The students disappeared with a few swears and a lot of grumbling. Aric closed the distance between us and kissed me. His sweet taste demanding that we lie down. His hands pressed me tighter and tighter until someone yanked my remaining flag. I lurched back, surprised. A scrawny little werewolf danced in circles shaking the flag at us. I recognized him as the young wolf bold enough to ask the first question. “Thanks for distracting her for me!” he said to Aric.
Aric furrowed his brows.
The were dropped his head. “You didn’t say, ‘Freeze,’ and you never whistled,” he mumbled.
I smiled at Aric. “He’s got a point. Good job, little guy.”
Aric winked at me, but when he turned back to his student, he was all business. “Fine,” he snapped. “John, wait by the car. I’ll give you a ride back.”
The kid hopped around like a crazed Easter bunny before running off. Aric turned back to me. “As for you, come here.” He grabbed the waistband of my shorts and pulled me to him, kissing me softly. “You were amazing. Thank you for doing this.”
I immediately lost myself in his gaze. The training had been Aric’s way of introducing me to his pack, the equivalent, I gathered, of meeting his family. “Thanks for letting me.”
We returned to the training field with our arms around each other, teasing and joking about which of us was bigger and badder. Our good humor faded when we heard a whistle and what sounded like a wolf howling in pain. We raced back at full velocity, stopping when we reached the edge of the clearing where a few wolves had gathered.
Liam’s group huddled in a tight cluster, staring at something on the ground. I quickly shoved my way through the group when I couldn’t spot Emme. I found her in the center, bent over a large red wolf.
The wolf sprawled in the mud next to a large granite boulder smeared with fresh blood. Emme must have thrown the wolf against the boulder, but I couldn’t figure out why she’d reacted so aggressively. The young were whimpered and jolted as his ribs realigned beneath his blood-soaked fur. By scent, I recognized him as the big kid with the Mohawk. He’d acted arrogant then. Now he seemed young and helpless.
“Oh, gosh,” Emme said quietly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Liam fumed, majorly pissed. He pulled Emme behind him, his face red and volatile. “Don’t apologize. Devin deserves it for the stunt he just pulled.” He motioned Aric closer. “He went after Emme with his claws protruded. He wouldn’t stop even after I whistled.”
Devin cowered at Aric’s feet. When he changed back to human, Emme and I averted our eyes. “I’m sorry,” Devin sputtered. “I lost control.”
The students around us let out a collective gasp. Liam growled deeply and took a step forward, but Aric stopped him by putting his hand against Liam’s chest. “That was the wrong thing to say, Devin,” Aric said. His voice sounded threatening, but with an undertone of concern. “You could have hurt Emme. Your actions are inexcusable. But in the field, against a real foe, you would have been killed.” Aric’s hard stare brought his students to their knees. “Losing yourself to your beast won’t be enough to protect you against what’s out there waiting for us. You have to use your heads. You have to stay in control. Paul didn’t. And it cost us three lives. Get back to the Den.”
Aric turned back to Liam and locked eyes with him, prior to removing his hand from his chest. I guessed it was Aric’s way of warning Liam against retaliating against Devin.
Devin took off, glancing nervously over his shoulder. Although his apology sounded sincere, I worried for my other sisters’ safety. I chased after him until I reached the area closest to the path. My fears, it seemed, proved ridiculous.
Several wolves surrounded Taran. Some lay on their sides snoring loudly, having been zapped by her sleeping mist. Others whined and paced anxiously, trapped in rings of fire that shot upward to the sky. Taran casually sat on my sweatshirt, leaning back on her hands, legs crossed. She swung her top leg teasingly as she flirted with Gem. I shook my head. I continued to pant, and dripped with perspiration. Meanwhile Taran had spent the past hour sitting on her ass looking like an ad for Viagra.
Shayna, in contrast, was a blur of movement, her light blue T-shirt clinging to her sweaty torso. Mud caked her jeans as she dodged, weaved, and rolled. She twirled her silver staffs like giant batons, hitting any wolf that tried to reach her. With each strike, she knocked her opponents off their feet and maneuvered around them. Her eyes appeared savage, her laugh maniacal, mimicking the persona she embodied behind the wheel. Koda watched her carefully, cautious of anyone who might harm her. He seemed proud, and probably a little turned on.