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Chapter 20
One Week Later
Intermediate Tournament
The more time I spent with Liam and the rest of our friends, the more normal I felt. The hole in my chest was still present, but the pain seemed to come and go. It would hit at the worst moments, and did not discriminate on whether I was alone or with my friends.
Liam was able to tell when my mind had drifted, leaving entirely. Most of the time he was able to pull me back, always giving me that lop-sided smile that I had come to depend on. I knew the hole would never close, but Liam and our friends minimized the pain and the effect it had on me. I no longer hid in Liam's basement, training until my body collapsed into exhaustion. I spent time with them, laughed with them, healed with them.
As the Intermediate Tournament grew closer, I found myself more and more excited. When I had first signed up for the Beginners Tournament, I was terrified and unsure. I wasn't the best warrior in
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Alpha Atlas Chapter 21
Liam's reaction was instant, his eyes glazing over as he mind-linked the rest of the pack. I couldn't hear his words, as I had yet to complete the ceremony that made me an official member. Liam and I had talked it over many times, putting it off until after my Tournament. It seems we waited just a moment too late.The crowd erupted in panic, parents grabbing children left and right as they raced as far away from the rogues as they could get. Blood already began to stain the grass, and I felt my limbs threaten to lock up in fear.Not this time, I told myself. I forced myself to look at every child, parent, and grand-parent. It wasn't myself I was fighting for, it was them. I had two choices. I could run and seek safety--completely throwing away all of the progress I had made. Or I could fight, I could release the anger I had been feeling for so long--since before my Mom died. The anger that blistered through me the day Atlas rejected me.&nb
Alpha Atlas Chapter 22
"Mate"The word rang out among the crowd of warriors, bouncing from person to person until everyone knew the truth. Their future Alpha had found his mate, had found their Luna. Liam's Dad stiffened, though happiness burned in his eyes.I couldn't blame any of them. Mine and Liam's relationship wasn't well known. The only people who knew were Liam, Kris, Tyra, Nicki and Dustin. Even Liams parents, the Luna and Alpha, had been left in the dark. I preferred it this way, as I couldn't imagine the entire pack giving me the same pitiful looks that Dustin, Kris, Tyra, and Nicki were giving me. That small cowardly part of me wanted to run, leaving everything behind for the second time. I squashed that part of me, snuffing it out before it's voice could even be heard. I wiped my face of all emotion and forced the pain away from my eyes. No one needed to know, needed to see yet another part of my heart chip and break off. I had known this wa
Alpha Atlas Chapter 23
Nicki was one of the lucky ones during the battle. Her car was parked far enough down the block that it hadn't received a single scratch from the fight. Those who parked their cars closer to the park were unfortunate. Some had minor scratches and dents, while others had shattered windshields and missing doors. Nicki let out a long sigh of relief as she spotted her car untouched and without damage."Thank the Goddess." Nicki groaned, patting the hood of her car. "Mom and Dad would have killed me if anything happened to this car."Nicki and Dustin's parents were also trainers, but they often traveled to other packs to offer assistance on training troops. They came home every so often, but even I had only spotted them once since living here. The three of us hopped into Nicki's car and peeled off down the road, the scent of burning bodies fading as we drifted farther and farther from the center of town.Nicki and Dustin lived in a newly devel
Alpha Atlas Chapter 24
Dustin and Kris stayed in the den with us, though neither of them had anything more to drink. After another hour, my eyelids began to grow heavy. Dustin offered to bring me back to the packhouse, as it was nearly one in the morning. Figuring it would be late enough to avoid prying eyes, I let Dustin drive me.The world pitched and rolled as I hopped out of the car. I pressed my hand against the cold paint, hoping to steady myself before I fell flat on my back. My legs felt disconnected from my body, moving with a mind of their own. Dustin ran around the front of the car, his hand grasping at my elbow to steady me."Thanks." I said, though it came out in a half-tired, half-drunken mumble."No more drinking with my sister." Dustin chuckled, his laugh thick and rich. "You can't handle it.""I can to handle it." I snorted, placing most of my weight against Dustin as we hobbled to the front door.Dustin wrapped
Alpha Atlas Chapter 25
As it turns out, there wasn't much to be briefed on as Liam pretty much covered the basics. The Northern Star pack takes up most of Washington state, and suffered an attack a few weeks ago by a nameless beast. Nicki had little detail on the beast itself, but told me at least ten lives were lost in the fight. Liam had sent two warriors into the pack to aid with training, but their Alpha had requested a few more for defensive purposes.I rested my head against the cool window of the Ford Explorer Dustin was driving and fought against the remaining thud of my earlier headache. Nicki sat in the back seat, a pair of headphones on as she bounced around to some song I couldn't hear. If I closed my eyes long enough, I could pretend we weren't wedged in between two identical Ford Explorer's, and that this mission made some sense.I still couldn't fathom why Liam would send me of all people. He had been raised in this pack, surely, he could have sent Kris
Alpha Atlas Chapter 26
Shock, denial, confusion, understanding, and anger. Each emotion passed through me, twisting my insides, burning the backs of my eyelids. The plate I held in my hands clattered onto the counter, my fingertips stinging from the heat.Atlas had heard me that day, heard as I called out to him, begging him to stop. He had come here, looking for me. I didn't have a clue what to make of the information. If Atlas had come months ago, I might have leaped at the chance to see him. Now, now I wasn't so sure. Sure, he had come to Liam's pack after hearing my call, but why? I highly doubted he was concerned for my well-being.What brought anger crackling through my veins was Liam. The realization hit me like a blow to the head. He insisted on sending me to the Northern Star Pack, insisted no one else could replace me, that I was best for the job. I wasn't sure how, but I knew Liam had sent me away just in time for Atlas to show up. The feeling boiling in my
Alpha Atlas Chapter 27
One Week LaterThree Weeks Until the Advanced TournamentI glared at the note as it sat on my bedside table, hating it--hating myself for ruining my one chance at reading it. It was clear my Mom had written it before leaving the house to help against the rogue attack. In my blind rage that day, I knocked over a number of half-full coffee cups, soaking the note I had completely overlooked. It sat on the floor of the house for nearly a month, as it had taken me over a month to gather enough courage--or desperation, to finally visit.I wanted to scream, at my Mom and at myself. She always had a habit of leaving half-full coffee cups around the house, making a new one before she finished the first. The dark ink on the thin sheet of paper had ran, and long ago dried into a sticky, fragile mess. I could only make out a handful of words on the paper, none of which made any sense. It was clear she left the note in case something had happened to her, bu
Alpha Atlas Chapter 28
Three Weeks LaterThe Advanced TournamentAs I sat on the metal bench awaiting my turn, my stomach was absent of butterflies. I had trained relentlessly for this day, where I would finally become a warrior in Liam's pack. I trained my body and my mind until it's breaking point, and had reaped the results of my extensive training. After this, I would go through the brief ceremony that connected me to Liam and his pack.Where the Tournament had once been a festive occasion, it was now mixed with worry and loss. It had only been a month since the rogue attack, and this pack had changed during that time. More and more people were stepping up, joining training as they fought to protect their people. With all the new recruits, the Beginner's Tournament had taken nearly two hours to complete.My name was called and I stepped into the fighting ring, followed by my opponent, a large guy by the name of Kendrick. I knew at first glance that K
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