Chapter 6

“My wolf is in check, Guardian.” I take a quick glance down at my leg. It hurts more than usual today.

Healing has always been something werewolves thrive at. We heal quickly and we almost never have terrible scars, unless you are unlucky like me. The night I turned 16, I shifted. 2 years earlier than most and I was so happy I couldn’t help but take off running and embrace the feeling of euphoria it brought me. I felt invincible and strong. Until I came across a ground of grown rogues. They were merciless, tearing at me from every side as I tried to fight. I was the Alpha’s son, the strongest of wolves, or I would have been if I had been old enough to actually shift. After they brought me to the brink of death, they carried me to the abandoned well on the property line and threw me in.

I waited to heal, but it was slow and painful. After a long time, my pack found me bloody and still injured. I should have healed by the time they found me. I should have been able to crawl out of the well on my own, but I had only gotten worse. It wasn’t until I forced myself to stand that I noticed the little wilted blue flowers thrown down with me. Wolfsbane. They had tossed it in after me and they had even crushed it into my gaping wound in my thigh. It never healed right after that.

She follows my line of sight and looks at my denim clad leg. Its full disfiguration is hidden but the outline of its lumpy state and is noticeable to anyone who looks closely. Her eyes fill with curiosity as she tilts her head and looks at me strangely. Her eyes meet mine and my breath hitches as her beautiful eyes swirl shades of green, morphing into a pale purple. I don’t even notice that the pain is gone until she closes her eyes too long to be a blink but not long enough to be anything else and she steps back.

“I’m ready for the tour when you are alpha.” She says, sounding robotic as she turns and walks away with a slight limp.

“Is she making fun of you?” Trudy whispers, her voice full of fury. Anger, rage and humiliation roll through me. She was making fun of me and my injury. I pride myself on thinking before speaking and trying my best to always be kind and understanding, but I can not contain my rage as I stalk forward with murder on my mind.

I thunder down the stairs with such force that anyone in passing presses themselves against the wall to stay out of my way. No way would I let this woman get away with treating me like some weak piece of crap. I sniff the air, trying to catch her scent and grow more furious that I can’t sniff her out. I let out an angry growl as I enter the kitchen. My eyes land on her as she looks up at me, confused, her teeth sinking into an apple.

Within a second, I am looming over her, staring into her eyes that hold no amusement or fear, just confusion. Of course she tries to look innocent in the matter. She has just offended an alpha whether or not I’m her alpha; it is a grave misstep to make fun of an alpha.

“Alpha?” she says, sounding strong and unphased by my presence. I hate her cool demeanor.

“Do you find it funny?” I seethe.

“Excuse me?”

“Do you find it funny?” I yell, my voice echoing through every corner of the house.

“Find what funny?” She says, irritated.

“How you are here to protect me? The weak Alpha incapable of protecting himself? Injured and weak. Is that what you think?” I can feel my wolf foaming at the mouth, trying to get out, begging to be released, and her eyes snap to mine. She can see it as well, but she holds no fear from me and it makes my anger grow. She must truly find me so weak that she doesn’t find me to be a threat.

“Alpha Wade.” she begins. I step closer, our bodies connecting as my chest heaves up and down violently. She refuses to back down as I press myself against her, trying to intimidate her. I have her cornered between the counter and me, yet she shows no fear.

“You do not get to laugh at me. Not over something you don’t understand.” I say through my clenched teeth. She raises her hand in a surrendering manner.

“Understood, Alpha” Her face contorts in anger as she places her warm palm on my chest again. Within seconds, the pain in my legs comes flying back in a fury so strong it swept away my breath and I stumble backwards. She follows my movements and leans in close to my face so I can see the raw fury in her.

“I do not laugh at the injured, Alpha Wade. I gave you a sample of what a Guardian can do for their Alpha. We can share our Alpha’s pain. Take it from them for a while. Did you not notice how you could so easily come down those stairs? Ungrateful fool.” She mutters as she stands to her full height. I stand and straighten myself, wincing as I take a step forward. I hadn’t noticed the pain was gone, and now I’m highly aware of its return.

“Can you heal me if I accept you?” I ask, thinking out loud.“It varies.” She shrugs, walking towards the front door picking up her apple on the way out.

“On what?” I ask, following her. If she can heal me, I mean truly completely heal my leg I would gladly accept her now.

“For starters, if I want to. And I really dislike you, Alpha Wade.” she plods down the front steps and turns to look at me. “Well, are we going or what?”

Ali insisted on walking around the pack grounds, which normally would be ok but my leg is more painful than usual today. I’m not sure if it is because I experienced what it was like to be in no pain for a short period or just one of those days where it acts up. Ali walks silently alongside me, looking over the buildings and watching everyone play.

A ball comes flying out of nowhere towards her face as she looks in another direction. Before I can call out to warn her, she turns her head slightly down and heads the ball directly up into the air. She then bounces it for a moment, back and forth between her knees. 3 young boys walk up, watching her in awe as she juggles the soccer ball. She pops the ball up one more time to head height, and she heads the ball towards the smallest of the group and he catches it in his hands.

“That was impressive.” I say honestly.

“Just some simple soccer tricks.” She says. “You haven’t shown me the training grounds.”

“Those are on the other side of the pack grounds.” I say, point over my shoulder. I’m ashamed to admit our warriors are lacking. They would do anything for me, but without someone capable of training them, I have found myself lacking in training them myself, though I show up daily with my uppers and we spare.

“Your training space should be in the center of your grounds.” She says, frowning.

“Why?”

“So that everyone can see. It inspires the young pups to want to be a warrior. They get an inside idea of what happens and it can build morale and support around your warriors.”

“Do you want to spar?” I ask her, raising a brow in jest. She looks at me, stoic as ever.

“You are in no condition to spar.” she says, continuing to walk

“Ah come on. I’ll be fine.”

“Alpha, when you are fully healed I will consider it,” she says, continuing on to walk. I can feel the tug of the mind link and I tap into it.