Wolfsfoot (Kingdom of Wolves #1)

“Come on, Chief Glen, get me the heck out of here,” Lyleshouts, but nobody moves to help, and I know that unless it’s life-threatening,if we get into trouble, we have to work out how to get ourselves out of themess we’ve found ourselves in.

It doesn’t take long for Lyle to get himself unstuck andwhen he’s reached the same level as I’m at in my tree, Drake shouts for us tojump out and roll as we land.

Now that’s new, not something I’ve done before. Usually, Iwould jump when I get halfway down, but it’s a long way to the ground fromwhere I am now.

“Come on, Tati, we can do it,” Lyle shouts before launchinghimself from the tree, landing with a roll before looking up at me andgrinning.

Damn, that means I can’t do this wrong or I’ll never hearthe end of it. Taking a deep breath, I throw myself out of the tree, land androll, and I can hear Ebony laughing in the back of my mind the whole time.

‘Shut up, Ebony.’ I snap, but she giggles.

This is good fun, Tati. We’re learning to be fast, brave,sneaky and a threat if we need to be. I can’t disagree with her, but I’mnot too happy about throwing myself out of trees.

The training progresses and we run through the forest,hiding, jumping, and swimming across the river. Ebony is having a great time,and I’m happy to sit in the back of her mind and allow her to enjoy herself.

Back at the paddock, Drake times both Lyle and me as he putsus through our paces of weaving in and out of the fence rails, rolling over andshowing our bellies for the least seconds we can because that leaves usvulnerable.

Chief Glen, I can see, has been taking in all the exercises,and how Lyle and I have coped and when we got to the throwing punches, andwhere to throw them, he volunteered to stand for our aims. Thankfully, wedidn’t actually hit him. We’re just pointing out that we know where to punch ifneeded.

Hearing Lyles’ name called, we all four turn, and I can’tbelieve my eyes when Jade and Lavender are walking over to us. They’veobviously come from town and walked up the track to the farmhouse. I look overand see Momma Akela standing near the entrance to the kitchen garden and she’snot looking too happy.

“What are you two doing here?” Chief Glen asks, steppingslightly in front of Lyle.

“We thought we’d have a day out, and when we heard Lyle washere, we came to say hello and see if Lyle wanted to come to have a meal withus.” Lavender all but coos.

“I don’t want a meal with you. I’m here to work, learn andimprove for when I become Alpha. You need to get gone, both of you, and don’tthink I won’t be speaking to Alpha Walker about this.” Lyle snaps.

“You wouldn’t tell your father we visited you. We are not hurtinganyone.” Lavender responds.

“You are stalking, that’s what you are doing. Now you eitherget gone or Chief Glen will make you get gone.” Lyle grins, and Chief Glen’seyebrow lifts before he gives the two of them a smirk.

“We’ll be speaking to the Alpha when we get back. Jade, youalready lost your position through stupidity. Do you want to lose your pack,too?” Chief Glen is glaring at Jade, and I know better than to speak andattract attention to me, so I remain quiet and look over at Drake when he chuckles.

“If you don’t get off this farm within five minutes, I’llget you off and believe me, neither of you wants to see me do that. This isprivate property and you are in a rogue town. We don’t have the rules you liveby, so I can easily find a shallow grave to bury you in.” Drake shows all histeeth as he gives them a feral grin, but when his canines drop very slowly itshows how much control he has over his wolf Polaris.

Jade grabs Lavender without saying a word. Smart girl, I’mthinking. But the nasty look she gives me has me smirking, lifting an eyebrowand dropping my canines at the same time. They both walk away back towards townand when I look at Lyle, I can see his mind linking with Chief Glen.

“Let’s call it a day. I’ve got things to do in town. I’ll beback in the morning and be up early because I’ll be here at 6:30 and you don’twant to keep me waiting.” Drake walks away after giving Chief Glen a tip of hischin.

“You’ve got yourself a stalker, Lyle.” I laugh, dancingaround and poking him in fun with my index finger. “Lavender, Lavender,Lavender.” I chant, laughing and keeping out of his reach. Chief Glen laughs atmy antics and when Lyle lunges, I take off for the farmhouse with Lyle shoutingbehind me.

Opening the kitchen door, I rush inside and come to a deadhalt when I nearly run into Flint. I blink in surprise a few times and mustlook ridiculous because Flint laughs, then taps my chin to close my mouth.

“Go get a shower and change, Tati. You too, Lyle, I don’twant you stinking like sweaty dogs in Akela’s kitchen.” Chief Glen laughs as heshakes Flint’s hand before taking a seat at the kitchen table.

I rush upstairs and shower, change and dash back downbecause I want to know what Flint’s doing here, and what news he may have.

Poppa Lykos, Momma Akela, Chief Glen and Flint are allsitting around the kitchen table, and I take a bottle of water from the fridgebefore leaning against the counter.

Lyle walks into the kitchen, and I point at the fridge as Ishake my bottle of water at him, letting him know it’s okay to grab one.

“Aurora Pearl has been in touch with the town council aboutyou staying with the Blood Pearl Pack. The council contacted me as they want itofficial, and that if you visit, it is only a visit, and you are not joiningthe Blood Pearl Pack.” Flint is watching me and Lyle for a reaction, butneither of us responds, only looking at him to continue. “I told them youwouldn’t be going for the month Aurora asked for, but two weeks the same as youdid at Spirit Walker Pack. I felt that was fair, and two weeks is enough foryou to get an idea of how the pack works.”

“I’m okay with going for two weeks. I wouldn’t want to gofor longer, anyway.”

“Good. The other thing is the information I’m gatheringregarding Connell. I’m not sure as yet if he’ll be a good Alpha or not. Hisblood on his sire’s side is Beta, but his mother was an Alpha’s daughter, so hedoes have Alpha blood. We’ll just have to see how he grows as I work with him.I’m reporting back to the shifter council and so far, all is going well.

“Now I heard all about the mess with Bellamy and Evangeline.I’ll be going to Blackshadow and confronting Alpha Torrance. He’ll either starta damn war or he’ll step back. I’ll keep the town council informed, as I don’twant the town to be caught up in a war.”