Wolfsfoot (Kingdom of Wolves #1)

“We’ll need to meet the other two Alphas that border ourterritory. Staying away from the border with the Blackshadow Pack is important,of course. But if we get the support of the three Alphas, we’ll be in a greatposition if anything ever happens.

“Two years we have to keep you safe, make sure you come toyour full potential, then if you agree to be our Alpha, we can, at last, becomea fully recognized pack and we all lose our rogue status.”

I can see from the look in Gregor’s eyes that he’s desperatefor that to happen, and I feel sorry that these people who have all been sogreat have ended up as rogues, for reasons other than their own doing.

“You have a lesson with Drake tonight, so you need to gethome and be ready,” Gregor says while dismissing me. “I’ll see you on Monday.Take the next three days resting and working with Drake, and we’ll run over tothe Blood Pearl Pack on Monday.”

“Okay, thank you. I’ll see you Monday.” I rush out of thehouse and down the main street, waving at one or two people as I pass. I feelpretty good about how things are playing out now, but I’ve got to grow with myconfidence and I want to make Lykos and Akela proud of me.

Running up the track to the farmhouse, I pass the barn andsmile, remembering the first time I went in and hid in the loft to get someneeded sleep. Lykos nearly scared the pants off me when I woke up, but whowould have thought he was going to be my Poppa Lykos?

Opening the farmhouse kitchen door, I shout, “I’m home.”Spinning fast when a chuckle is heard right behind me. Seeing Lykos grinningbroadly, I place one hand on my heart and shake my head at him. “You nearlyscared me to death.”

“Well, now we’re going to have to work on your awareness,aren’t we? Because I could have been anyone sneaking up on you.”

“What did you do to her?” Akela asks, but I can see her eyessparkling with amusement.

“Get a move on. We’ve got a lot of training to get throughtonight.” Drake states as he appears behind Lykos in the doorway.

“Five minutes to change and I’ll be back.”

“No, we’re in wolf form tonight.” Drake grins, but I’mthinking shit, Ebony has been running for hours today, and I’m not sure howmuch energy she’s going to have left.

“Go on, Tati, you’ll both be fine,” Akela says as she handsme a bottle of water.

“We’ll go to the south paddock, where we will have plenty ofroom,” Drake states, marching off with me trotting along behind him.

In the paddock, Drake turns to look at me and quickly nodsfor me to shift. I’m okay Tati, let’s do this. We both have to be goodfighters for anything in our future. The last thing we need is to face an Alphaand we can’t hold our own.

‘Okay, Ebony, but if you get too tired, shift back, but makesure I’ve got my clothes on. I don’t want Drake getting an eyeful.’ I hearEbony growl with amusement seconds before I feel the shift start.

Ebony is standing tall and proud, the evening sun on herblack coat, allowing the blueish hue to shine through. Ebony’s blue eyes have agold rim clear like crystals, and Drake smiles.

“You’re a beautiful wolf, and I’m sure you’re going to beclever and brave. But we need you to be sharp and crisp and never hesitate, nomatter what you have to do.” Walking around me, rubbing his chin before hestops and studies me. “Okay, I’m staying in my human form to start and I wantto get your flexibility started. I’m standing with my legs apart. I want you todo figures of eight through my legs, and yes, I know you’re not a small wolf,but you’ve got to learn to move through, around, or over any obstacle. So,let’s get moving.”

The next ninety minutes are spent with Ebony dashing throughhis legs as he’s standing still, then jumping over his outstretched arms,rolling onto her back before darting through the gaps in the paddock fencing.

Once Drake shifts into his wolf, Ebony stands gaping at him,because his wolf is an albino, with pink eyes, but huge. Polaris, he’s called,and he gives Ebony a small nod to follow him just before he takes off running.

Ebony follows Polaris over fallen trunks, around trees, andthrough the river. Ducking and diving and I can feel Ebony getting tired. Welose ground and Polaris notices and slows his gait down to an easy trot.

Back at the farmhouse, Ebony shifts, allowing me to comeforward and I stagger as my legs feel like they walked to the end of the earthand back again.

Lykos chuckles. “Come on, let’s get some fluids into you,then you can eat and go to bed. You’re not going anywhere tomorrow. I want youto recuperate through the day and you’ll be working out again in the evening.We’ve got to get your stamina up, and your techniques of all you’ve got tocover. Two years is going to be gone before you know it.”

Dragging myself to bed later, I’m wondering if I’ll evensurvive two years!

Chapter 10

FLINT

Friday and I’m all ready to get a female pack member out of here. Thatis going to be my priority this morning, and I don’t give a shit if the Alphalikes the fact he’s going to lose a member or not. But it’ll be interesting tosee if he even notices when she steps over the pack border and rejects the packand Alpha.

Walking into the dining room, I notice it’s very quiet. Packmembers are eating quietly and the atmosphere is subdued. Looking at the frontof the room, it’s noticeable that the Alpha is not here but his son Connell is,and sitting with his two friends who one day will lead the pack with him if Ican put a stop to all this bullshit.

I search with my eyes to check if Isadora is in here. I toldher yesterday to make sure she was seen in the dining room, that way no onewill look for her until probably late in the evening. Isadora lives in the packhouse and is a helper in the kitchen, but as I told Dahlia, Isadora would notbe working today because I had something for her to do for the council. I knowshe’ll not be missed.

10:00 am came around quickly, and I met Isadora just insidethe forest line. “Come on, I’ll go halfway with you, then you need to run andget over the border. Remember, one foot in and out of the territory when you dothe rejection. You reject the pack and the Alpha. You’ll be met by a man calledDrake; he’ll travel with you to a farm where you’ll stay overnight. Drake willthen take you to the Blood Pearl Pack border, where Alpha Aurora will meet you.She’s going to be at the border all day until you get there, anyway. It’s amostly female pack. You’ll be okay.”