Page 20 of Alpha's Revenge Luna
The sun casts long shadows across the dining hall as I try to push away my growing curiosity about Dion. Every time his face flashes in my mind, I remind myself of the cruel and unforgivable actions he has taken against my pack and me.
There are times when he can almost come across sweet. His rapid mood changes are giving me whiplash. Then, there is the entire thing of him being my mate. I honestly don’t understand how he can claim that when I’m not of age yet. But even I must admit there is a certain allure about him.
All that aside, how does he expect me to be with him after what he did? He killed my pack, made my brother and me orphans, and kidnapped me. Does that not sound like the start of a tragic mate bond? What does he expect of me after doing such a thing?
My fists clench at the thought of how they suffered because of him. My mind is so consumed by my tumultuous thoughts, I barely hear a thing Tara tells me as she leads me to the training grounds.
My thoughts are focused on finding a way back to my brother, but another pressing matter plays on my mind—I need to get back to my room to take the belladonna.
I wonder briefly if I am meant to sleep in his room now.
I hope not because how am I going to escape him if I am forced to sleep next to the man?
Tonight, I should shift into my wolf form for the first time, and the constant threat of Dion marking and mating me when it happens sends shivers down my spine.
Three days I’ve been here, and now the day has arrived, I find dread pooling in my stomach as I pray the Belladonna has worked.
The fear of losing control over my body to him is suffocating, and I’m determined not to let that happen.
The only way I can continue to resist him is as long as I don’t bear his mark.
Stopping near the huge communal bathrooms, I stop. “I need to use the bathroom,” I tell Tara, who nods, but as I move to open the door, the guards who were with Tara this morning push past me and enter. I give her a questioning look.
“Get used to it, Dion ordered them to follow,” Tara warns me as the door opens and the guard nods.
“Exactly what were you looking for in there? Rogues?” I ask with a laugh. The biggest of the guards huffs, seemingly amused.
“No windows, we made sure they were locked. Can’t have a runaway Luna, now, can we?” he states. I roll my eyes and shove past him into the bathrooms, the room is bright from the overhanging fluorescent light.
Twelve blue doors line the corridor on one side and on the other side is a wall containing one long trough sink with a separating wall that leads to… open showers. I glance at Tara.
“No stalls?” I ask.
She shrugs. “We’re bound to see each other naked eventually, though those of us who are mated have our own bathrooms in our rooms. This is only for the unmated. No mated wolf would allow the unmated to gawk at their mates,” she chuckles. “They’re too possessive.”
I raise an eyebrow at her.
Moving to one of the toilets, which thankfully is a stall, I turn to shut the door when a hand catches it. “Sorry, Luna, I don’t much like it either, but the door stays open,” the guard says.
“I don’t even know your name, and you expect me to let you watch me pee?” I glance past him at Tara. “I take it I am the exception to the possessive Alpha’s rule?” I ask her.
“His name is Dimitri, if it helps?” she offers. I look at the huge burly man and my face falls. Seriously?
“Well, are you gonna use the bathroom?” he asks.
“Not with you watching. What do you think I’m gonna do shimmy down the toilet pipe?” I ask him.
His brows furrow slightly, and he looks past me into the toilet. “You could certainly try, but I don’t like your chances,” he chuckles.
I fold my arms across my chest, waiting for him to turn around. “Sorry Alpha’s orders. I am not to take my eyes off you.”
I swallow, peering at Tara. She chews her lip nervously, and I see he is being serious. Annoyed, I shove past him. I’m not using the bathroom with him staring at me. I don’t think I can even go with someone literally making eye contact.
Storming out of the bathroom, I fling the door open, only to smack straight into Dion and his Beta. Perfect. “Why aren’t you at training?” he demands.
“Well, I was trying to pee, but it appears my bladder gets stage fright! When observed!” I snarl angrily. He raises an eyebrow.
Dimitri moves out behind me with Tara and the other guard. “You’re watching her pee?” he asks Dimitri.
“You ordered me not to take my eyes off her, kinda had no choice,” he mutters, and Dion pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out a breath. “My mistake.” He motions toward the door.
“Go, hurry up!” He points to the door. I rush back inside, relieved I can relieve myself, although that is short-lived when again another hand stops my door as I try to close it.
“Seriously, Dimitri!” I spin around only to find it’s Dion.
“Hurry, I have a meeting,” he growls. I go to grab the door and shut it, but he grips it. “Door stays open.” I glare at him but shove my pants down while he types on his phone. A second later, it rings, and he answers it, turning his back to me.
I flip him the finger behind his back.
“I’m on my way, don’t kill him.”
I flinch at what I’m hearing and quickly finish before he turns around.
Rushing out of the stall, I move to the sinks while he finishes his call. I wash my hands just as he hangs up. Our eyes meet in the mirror. “Who were you talking about?” I ask, and he raises an eyebrow at me.
“Don’t eavesdrop, now hurry up,” he tells me. I drop my gaze, using the paper towels. Stepping out of the bathroom, he grabs my chin, his lips brush mine. “Behave,” he growls against my lips before letting me go. My face heats, but he turns on his heel, moving toward the doors leading outside.
Once at the training grounds, I find pack members setting up. The first thing I notice is the massive forest surrounding this place, thick canopying trees that reach toward the sky casting this makeshift arena in shadows, obscuring the rising sun.
The smell of wet bark, freshly cut grass, and dirt surrounds the clearing as people drag equipment from the huge warehouse that’s nearest to the forest. The twisted limbs of the forest above release a strong aroma of fresh pine and moss.
Tara and I help drag out equipment, though half of it I have no idea what it is for. My father trained us. However, our training was nothing like this. We mostly sparred with each other, but I would hardly say my six-year-old brother was much of a sparring partner after Trinity died.
Once the equipment is set up, we are paired off. My mind continuously goes to the imposing forest which offers me a bruised cheek and a bloody nose when I cast my gaze at it, losing my train of thought.
“Emery, focus!” Tara’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts as we practice our combat moves.
“Sorry,” I mumble, avoiding her gaze. I force myself to concentrate on the task at hand.
But even as I train, I can’t help but notice the two or three guards who follow me everywhere I go. They watch me like a hawk.
“Are they really necessary?” I ask Tara between pants, nodding at the guards who watch us intently.
“Alpha’s orders,” she replies, her tone laced with sympathy. “They’re here for your safety.”
I scoff. “More like to keep me under his thumb,” I mutter, gritting my teeth as I throw a punch toward the training dummy. And must we do this outside in the blistering heat, or is this another punishment? We’ve been out here for hours. Surely, this can’t be normal to train like this?
As the day goes on, my bladder begins to protest; I blame all the Power-Aid I’ve been drinking, but the thought of the guards following me even to the bathroom is too much to bear, and I don’t know if Dion removed the order on Dimitri.
They’ve been instructed to make sure I leave the door open, a humiliating invasion of my privacy that leaves me no choice but to hold it all day after I tried to pee after breakfast because I don’t remember seeing Dion change the order.
As we continue our training, I focus not only on my physical strength, but also on building mental barriers against Dion’s influence, although I fear it may be pointless; he seems to have no issue ordering me.
Just when I think training is over, the one-on-one session begins. I find myself paired with one of the more experienced members of Dion’s pack.
We circle each other cautiously, eyes locked, as we search for any signs of weakness, even I know I am severely outmatched. My father had us train, but training with my sister or brother isn’t like training here.
“Stay focused, Emery,” my opponent advises, his voice low and steady.
“You’re letting your mind wander.”
How can I not when all I can think about is how much it will hurt if he manages to punch me in the face?
However, I grit my teeth in frustration, knowing he’s right.
Despite my best efforts, thoughts of Dion, thoughts of my brother, and grandmother continue to plague me, leaving me distracted and vulnerable.
As my opponent lunges forward, I barely manage to dodge his attack, stumbling to regain my footing.
“Emery!” My opponent, whose name I cannot remember for the life of me, shouts and pulls me from my thoughts just in time to see him deliver a powerful kick to my chest. His kick knocks the air right out of me and sends me flying backward.
Thrown off balance, I hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of me. Gasping for air, I scramble to my feet, berating myself for my lapse in concentration.
His pack mates look on, concern etched across their faces at their weak Luna. Being here and watching them train, I realize how little training my father gave us. Maybe enough to get us out of trouble, but I am getting my ass handed to me out here.
“Are you alright?” my opponent asks, genuine worry in his eyes.
“Fine,” I snap, wiping a trickle of blood from my lip from where I bit it as I fell.
“Let’s keep going.”