

In between training, spending time with Liam and our parents, talking to Alora and Kylie on the phone, and reading away my days in the library 3 weeks has flew by.

Training with my mum is so surreal. She is a bad ass warrior and knows her stuff.

It's been 3 weeks of getting up early, grabbing a quick breakfast, and then training with mum.

She knows lots of different fighting techniques. She has been learning me lots, and my confidence is growing slowly. Today I get to meet mums wolf and she is going to show me training in wolf form. I've watched the pack warriors training in Wolf Form, and I love watching how even though they are massive, muscly beasts, they were graceful and moved like fluid. I was already fascinated with them.

I'm sure she will be powerful and beautiful.

Mum has light blonde hair and the same dark blue eyes as me. Liam looks more like dad with his darker blonde hair and green eyes.

When I meet mum in the kitchen my excitement is too much and I just want to get moving but mum is adamant that we eat breakfast first "the quicker you eat, the quicker we can go" she chuckled as I started wolfing my food down. "Ok, done.. come on, come on, " I say, popping my bowl in the sink. She laughs at me but still stands to follow me. "Ok, ok.. Let's go, " she said, and I can't help but giggle and clap.

We go out to the small training area where a few warriors are waiting for us.

Mum smiles and nods at them all, and in return, they all bare their necks "Luna" they say at once.

"Thank you for agreeing to train with me, my wolf Rose is looking forward to it" she said with a giggle but as I look at the small group they look honoured but also scared at the same time. "I know we had the formal introduction a few weeks ago but I'd like to introduce my daughter Poppy, these warriors are Ben, Cade, Sue, sadie and Alex" they all say hi and smile as I do the same. It's a mixture of people, that's for sure. Sadie looks more like my age, so I'm impressed she has been chosen to also train with mum, she must be a bad ass too. "I will go shift and will be back shortly. Please do the same except Sadie," Mum said, causing us both to frown. Mum sees us and stops in her tracks "Sadie how long have you been training?" Mum asks, "Since I was 12 years old.. Luna" she said now a little unsure "ok Poppy hasn't had the fortune to train but I've read your file and I've seen how hard you push yourself and how you are a very kind, caring but also quiet, which is how my baby here is, I was hoping that you could help Poppy settle in, maybe become friends and also help with Poppys training" ok I wasn't expecting that at all, I'm in shock looking between mum and sadie, my face is probably red as I can feel the heat rising from embarrassment "of course Luna" Sadie said quietly while baring her neck while mums smile got wider. She is crafty.

Mum went into the tree line, and I'm left in the awkward silence with Sadie.

"I'm sorry about my mum.. you don't have to befriend me if you don't want. I'm sure you have lots of friends already, " I say suddenly, feeling sad. It would be nice to have a friend here, but I don't want her to feel like she is pressured to.

"I don't actually... No one really likes me because my family used to be rogues before Alpha and Luna took us in when I was 10" she said quietly, making my heart sting. I pulled her into a hug, and at first, she stiffened up before relaxing and hugged me back.

"This is so great, we are both of our first friends here, I'm so happy," I say as we both burst into laughter.

"Welcome back, Luna," Alex said, bowing his head, and I noticed that all the warriors but him and Sadie were now in their wolf forms.

Behind me, I feel a cold nose on my shoulder.

I turn, and Rose is massive, slightly bigger than the warriors. She was a light brown wolf with sparkling green eyes. She yips at me and licks my face. "Hi Rose, I'm so happy to finally meet you," I say as a few tears leave my eyes, and I hug her big neck.

Rose is beautiful, but that's not a surprise with how beautiful my mum is.

After a few minutes, I let her go so she can train with the warriors, and I see in her eyes a little sparkle of mischievousness and excitement as she turns towards the now shifted warriors

"Will you not be training Alex?" I ask as he is watching the group carefully "no I'm here to help the group if they need it," he explained, excitement beaming off him."Ok, begin," he shouted as the wolves started circling my mum, and I was worried. "Why are they all going at once?" I asked concerned "this is the order from Luna," Alex said, still not taking his eyes off them.

After a few minutes of circling, a big brown wolf charged at mum, but she was too fast. As the wolf jumped, trying to get near rose neck, she span around, growled, and swiped him, and he was laid on the floor now unconscious as he turned back into his human form. It is Cade. Leaving Ben and Sue still circling Rose. Alex ran to drag Cade out the way out of danger.

This time, though, both wolves charged at once, but Rose seemed like she was in control.. she avoided both attacks and span around before they had chance to right themselves she pawed the smaller of the 2 with enough force it flew a few feet in the air and hit the floor but before it could get up Rose pounced and had it pinned with the throat making it submit. The smaller wolf walked away from the fight and was now laid on the floor watching the rest of the fight. She laid at the feet of Cade, who was now sat with shorts on next to us, also watching the fight. "Good, try, Sue," Cade said, not taking his eyes from the fight.

That left 1 wolf, but this 1 was bigger than the other 2 and was watching Rose taking in her movements but seemed reluctant to attack.

Rose growled, staring ahead, waiting for them to attack first. It eventually does and goes for Roses front legs, but she dodges and quickly snaps at the wolves' legs as she turns but just scrapes it as he moves to try and avoid her teeth. That's when they head in at the same time, both snarling and trying to get each other pinned, but it was so fast it was hard to see. Before long, though, we heard a yelp, and Rose was growling down at an injured Ben as he submitted.

Wow, that was great. Rose kicked ass.

"Well done, Luna, you kicked ass as usual," Alex laughed as they all bared their necks as she nodded her big head to them.

"Wow, that was great. I want to be just like you when I get my wolf," I declared full of pride.

She walked to me, licking my face while I laughed. "Luna would like for you to climb on Poppy... she has something to show you, " Alex said as the others started walking away."Of course, " I said with excitement. Climbing up onto her massive wolf. Rose felt so soft.

"I'll see you later after lunch if you're free, Sadie," I say, hoping she agrees, which she does before we set off.

We go to the tree line where Rose picks up a neatly folded pile of clothes in her mouth, and then we are off, sprinting through the woods all while I'm loving it and laughing.

This is so much more than I thought we would get in our life, and I love it, all of it.

We came out of the woods and were now running through a field with really long overgrown wild flowers.

Rose ran in a circle before stopping and lowering down so I could get off.

"Thank you, Rose, that was great." she gave me a nod and started shifting back into my mum. The flowers are so long it covered her, but I've learned that over the last 3 weeks, nudity is natural amongst werewolves.

She dressed and then hugged me. This really did feel like home.

"Rose loves you, and so do I," she said with tears in her eyes. "I love you both too," I said, smiling at her shocked face. It's the first time I've said it out loud. She grabs me into a bone crushing hug.

We walk, brushing our hands along the flowers

"I love it here...I came here a lot when I lost you both.. dad planted this whole field with wild flowers for me, so I had my own space, " she said smiling, and I couldn't help but also smile. We came to a stop at a massive tree in the middle of the field. Carved in the tree is mine and Liams names. Wow, it really is beautiful. "Wow, it's beautiful mum," I said, running my fingers over the names.

"We missed you both so much, and so dad did this. Now I wanted to show you so you can also use it if you need space ok" she said, tucking my hair behind my ear. I'm so fortunate to have a mum as awesome as she is. "Thank you" is all I could say, smiling like a crazy person.

As I looked back at her, her eyes were glazed over, but soon she looked panicked. "we need to leave now..." she said pulling me along with her "what is happening" I ask as dread fills me "rogues are on pack territory but warriors are dealing with them but it would be best if we get to the pack house" she said and we started running. My legs and lungs felt like they were on fire but I pushed myself to keep going fast that's when we heard the growl a few feet in front of us as we skidded to a stop "quick up the tree my baby" she said giving me a boost but when I noticed she wasn't climbing up also I panicked "mum come on" I said panick rising more as I could see 2 rogues coming our way but she stood her ground "it's ok, I've linked dad he is on his way" she said but didn't look at me kept her focus infront of us "mum there's 2 headed our way" I whispered as they were getting closer "ok my sweet girl... no matter what, stay up there.. ok, " she said, and I agreed. I knew that she needed all her focus on the fight, so I would stay here to make it better for her.

The 2 rogues were now in front of her. "What is your business here? You are on my packs land,"

Mum said with a hard voice, making the tree shake slightly. The rogues seem to back a way a little, but without warning, they attack. Mum dodges them, they attack again this time mum jumps out the way landing on the ground as her fist knocks 1 of the rogues out could but I heard her hand crunch with the force.

I hold in my sob so she doesn't get distracted.

The other rogue took the opportunity of her being hurt and almost clamped down onto her shoulder but she moved but one of their teeth scraped down her back but all it seemed to do was piss her off more. She turned with so much speed that she snapped its neck before looking up to me, but her eyes were green, Rose must be pissed. I gave her a smile of reassurance, but as she turned back, there were another 3 rogues approaching. "There's 3 more coming this way," I whisper, and she nods her head, focusing on the direction of the other rogues. They break through the trees snarling at mum, and my heart is breaking knowing mum is on her own.

Before they can attack, my dad and a few warriors come from behind them and kill them all instantly before rushing to mum. "Love.. are you ok? Are you hurt?... POPPY" he shouts at the end still checking mum over "It's ok my love, I'm fine nothing that won't heal and Poppy is safe up the tree" mum said looking up at me, giving me a nod as I start climbing back down into the waiting arms of my parents.

After my dad ordered for the rogue that was knocked out by mum to be taken to the dungeons, we made our way home.

as we were getting closer I could see Liam sprinting to us with worry in his face. "Are you hurt?.. are you ok?" he asks in a hurry, but I smile, nodding my head that I'm fine "Liam I'm fine.. mum kicked ass you should have seen her, both her and rose kept me safe, " I said full of pride and love as he hugged me and then hugged mum.

Today has blown my mind...