"I'll start the volunteer list as soon as you address the pack."
Pike nods. "I'm addressing them tonight." His face gets serious as he takes in everyone sitting around the table. I reach over and take his hand. He gives mine a squeeze but doesn’t take his eyes off his audience. "It's time to prepare for the war."
Chapter 21 - Bonnie
"Get up." Tillie commands, from her spot standing above me. Her hands are relaxing on her hips, and she's not even sweating. I on the other hand am dripping with it from the three hours of training she just put me through. It kicked my ass. Which is obvious by the fact that I'm lying like a limp noodle on the workout mat.
"You're trying to kill me." I whine.
"I'm trying to train you not to be killed." She shoots back.
"I have my guns. I'll be fine."
"Those toys will only get you so far. If you're going to protect your Oracle you need to be prepared for hand to hand combat."
"Don't you mean hand to paw?" She rolls her eyes at my sad attempt at a joke. Then she holds out her hand. "Come on. We'll get you some water and you can rest for a minute, but then we're going at it again."
Taking her offered hand I pull myself to my feet (with a lot of help from her). "Fine. But only because I don't want the people I love to die. If I didn't have to you know, save the pack, my cute ass would be shopping right now. Maybe sipping sweet tea on a porch swing. Anything, but having it kicked by you."
She tosses a bottle of water to me. "Noted."
I down half the bottle in one deep drink. Then I allow myself to crash in one of the chairs resting along the wall of the gym. Others are spread out around the large room, doing their own training. Pike's declaration of a coming war to the pack was taken seriously with every able body shifter volunteering for one of the positions needed. Now this gym is seeing a steady stream of action with people coming in shifts to prepare. A shooting range has even been erected on the back part of the property near the woods for the mates who aren't shifters, like myself. It's where I obviously excel. I'm a thousand times better with a gun in my hand. I've even taught a few classes to the mates who don't have firearm experience. But Tillie's right I need to be prepared for hand to hand combat. I can only carry so much ammo with me before I'll run out and have to find other means to fulfill my duty.
She takes the seat beside me with her own bottle of water. After taking a pull of the liquid goodness she swallows and then declares. "You're getting stronger."
"Really?" I ask in shock.
"Yes, really. And you're going to keep getting stronger. You're mated to a very powerful shifter."
"My big oaf is pretty bad ass. Isn't he?"
She laughs. "He is."
"Don't tell him I said that. I don't need his head getting any more inflated." I say taking another drink of water.
"Too late." Tucker responds through our bond.
"Damn." I reply, causing him to laugh.
"He picked it up didn't he?" Tillie laughs.
"Yes." I pretend to pout. "It's hard getting use to him being inside my head."
"You'll get accustomed to it." She tosses her empty bottle into a nearby trash can as she stands. "Now we just need to get you accustomed to doing a take down and you'll be set."
"I think there's a better chance of me getting use to another person talking inside my head."
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Bloom
"Focus." Amelia, once again tells me. I feel like focusing on throwing something at her head. Okay, that isn't nice. She's being a patient teacher. I'm just being a not so good student. With my eyes closed I take a deep breath and try to draw in my focus.
"Do you have a pack member in your mind’s eye?"
"Yes." I reply. I've put all my energy on her son, Rex. During the training I've been cycling through the few people I've had a chance to connect with in the pack. Amelia said it would be easier to see their future if I've had some sort of interaction with them.
"Follow the pack connection to them. See what they're doing. What they're feeling." She continues to guide me.
I let my mind glide along the invisible ties that bind me to my pack, easily following it to Rex. He's in the gym with, surprise, surprise, Rhett and Hayden. Like the majority of the pack, they're training. He's nervous, which isn't a surprise. Most of the pack is with the war looming over head.
"I found him." I say quietly, afraid speaking any louder will make me lose the connection.
"Good. Now reach out in your mind and take hold of the ties that connect you to the person. It can be intense so try not to lose your hold on the connection."