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
Brooklyn-I expected him to attack straight out, but what he did instead surprised me. Kneeling to one knee, with one arm positioned on the knee he had up, the other crossed over his chest with his hand balled into a fist. He tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck. I didn’t know what to do.Waiting to see if he would stand, I didn’t move. I couldn’t just attack him like this, it seemed wrong. After a long drawn-out silence, he still didn’t move. I shifted from one foot to the other, starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. My gaze moved to Eric, who was standing next to Tate.“He is showing you respect. This is him acknowledging you as his Luna. When he does fight, it will be with honor. Give recognition to his commitment.” Eric spoke in my head.“Do I do what he is doing?”“No. Never bow down to them. You are the future Luna. You hold a higher rank than them.”Turning towar
Tatum-Axel had pushed his way to the front of my mind the moment Brook had been knocked to the ground. The sound of the growl that came from me, hadn’t even been me, it had been my wolf. I admit that it had stirred something inside of me watching Brook get hurt, but this was entirely different.My own wolf had reacted, until now I didn’t even think he had any interest in her. He has kept himself tucked away when she was around, not even showing even a hint of curiosity. Now I could feel his rage spilling into me as if it were my own. Or was it mine that I was feeling on top of his?“What the hell was that?” I asked Axel.He didn’t respond, nor did he slink back into the hole he dug himself since Leslie died. He was on high alert, I could sense him ready to force a shift.“Answer me damnit!” I demanded.Still no answer. Either he wasn’t listening or he was deliberately ignoring me. I gathered i