Page 54

Keep The Peace

Enzo

“Good, men. Very good,” I say to the group of new recruits in front of me.

It’s been nearly two weeks since I made the guys fix and repaint the vamp’s porch. Since then, things have changed a little. Instead of following the vamps around all day, my days consist of training scouts. We had an influx of young, unmated males join the pack recently. Many of them from Springhill. Most lack fighting skills.

Alarick and I have been spending our time trying to whip them into shape. Now that so many of them are being trained, they don’t have the time or energy to torture the vamps. I won’t lie, as if it’s all died down.

They are still waking up to dead animals on their steps or have the occasional vampire slur sprayed on their door. They are still being ostracized. However, it’s not every day.

One of the bigger wolves slings another wolf off his back and into the ground.

“He has potential,” Alarick says beside me.

“I agree. He’s not much older than Torak.”

“Speaking of,” Alarick says, looking around. “Where is he? Shouldn’t he be here?”

The kid has been real scarce lately, but he never misses a day of training. I’m assuming he’s somewhere helping Phaedra.

I tell Alarick this. He dips his chin to his chest.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Alarick steps forward, breaking up the fight between the two wolves in front of us.

Both wolves transform back into their human form.

“Nice job, Nael,” I say to the bigger wolf. “Ash, next time you’re in that situation, you want to drop your weight and lower your head. It makes it harder for your opponent to flip you.” I pat the young wolf on his back.

“Alright, next two.” I direct the next two wolves in line to step forward. However, everyone pauses. Her scent hits us before she walks through the trees.

The oldest vamp freezes as she spots us.

“What are you doing all the way out here?” I ask her. We were in the middle of the forest. We come this far out so that we have space, and no one is at risk of getting hurt.

She glances around the area. I look to see what she’s noticing. There are a lot of hostile faces looking at her. Her brown eyes cut back on me.

“I’m looking for my sister. I thought I caught her scent out here.”

My brow furrows. “I thought she was with you?”

Her chin lifts slightly. I don’t think she enjoys having to answer me. Tough.

“I had some errands to run. I left her home. When I got back, she was gone. Only left a note that she was out walking.”

“You’ve been running a lot of errands lately.”

I said I wasn’t watching the vamp as much. Never said I wasn’t watching her at all. I have noticed that she seems to slip away a lot more now. Ever since Luna went in on us, Chayton told me to allow the vamps a little more privacy. So, I haven’t been locking her down on pack grounds as much.

The vamp turns her head sideways, looking me directly in my eyes. “Your point, Beta?”

When she used to call me by my title, it felt as if she was trying to mock me. Lately it hasn’t felt that way. For instance, right now, she isn’t being bitchy by calling me my title. It’s crazy how I can tell the difference.

“Just making an observation, vamp. Where’ve you been going?”

“To mind my business. Look, if you see my sister, can you tell her I’m looking for her?”

Before I can respond, Alarick speaks.