Brooklyn-
The fear was still there, not as bad, but still very much there. It has been three days since I started working with Eric. On the first day, we went over to the pack clinic so I could get checked out. Apparently, the pack doctor had already taken my blood and I had been lacking all sorts of nutrients, now I just had a slight vitamin D deficiency.
We went over everything I ate in a day and other than adding a protein shake in the morning before training, he didn’t see a reason to adjust my diet. I showed him what I knew already, from Tate. He had made a comment that he was impressed by how well I was doing after just a few short weeks.
We went over a few defensive maneuvers and he showed me a few things that would help. By the time all was said and done, we didn’t have time to spar, which I hadn’t minded. On the second day, we did and I had so many panic attacks that I wasn’t sure I would ever be ready. He had been patient and re
Tatum-“Set up the Luna Ceremony one week from today.” I heard Eric say after bursting into my office, without knocking I might add.I was used to him just barging in uninvited, he has done it since he was old enough to walk. If it weren’t for the fact, he was my brother, I would have thrown his ass out. Looking up from my laptop, I saw Eric settle in one of the chairs across from the desk.“Don’t you think that is a bit too soon?” I rolled my eyes.“Not at all. Just give me a week and I will have her ready.”“I like your enthusiasm and all, but there is no way she will be ready. You do know there is already a line of members wanting to challenge her, right?”“She will be ready.”“The girl can barely get near anyone without flinching.”“As I said, she will be ready.” Eric claimed, with a vain expression etched over his face.&
Brooklyn-A week of training with Eric had been torture. Honing my skills as a fighter hadn’t been so bad, it was the mental and emotional turmoil I had to go through also. Suffice to say, I had overcome the majority of my fear. Taking Eric’s suggestion to heart, when we weren’t working on combat, I was trying to recognize where my fear stemmed from.My biggest obstacle hadn’t been that I was afraid of getting hurt, the pain I could handle. It was the lack of being able to protect myself. Knowing I still had a ways to go, the more we trained the more determined I became, but now I knew that in time I would be able to protect myself. No longer would I allow anyone to treat me like the others had.I was a lot stronger than I had been a week ago, even faster. Eric had given me everything he had in our last session and while I struggled to defend myself with every attack, I got back up and kept going. His skill and strength surpassed me great
Brooklyn- “Put the bag down over there.” Tate said, motioning towards a bench behind the stage. “When will everyone be arriving?” “Eric is holding everyone off until you are ready. We need to go over a few things first.” “Couldn’t we have spoken inside?” I asked while I laid the bag over the back of the bench. “No.” Tate said, not giving me any more of an explanation, but he looked frustrated. “Okay, what do we need to go over?” “I wanted to remind you that if you lose today, our contract is void. I will not step down as Alpha if you are unable to perform. Eric thinks you can do this, but I have my doubts. I will give a public rejection if you lose and you have to act as if you are in pain. You will still be able to remain in the pack for the rest of the term, but you will be moved out of the packhouse.” He stopped talking and he didn’t look happy. Eric had informed me of what was at stake, but I hadn’t expected this. I
Tatum-This very thing is why I knew she wasn’t ready. Why I even listened to my brother, I will never understand. Brook was getting beat and she just laid on the ground covering her face, letting it happen. I could smell the fear radiating from her, it was nearly suffocating. Whispers filtered through the crowd, all saying the same types of things.“How can she be our Luna? The girl can’t even defend herself.”“Alpha is mated to her?”“I won’t accept her as our Luna. I don’t care if she is mates with the Alpha.”“She was in training with us once and Alpha Tate had to show her everything.”“You would think she would have gone to training more if she couldn’t fight.”“What was the Alpha thinking? She sure is pretty but she won’t be able to protect any of us if she can’t protect herself.”“I wanted to challenge
Brooklyn-Never in my life had I felt so royally pissed at anyone in my life. When Tate had called the fight off, something in me snapped. He had told me beforehand he would call it if it got out of hand, but it was the disappointment in his eyes that got to me. Right now I hated him. Where did he get the right to say that I was finished?Maybe I had freaked out and Chasity got the better of me. Except I wasn’t going to lay down any longer. I was through letting others get the upper hand. The words Eric had spoken in my head just moments before Tate called the fight, had helped me push back the fear.“Are you seriously going to let her win? You are stronger and faster than her. Let go of your past and remember everything you have done since you arrived. You are not the same girl. You are more than that. Get your ass up and fight back!” He had said.I had just pushed back the fear and while I hurt like hell, I was more determined than eve
Tatum-I couldn’t believe my eyes. This was not the same Brooklyn that I knew. She was far more skilled than anything I could imagine. How was it possible that in just a week of Eric training her, she has improved to this degree? I admit my brother is good, but no one is that good.Watching her now, I knew I underestimated her abilities. Never in my life have I ever saw someone be able to reform themselves down to their very core. She was quick on her feet and flawless in her movements. When Chasity shifted, I had expected that Brook was not going to survive but there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was out of my hands.Even with her arm, she didn’t let it stop her. When I first found her, she had shown just strength and was able to stand up even after what happened to her. Using a belt to bind her arm, was rather brilliant though. There was one thing that Eric had said that had me wondering the same thing.Who were her parents exactly?
Tatum-By the time I reached the operating room, they were Kate was already working on Brook. I found Eric in the observation room just above. His nose was pressed against the glass, watching Kate sew up Brook’s arm. He didn’t acknowledge me when I stood beside him.Peering down, I felt that this was my fault. Brook had been ready, but I should have known better than to allow shifting in the match. It had put Brook at a disadvantage, although she handled herself better than expected.“Don’t you dare.” I heard Eric mutter.“What?”“I can practically feel the guilt rolling off you. She had one hell of a fight and we should all be proud of her. Chasity had lost her shit and she has been training since before she could even walk. Brook on the other hand had just started and look at what she accomplished. Don’t you dare take that away from her.” He snapped, the muscles in his jaw hardening.
Brooklyn- I followed Tate outside, with Eric walking beside me. He kept looking over at me and it was clear he was worried about me. Even with the morphine in my system, I was in a lot of pain, but there was no sense in giving up now. Win or lose, it didn’t matter anymore. I was doing this for myself. “You know you don’t have to go through with this right? We can reschedule for another time. No one will fault you after what you just went through. You took on a wolf without even shifting. That alone will earn you credibility amongst the pack.” Eric spoke to me through the link. “This is no longer about them. I don’t care if they don’t accept me anymore.” “I can’t begin to know what is going through your head, but you have proven that you are capable of defending yourself. If you get challenged again, you may not make it out of this alive.” “Then I will die with honor, knowing that I was able to keep fighting until the end.” I stopped walking an