Althena

32. Day 10

The day's training starts with warriors. Monte pairs us each up with one of them. Then shows us how to stand and throw punches. The warrior with me laughs and keeps fixing my hands.

"Don't put your thumb like that. You'll hurt yourself. That's better. Feet apart. Now swing."

I swing as hard as I can, and he backs up a step. Then he catches me from falling when I spin in a circle. "You said."

"I'm not a punching bag. I'm going to dodge your hits. Keep trying to hit me."

I could wear myself out trying to hit this guy. He moves all over the place.

Monte walks by. "Bend your knees and get lower. You'll get put on your ass in a real fight."

I swing a few more times. Then I kick him in the shin.

He hops around holding his leg. "She kicks."

Monte nods. "That's fine. Dodge faster."

I go again and almost hit him.

"GET LOWER. YOU ARE GOING TO GET PUT ON YOUR ASS." Monte yells from across the training area.

I get lower and try again. This guy is good, but I'm convinced I can hit him at least once. I focus and aim for any part of him.

I get slammed to the ground. I cough and get up slowly.

The warrior grabs me and holds me still. "Monte, she's too little. You could have hurt her."

"Nobody is going to care how little she is in a fight. Go over there and make yourself useful." Monte throws his shirt off. "Hit me."

I pull my arm back to swing, and he takes my feet out from under me. I land on my back.

"Do it again. Get lower. Bend your damn knees."

I bend my knees and swing as hard as I can. He backs up. I spin and fall on my ass.

"Get up and do it again."

He is pissing me off. I jump up and go after him. I swing at anything I can. He backs up and I go with him. He is not making me fall again. Then I dive on him. I climb him like a damn tree and wiggle to his back. I put him in a choke hold and try to pop off his head. "STOP BEING SO MEAN."

The warriors laugh. "You got the crazy to come out."

Monte laughs and puts me on my feet. "Better." Then he puts his shirt back on. "That's enough of this. We have another obstacle course today. Follow me everyone."

I glare at the back of his head while I follow him. I didn't see him throw anyone else to the ground. The warriors glance back at me every now and then and laugh. They keep saying stuff to him, but I can't hear.

Then we get to the obstacle course. This is different.

Monte smirks at me. "This is a wolf-only training course." My body starts to shake. "You start on that end. Walk over the elevated ground. It's different and moves, but it'll help you balance. Then through the ramps. And jump bars. Use the teeter totters slowly, or they will sling you. Over the balance beams. Across the frozen stream. Thank you magicians. Through the zigzag line. Pick up speed in the tunnel. You will be attacking the stationary dummies. Don't be afraid of hurting them. We want them to die. Who is first?" A few warriors stand in the course like yesterday.

I shake and try to keep my body from crawling to the start. I need this. I watch a bunch of people do it. Everyone makes it through. Some are stumbly and slow, but it's fun to watch anyway. I lay down. I wish I was alone. I'll come back. They'll leave at some point. I sit up, glad I have a plan.

"Anyone else?"

My body tries to crawl again. Damn my white fur.

"Ok then. The area is now closed. Training is over for the day."

I leave with everyone else. Then I take a quick turn and run. I hide for what seems like ever and run back. Monte is leaning on the gate. He cracks up laughing. "It took you longer to get the dummy out of the water than it did to sneak back here."

A few warriors laugh with him.

"3 and half minutes to get here. Go ahead." He opens the gate.

I shake again, and my body tries to run in.

"Did you see her eyes when he said what it was? They got so big."

"I thought she was going to crawl in."

Monte smiles. "Nobody here will say anything."

I am my wolf so fast. I don't even think I thought about it. I run as fast as I can to the start. Then I blow through the gate. I start at a dead sprint. I make it through the whole thing in a minute. I come out of the tunnel and grab the dummy by the head with my mouth. My fangs sink into it and I rip its arms off with my claws.

"IT'S DEAD."

I need to do that again. I do the whole thing 4 more times. Then I see a raccoon. I dive on it and sling blood everywhere. Then I do the course again. This is the most fun place ever.

"I HAVE MOCHA MAGIC FOR GIRLS WHO STOP." Beta is staring at me with a cup and a clip board.

I run to the start spot and start again.

3 times later, a bunny grabs my attention and I slide across the frozen stream.

A warrior gets me out of the bush and points to the rest of them.

Beta, Monte, 2 warriors, and granny are standing there.

"You are so pretty, sweetie. Now come eat lunch." She's got food and a dress.

I run back to the start.

"GET YOUR LITTLE BUTT OUT HERE. YOU HAVE TO EAT." I take off. Granny sits the stuff down. "DON'T MAKE ME COME IN THERE."

I hide in the tunnel.

Monte cracks up laughing. "YOU CANNOT HIDE. WE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE."

Then a wolf comes from one end of the tunnel. I back out of it, slowly watching him. Then my feet are off the ground.

Monte got me. He carries me outside the gate and holds me while they close it. Then they put a damn alarm on it. "You cannot come here by yourself. You could get hurt. You have to have at least one of us with you, and we need to go to lunch. We already missed the morning part of the training."

I sigh and it sounds like my wolf wines.

"You'll be fine. Let's go eat lunch."

I stare at the locked gate and lay down in the most dramatic way possible.

Granny nods. "Dress. Now. You are not going to lie here and pout."

Beta loses it. "If you are good and listen. I will let you help me plan the new wolf obstacle course." I sit pretty. "Eat lunch and come to the park. We'll talk about it."

Granny shakes her head. "It took 6 people, negotiations, and flushing her out of a tunnel to get her out of this one. You really want to go bigger?"

They crack up laughing and walk away. I get in my dress and run to catch up. I eat lunch in the park with the warriors.

Clover is there. She is laughing and getting flirty with a warrior. Monte is ignoring her. I should probably follow up with that. But I don't care. I sit by beta.

"Scoot over. We are going to eat."

"What's her deal?"

"She wants to help plan the new obstacle course. She's excited." Beta pushes me down the bench 6 inches. "I'm not going to forget you."

"What do we have here?"

I spin around to see what everyone is staring at. There is a man walking towards us in super short shorts and a tie-dyed tank top that barely covers his chest. He reminds me of Chris on the beach.

He raises his arms. "I AM IN DARKBURN."

"CHRIS?" I run to him so fast. "When did you get here?"

"Keep going this way. I'm hungry. I just got here."

"What? How?"

"I told you I was driving. It took like 10 days but here I am." He grabs a plate of food.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE." I jump up and down hugging him while he stuffs his face.

Everyone else is staring at us.

"What the hell is wrong with Mike? I was trying to figure out what district you were in. You won't answer your phone, and he's a disaster."

"We broke up."

"I really thought he would last longer than a week."

"Me too. But I'm moving on."

"Can you at least turn your phone back on?"

"Probably not."

"How did you break up with him?"

"Told him I quit and hung up."

"Not as spectacular as hitting him in the head with the ring. But it works."

"You hit someone on the head with a ring?" Clover smiles and sits down.

Chris nods. "Prince Darmon Gold. They were dating. Funny story actually."

"It wasn't that funny."

"It was a little funny. The prince left his engagement party to chase us down and give her a ring. She hit him right on the head with it. I saved it though. We have the ring. It's a nice ring."

I roll my eyes. "He was an asshole. The trash took itself out."

Clover smiles. "The royals get together for a party in one of the cities every year. This year is Darkburn. You may see him again. So many from the pack get to go. It's less than a month away."

Chris nods. "We should hand-deliver a think you card to his fiance."

I laugh and sit back down. "Don't get your hopes up. They're not going to take people from other packs."

"Would be a good show though. We could say hi to the queen. How many people do you get to take?"

"The biggest 20 packs get 50 invites each."

Chris looks around. "We might be able to go. We just have to find someone with an invitation to take us. I promise a good show if anyone takes me. Darmon is going to try to get her back every time his fiance is out of the room."

"She could always go with Jax. He'll get to invite someone."

"We're not like that."

"Who is Jax?"

"Alpha of another pack."

We watch the alpha walk up to us. Everyone is a little stunned stupid.

The alpha has a fully formal suit on. Complete with tails, a vest, bow tie, and walking cane. He would probably be too fancy for his own wedding. The odd part is the beekeeper's hat he has on his head. It's black like the suit with black netting all the way around his head and face. It tucks into the collar of his shirt.

The alpha and Chris stare at each other for a minute.

The alpha seems lost. "Welcome to Mystical Moon territory. I hope you enjoy your visit."

Chris nods. "Thank you, sir."

We watch the alpha walk away.

Then Chris looks at me. "Does he know that's a beekeeper's hat?"

Monte shakes his head. "We don't ask questions."

"Probably for the best. What are we doing now? I know. Let's go answer our phone messages."

"I'm not turning that damn thing on, Chris."

He shrugs his shoulders. "I tried. You all saw me try."

Alpha comes back and stares at Chris. "The king is coming tonight to drop off the invitations. Everyone look decent. Pack dinner will be here at 6."

Chris jumps up and pulls me up. "LET'S GET FANCY. IT'S OUR CHANCE TO GET INVITED TO THE s**t SHOW."

"I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE s**t SHOW."

"I'VE BEEN IN A CAR FOR 10 DAYS. I NEED THIS. YOU ARE GOING." He shakes me a little.

"FINE."

"Summon us a helicopter."

"I can't without any money."

"I'll call Mike." He gets out his phone. I roll my eyes and wait for the helicopter.