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2024-10-29 19:42:56FALLON
“Circle up!” Theo calls out, his hands cupped around his mouth.
We’ve been out in the arena training under the hot summer sun, and we’re all sweaty and tired. This morning was endurance training, while this afternoon we’ve been doing some sparring with our partners. I’ve been partnered with Shay all week, which would have been fun if I wasn’t in such a rut.
Today’s session has been much better, though- I don’t what know changed, but I’m back, baby. I’ve been landing every offensive move, dodging every advance on defense. I just hope it’s not too little, too late.
Saturday afternoon’s training session is always stressful because it’s the last one before weekly cuts are posted. There are thirty of us left, so half of us will be going home at some point before training camp ends. Since I’ve had such an off week, I’m even more anxious for the cut list to be posted, and I’m dreading seeing my name on it.
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Alpha Gray 41
GRAY “So between Brennan and Connor…” Reid trails off, furrowing his brow. He looks up from the paper in front of him, across the table at the rest of us. We’re in the conference room at the squad complex, seated around the oval table. The five of us have been trying to determine who to cut this week, and honestly, I hate this part. All of the recruits have been working so hard- it kills me to crush someone’s dream. I wish we could keep them all, but I know how important it is to stack the squad with the best of the best. Especially after the recent scare we had with the rogues. During my time in Denver, we were able to confirm that the rogue they captured was indeed feeding them bad information, which was a relief to all. Even so, it was a necessary wake-up call- while the shadow pack may not yet be a pressing threat, it’s still out there, and it’ll come for us eventually. When it does, we’ll need to be ready to fight
Alpha Gray 42
FALLON It scares me a little bit how quickly my world has started to revolve around Gray. The weekend feels dull without him. My friends and I hit the bar in Goldenleaf on Saturday night, but he isn’t at his usual table in the corner with the other alphas. I still drink and dance and have fun with my friends, but the night is decidedly less exciting without the prospect of ending it with him. What I wouldn’t give for a repeat of last Saturday. Sundays are our day off, and I spend mine with Brooke. After being together basically every day for eighteen years, it feels strange to have to resort to weekly catch-ups to stay current on the events in on each other’s lives. I feign interest in her IT mumbo-jumbo, while she pretends to care about the new defensive maneuvers I’ve learned. If we were strangers, we’d have nothing in common- but she’s my twin, my closest friend and confidant. It feels so good just to be with her, talk to her.
Alpha Gray 43
GRAY Fallon and her friends are dedicated, I’ll give them that. Even after full day of training, the five of them are already in the arena waiting for me when I arrive on Monday evening, eager to get started. Call it overprotective, but I just don’t like the idea of Fallon being out in the forest at night- not since that rogue attacked her out there a couple of weeks ago. I’m also not fond of the idea of Boyd putting his hands on her to spar, but I digress. Since there are only five of them, they don’t form even pairs for practice exercises. It isn’t a problem, though- I pair myself with Fallon, and sparring with her is like an intense form of foreplay. Every touch is electric, and though I should take it easier on her so she can learn, all my wolf wants to do is take her down every time, dominate her and get her underneath us. The heady mix of adrenaline, endorphins, and arousal is driving us both mad. I teach Fa
Alpha Gray 44
FALLON “You know what time it is!” Jax shouts, grinning from ear to ear as he drops the crates of mesh scrimmage tanks in front of him on the practice field. The excitement among the recruits is palpable. War games are always on Wednesdays, and since we’ve been working in teams all week, we’re doubly stoked for this round. We’ve learned a lot about one another over the past few days while running drills as a unit, and we’ve already got a solid strategy for war games on lock. “Come and get em!” We trip over one another as we rush to the crate to grab our scrimmage vests, slipping them on over our clothing. I check my shoulder patches, make sure they’re securely fastened. “Gold team with us!” Theo calls out, and I turn to see him and Gray standing together. Heck yeah, war games and Gray as one of my team’s captains? Could this day get any better? Reid and Jax are captaining the ot
Alpha Gray 45
FALLON “Another vodka-cran?” Boyd asks, sliding an arm around my waist and grinning. “Make it a double,” I laugh, tossing my hair over my shoulder. I’m on cloud nine tonight- the cut list was posted earlier today, and not only did I squeak by into the final week of training camp, but all of my close friends made it, too. And the icing on the cake? Hannah got cut. I can’t think of better reasons to celebrate. This week at camp was really tough, especially after being put on a team with Hannah. Thankfully, after Gray caught her messing with me at war games on Wednesday, she kept her distance… but her fate was sealed. In a week where it’s all about teamwork, it’s not exactly a bright idea to go after your own teammate. When I saw that Hannah’s name was on the cut list and that mine and my friends’ were absent, it took every ounce of my self-control not to whoop and cheer and celebrate right there, at her expense. I
Alpha Gray 46
GRAY The full moon’s in a week. It’s like I can feel it inching closer, looming over me like it imposes some sort of expiration date on my happiness. I’ve never dreaded a full moon before. I still don’t know what this thing is between Fallon and me, but I know want to stretch it out, hold onto it as long as I can. If only there was a way to prolong the moon’s cycle. I barely sleep worth a damn on Saturday night, and when I stroll into the kitchen at the packhouse on Sunday morning Deke’s already there rummaging through the refrigerator for something to make for breakfast. His head pops up from behind the door of the fridge when he hears me come in and he flashes me a bright smile, always so damn chipper in the morning. “Good morning, Alpha.” Deke straightens, glancing through the doorway behind me. “No guests for breakfast today?” he asks teasingly. I roll my eyes, reaching up to rub the tense spot on the base of my nec
Alpha Gray 47
FALLON I feel like shit. I’ve been bottling everything up since Saturday night- I haven’t even gone to Brooke to talk things over. I don’t know why… maybe I’m embarrassed? I feel like a fool for getting involved with Gray. Hannah’s words still haunt me. As I jog onto the practice field on Monday morning, all of my muscles are achy, like the pain I’ve tried to bury deep in my soul is physically manifesting in my body. Then I see Gray standing out there with the other alphas and the sight of him cuts like a dagger straight to the heart. Even in his workout attire- gym shorts and a cutoff t-shirt- he’s an Adonis. His magnetic eyes immediately find mine. I dart my gaze away quickly, staring at the back of Davis’ neck instead as I follow him to the center of the practice field and take a spot beside him. I’m now close enough that I can smell Gray, my wolf stirring in response, but I can’t bring myself to look at him
Alpha Gray 48
FALLON “Girl, you’re on fire!” Shay laughs, elbowing me. “About time you got that damn flag, for real this time!” We’re sitting at our usual table in the dining hall on Wednesday evening, still pumped about our war games win this afternoon. The alphas let us choose our own teams this time around, so naturally my friends and I fielded ourselves together. I got the flag fair and square and I even made it across the boundary without one of my own teammates taking me down- and the best part? Since we were all teamed together, we all get to share the victory. “What’s this about a flag?” Brooke asks, walking up behind me with a plate in hand. “I keep hearing something around the complex about how my sister’s a total badass.” She waggles her eyebrows, setting her plate on the table and kicking a leg over the bench, sliding in to take a seat beside me. I’ve totally turned it around since Monda
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Alpha Gray 55
FALLON It feels a little strange returning to the squad complex on Tuesday morning, like I’ve been away for weeks rather than days. So much has happened since I passed through the gate on Saturday afternoon, staring out the window from the backseat of Boyd’s dad’s SUV, turning over in my mind whether I’d have the courage to come back for the full moon run. I’m so fucking glad I did. I was being a total chicken, which isn’t like me at all. Then again, love makes you do some crazy, foolish things. Thank god my sister was there to make me realize how stupid I was being and talk me into coming back to face the music- I definitely owe her one. I’ll add it to the list of debts I owe Brooke for always coming through when I need her. Gray slides the Jeep into his usual spot outside the gate, throwing it in park and cutting the engine. He turns to me, dark eyes alight w
Alpha Gray 54
GRAY “They’re ready for you, Alpha,” Deke says, peering in the doorway of my bedroom at the packhouse expectantly, a grin spreading across his face. He’s looking forward to this almost as much as I am- the moment I finally get to tell my pack that I’ve found my mate. While Deke and I have done our best to hold our fractured pack together since I was forced to prematurely step up as their alpha, having a luna completes our pack in some sense, makes us more whole. The future of our pack is brighter than ever. I’m so fucking proud to introduce Fallon to the pack as my mate. She’s a perfect luna- so strong and brave, a force to be reckoned with. I couldn’t have designed a better she-wolf to lead the pack with me if I’d tried; she’s so much more than I could’ve ever imagined. I can tell she’s nervous- she’s changed her clothes twice since we returned to the packhouse, and she’s been fiddling with her hair in the mir
Alpha Gray 53
GRAY I wake the next morning from the best night’s sleep of my life. I spent hours alternating between fucking and making love to Fallon, coaxing moans from her pouty lips and watching her pant and writhe in pleasure. I’m still completely in awe of her, still in disbelief that she’s finally mine, forever. We’ve sealed the mate bond; nothing can separate us. I was so wrapped up in Fallon last night that I totally forgot about the full moon run, or the fact that my pack was probably wondering where the hell I went after it ended. My bedroom’s far enough away from the main area of the packhouse that I doubt anyone could’ve heard us- but then again, with the way Fallon was screaming, it’s anyone’s guess. There’s no concealing my contentedness when I enter the kitchen of the packhouse the next day. Deke’s cooking something in a pan on the stove and I stop in the doorway, leaning idly against it and clearing my throat to ann
Alpha Gray 52
FALLON “I always knew it was you,” Gray murmurs in my ear as he carries me through the packhouse, up the stairs and down the hall. Warmth spreads in my chest as I plant a shower of kisses on his cheeks, his nose, his eyelashes, his forehead. I’m so in awe of him, of how it feels to be his, for him to be mine. My parents were right; there’s no way to put the mate bond into words. It’s complete and utter euphoria. Everything I’ve ever felt for Gray is multiplied tenfold; the emotions are so overpowering I don’t know whether I want to laugh or cry or scream or pass out. Scratch that- I know what I want. I want him to take me to his bed and fuck me senseless. Gray kicks the door of his bedroom closed behind us, carrying me over to the bed and tossing me down onto it. My body bounces with the springy softness of the mattress, then his body covers mine, his lips crushing down in another bruising kiss. He pushes himse
Alpha Gray 51
GRAYThey say if you love something, you should let it go. So I did. I set her free, and I don’t think she’s coming back.I still have no regrets.Those weeks I spent with Fallon were the first time I’ve felt alive- really alive- in a long time. For the past five years, I’ve been numb, frozen in my grief, pushing forward blindly and refusing to let anyone or anything in, refusing to really feel anything. Throwing myself into my duties as alpha and to the security squad to avoid any semblance of an actual personal life. Then Fallon came along and started chipping away at the dam, breaking it down and causing a flood.Even if she doesn’t come back, at least I had that glimpse at happiness for a moment. I now know for certain that there can be real joy in life on the other side of the pain I’ve been suffering since my family was ripped away from me. She’s both
Alpha Gray 50
GRAY “Will you shut the fuck up and focus?” Brock snaps, pounding his fist on the table. We’ve been shut in this stuffy conference room for the better part of an hour, combing through the details of every recruit’s last trial, agonizing over our final selections for the squad. The conversation about Bex started to go off the rails when Jax commented on her massive rack, then took a nosedive when Theo started in on what he’d do if he had the opportunity to take her home for a night. Brock, Reid and I are all used to their antics by now, but we’re stressed, we’re exhausted, and more than anything, we’re ready to get the hell out of this room. Now isn’t the time for the Jax and Theo roadshow. “Jeez, man, lighten up,” Theo grumbles, shooting Brock a sideways glance. Brock lets out an exasperated sigh, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I just want to get this over with.” “Me too,” Reid agrees. “Let’s
Alpha Gray 49
FALLON It might seem like overkill for my friends and I to sneak in extra training after the alphas work us so hard all day, but our nighttime sessions have quickly become my favorite ritual. As wolf shifters, we already have a strong drive to stick close with one another, be part of a pack, and the bonding that occurs when you spend an extended amount of time with the same people is no different. It’s like my friends and I have formed our own little pack within the pack, learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses, having one another’s backs. I feel a tinge of sadness when Boyd suggests we call it a night on Friday evening, the realization sinking in that this is our little group’s last after-hours session together. By this time tomorrow, we’ll know whether we’ve made the squad- and I’m so hopeful that we’ll all make it, together. It seems like the others must have similar sentiments, because we take a little longe
Alpha Gray 48
FALLON “Girl, you’re on fire!” Shay laughs, elbowing me. “About time you got that damn flag, for real this time!” We’re sitting at our usual table in the dining hall on Wednesday evening, still pumped about our war games win this afternoon. The alphas let us choose our own teams this time around, so naturally my friends and I fielded ourselves together. I got the flag fair and square and I even made it across the boundary without one of my own teammates taking me down- and the best part? Since we were all teamed together, we all get to share the victory. “What’s this about a flag?” Brooke asks, walking up behind me with a plate in hand. “I keep hearing something around the complex about how my sister’s a total badass.” She waggles her eyebrows, setting her plate on the table and kicking a leg over the bench, sliding in to take a seat beside me. I’ve totally turned it around since Monda
Alpha Gray 47
FALLON I feel like shit. I’ve been bottling everything up since Saturday night- I haven’t even gone to Brooke to talk things over. I don’t know why… maybe I’m embarrassed? I feel like a fool for getting involved with Gray. Hannah’s words still haunt me. As I jog onto the practice field on Monday morning, all of my muscles are achy, like the pain I’ve tried to bury deep in my soul is physically manifesting in my body. Then I see Gray standing out there with the other alphas and the sight of him cuts like a dagger straight to the heart. Even in his workout attire- gym shorts and a cutoff t-shirt- he’s an Adonis. His magnetic eyes immediately find mine. I dart my gaze away quickly, staring at the back of Davis’ neck instead as I follow him to the center of the practice field and take a spot beside him. I’m now close enough that I can smell Gray, my wolf stirring in response, but I can’t bring myself to look at him
