Page 42

42

Lucas

Watching Kaylee sparring with Aunt Amelia in the training ring is impressive. Kaylee is fast, dodging each punch and kick thrown her way and landing blows on my aunt. In the last week, since our meeting about the upcoming war, she’s grown even stronger. I was furious when she’d said she would train alongside us, needing to be in peak fighting condition to take down Marilyn and Ramos. I’d argued with her, not wanting her or our unborn pup to get injured.

She won the argument in the end when she led me to the training grounds and proceeded to beat the ever-loving shit out of me. She was fast and furious, her body dodging and weaving between my punches and landing blow after blow against me until I was left bloodied and bruised on the ring, with barely a scratch on her. In the end, everyone was right. Kaylee is stronger and quicker than me.

Marco and Simon had to help me back to our cottage, where Kaylee tended to the wounds she’d given me. I apologized to her, admitting that I let my judgment become clouded and that I do, in fact, need her to fight beside me. She accepted my apology readily, snuggling close to my side in bed happily, looking as smug as a kitten that had caught a fish twice its size.

The next day, she and I started training together between our regular beta duties, Kaylee helping me become stronger and faster in the following days.

“She’ll make a fine alpha.”

I jump when someone says this, turning to find Kurt behind me, watching Amelia and Kaylee fight.

“Yeah. She kind of beat that notion into me,” I admit, and Kurt chuckles.

“I heard,” he says with amusement, moving to stand beside me. “You’ve changed a lot, Lucas. That I can give you.” He smiles at me proudly.

Warmth spread through me as if my father was praising me, and in a way, he was. Kurt had been my mother’s Goddess-given mate.

“But you still have that stubbornness that Ramos beat into you. That ‘women are weaker than their male counterparts, especially when pregnant’ mentality. But we all know that isn’t true—Kaylee proved it when she left you battered and bruised last week,” Kurt continues.

I laugh at this, agreeing that he’s right. Women are not as weak as I once thought they were. Kaylee has proven that to me time and time again.

Unfortunately, I keep thinking I need to protect her, to keep her out of harm’s way, like an idiot. What I really should do is have her by my side. Have the two of us work together, watching each other’s back and taking on whatever the world throws our way as one.

Kurt and I watch for a while longer, Kaylee getting the upper hand on Aunt Amelia and flipping her over her shoulder. My aunt just lays on the ground, panting and holding her hand up.

“You win, Kaylee,” she says as she catches her breath. I smile, pride swelling inside me at how strong my mate has become. Kaylee helps my aunt to her feet, the two grinning ear to ear.

“What time will Titus and his men be here?” I ask Kurt, turning my back on the ring as we walk outside towards Kurt’s Jeep. Today, Titus and his men are coming to begin training with our wolves for the upcoming battle. Uncle David had asked for my help cleaning the guest house now that all the rogues had been initiated into the pack and given proper lodgings.

“Around six tonight, so in four hours,” Kurt answers as we climb into his vehicle.

[Are you going to help David now?] Kaylee’s voice flickers into our link as Kurt turns on the Jeep and drives away from the training grounds.

[I am. See you at home before dinner?] I reply, watching the trees pass by.

[Yep. I’m looking forward to seeing Titus and meeting Daisy finally,] Kaylee answers before shutting off the link.

I chuckle, wondering if Titus is ready to get his ass kicked by Kaylee as well during training. I know Daisy will enjoy the scene, and so will Avery, considering Kaylee and the two other she-wolves have talked every day since our meeting last week.

Arriving at the guest house, Kurt and I find the doors wide open with omegas running in and out. Confused, Kurt and I look at one another before shrugging. It seems this place needs a deeper cleaning than we thought.

“Uncle David?” I call as we walk into the building, dodging an omega with arms full of bedding they’re taking to the basement for laundering.

“In the kitchen!” I hear his reply and chuckle. Kurt says he’ll help the omegas gather the rest of the linen before racing up the stairs. I go to the kitchen to find my uncle cursing at the oven.

“What happened?” I ask, watching him lean against the kitchen island and rub his face.

“The oven broke last night. I’ve been trying to fix it, but I think I need to buy a new one,” he answers, sighing.

“If you want, I can take Kaylee’s truck and get a replacement,” I offer. Uncle David perks up at this, telling me he’ll call the appliance store in the nearest town and have Kurt help him remove the old oven and clean up the area so it’s ready by the time I return.

With a nod to my uncle, I link Kaylee, telling her I’m borrowing her truck for a few hours and why, as I leave the guest house and make the long trek to the cottage. She instantly okayed this, telling me to pick up some apple juice while I was out, and I smiled. It seems the apple craving isn’t going away anytime soon.

Reaching the cottage, I open the door and grab the truck keys from the hook just in arm’s reach of the door. From there, I climb into the truck and back out of the small gravel driveway. I know I’ll eventually need to get my own vehicle, but that can wait until after we take back Oak Fur.