Chapter 4: Meeting Bill

I have no idea what an ungodly hour it is when Anna wakes me up and throws clothes at my face. Not that it matters when you are struggling to see again every time of day looks and feels the same. Shit, I’m just perpetually tired of being in this never ending darkness.

“What time is it?” I ask, feeling around the bra in my hands to make sure I put it on right. 

“Time for training.” She says. 

“Oh, good, so it’s early as shit and no one will even notice if I sleep through the speech. I am certain we will get in the beginning.”

Anna sighs heavily, intentionally trying to make it so I can hear her disapproval of that plan of mine. Her lithe feet pad across the room and I feel her hands tangling in my hair as she throws up my unruly mess into a bun. 

“I can do my hair.” I grumble and she snorts. 

“You could hardly do it when you had your eyesight.” 

“Rude.” I mumble, refusing to admit she is completely right. 

“Speaking of rude…” her tone changes and I know I am about to get her alpha tone. “You need to watch your tone with the superiors. We are trying to keep you in the pack, not get you kicked out.”

Guilt courses through my veins, and I nod in defeat. Anna has put so much on the line for me. She has always stuck by my side, defended me and tried to improve her fighting. She claims she is twice the fighter, so I don’t have to be. Anna and Beckham are the only two people in the world I would do anything for. And that includes keeping my sassy ass in check. Even if I’m grumpy and in pain.

“I’ll try my best, Anna.” I promise. 

“I need more than a try, Til. I need you to succeed. If you don’t make the cut, I walk away from the pack.”

I freeze and wish more than anything I could look her in the eyes. 

“No!” I panic. “You are supposed to be the next alpha.”

Her warm hand takes my wrist, pulling me along with her. 

“Alpha blood doesn’t dictate how I choose to live. I choose to live where I can see my best friend when I want to. Now move faster. We are going to be late. “

I stumble along behind her as she breaks into a light jog. It doesn’t take us long to arrive, the anxious and excited murmuring from the other participants unmistakable as she guides me to a place to sit.

“Good morning.” A clear, crisp voice rings out, and I instinctively want to hide from it.

My cheeks pool with heat as I remember just how embarrassing I must have been last night. Anna clutches my hand, calming me with her cool demeanor, and I suck in a deep breath. This is fine. Everything will work out as it is meant to.

Alpha Onyx thanks everyone for coming, giving each pack a genuine welcome and warning of what is coming should they fail. Not that it is necessary. We know what happens when the required warriors fail. His voice is distant, authoritative until it seems like it is being directly at me. 

“I suggest that the top warriors pick someone of equal skill. Choosing someone with less skills will do no one any favors. In previous years, we strived to ensure that our less skilled worked with our most skilled. This year presents us with new challenges and for that reason, we must hone the skills of those who are talented and do what we can for the others.”

I lean into Anna. “New challenges…?” I whisper, and I can feel her interest is already piqued, like mine. 

“I’m sorry,” her voice rings out beside me, “but what do you mean by new challenges? Is there something we need to know?”

Silence settles over the whole of the arena like dust after a windstorm.

“When that is something that directly affects you, you will be informed.” Alpha Onyx states in a smooth voice. 

“It sounds like it already directly affects the required warriors here.” I say, instantly wanting to smack myself as Anna gives my hand a warning squeeze.

“You have a point.” He responds, his voice growing closer. “Just trust that if there is a time where you need to know, we will inform you.”

“Good to know,” I mutter, dropping my head slightly in respect. 

“Now. Break into pairs. I want you to spar. Beta Atticus and I will assess your fighting skills.”

He claps his hands and suddenly it sounds like everyone is moving. Warriors are moving about, looking for a partner to fight with.

“Tilly?” a voice calls out, growing closer. I try to spin and find the direction it comes from, my hands resting on a small railing before me. “Alpha Onyx feels it is best you train with me today, considering your condition.”

“It’s the Gamma, Bill..” Anna whispers in my ear. “And you can jump the railing to get into the pitch.”

I nod in understanding and throw my best smile in what I hope is the direction of the Gamma. Judging by the deep chuckle, I am facing the wrong direction, but I push that embarrassing note aside and throw my leg over the barrier, wobbling to the side and toppling down, face first into the dust. A roar rips through the crowd behind me, and a menacing growl shuts a few up.

“Be a dick about her mistakes, and I will rearrange your genitals. Understood?” Anna hisses.

Hands grab onto my biceps, yanking me up as I feebly try to dust myself off.

“Shit, you okay?” Bill asks.

“Just great.” I lie, plastering on a fake smile.

“Yeah, I’m sure you are,” he says, sounding amused. “Alpha Onyx feels it is best if you train with me for the time being, considering your condition.”

“Wonderful.” I mutter, reaching out and clutching at his elbow as I follow him.

Before I even have a moment to set myself up in whatever weak pose I can muster, a hit lands on my stomach, knocking the wind clear from my lungs. I bend in half, my arm over my gut, wheezing in the air. 

“Mother of fucking frogs.” I grumble. 

“You really are blind?” he asks, though I can’t tell if he is more amused or shocked by the revelation that I’m not making this shit up. 

“For the time being, yeah?” I croak out, straightening myself up. 

“Listen for the shit in the air.” he slaps me up the side of my head, hard and I wince, a startled gasp leaving my lips. 

“What in the actual fuck?” I growl.

“Sorry,” he says, though he lack sincerity. 

“Oh yeah, totally getting that sympathetic vibe from you.” I say dryly. 

A hand wraps around my neck as I reach out, clawing at the wrist, digging my nails into his skin as his breath fans over my face. This is all too familiar with my recent rogue run in and fear slams into me.

 “Your blatant disrespect for authority is infuriating.” He hisses. 

I raise my knee in desperation, throwing it with all the force I can muster, hoping to rearrange his family jewels. It connects with something soft and fleshy. His hand falls away from my airways with an annoyed growl as he drops me. 

My knees hit the ground roughly and I fall forward on my hands, trying to ground myself. 

Once more, a hit wrecks me, this time from the back of the head. Colors explode before my eyes and for a moment, I wonder if I might get my sight back. Instead, darkness descends once more and I whimper from the pain. I didn’t expect him to pull his punches, but something about hitting a blind girl from the back feels extra vicious. 

“Get up,” Bill demands, sounding impatient. 

I inhale sharply, trying to find my footing. Not such a simple task when one is dizzy and without eyesight. “You are wasting valuable time,” he growls lowly. 

“Forgive me for being disoriented without fucking working eyes,” I snap. My head resonates like a bomb has detonated within the small confines of my skull. There is no controlling the snark of anger that now flows freely. My head snaps back, a hand wrapped tightly in my hair as I grit my teeth, refusing to beg him to stop. 

“Do you get off on this?” I throw the words at him. The only way I’m getting out of this torture is by making him go ballistic. He seems to have an unsatiated need for respect and authority and an equally high temper. Rules state he can’t harm me. Sure, he can kick my ass, but that won’t look great, considering my condition. 

“What?” He asks me, taken aback. 

“Do you get hard, hurting handicap girls?” I ask, laying it on thick as molasses. I can feel the growl rumble through his hand and into the base of my skull from my hair. 

I’ve effectively pissed him off. Not 100% sure this is a good thing, but progress is progress, and it’s all I got.

One minute I am standing on my toes trying to ease the pain in my scalp, the next I‘ve taken flight. My body hits a hard surface and I crumble to the ground. Sounds fade in and out as I try to force in air. A gentle warmth rubs my back and I’m grateful for the likes of Anna. 

“You just made my Gamma quit.” Alpha Onyx’s voice is close, as if he is on his knees next to me and I shrink away from where I assume he is, sliding closer to Anna. A deep chuckle vibrates into my shoulder, and I realize Anna isn’t the one with me. It’s just Alpha Onyx and I. 

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” I croak out, shying away from him. 

“No one has broken my gamma before,” he says with mild amusement. 

“That dick was born broken,” I mutter and wince as I inhale too deep. 

“So your secret weapon in fighting is smack talk.” He says, more of a statement than a question, but again I sense his amusement. 

“Cling to what you know, and all that.” I mutter as his large hand engulfs mine, and he helps me up. His hand lingers, the warmth of it almost easing the pain and aches my body feels. 

“It is the first time I’ve seen the tactic successfully deployed, I must admit.” He says, a smile in his voice. His reaction sets off alarms all over. Why is he not angry? 

I swallow the nervous lump in my throat and ease my hand from his, clutching it to my chest with my other. 

“What now?” I ask him, that fear gripping my chest like a nut stuck in a nutcracker. At any moment, he could just cast me out as a failure. I’ve been here for less than twenty-fours hours and I’ve already quite possibly made myself a rogue. 

“Now you train with someone unbreakable,” he says with ease. “Now you train with me.”

My mouth falls open, and I stammer to find the right words. Should I be grateful for a second chance? Angry that it’s not all over so quickly? 

“Well, shit.” Tumbles from my dry lips as he grabs my wrist and drags me along behind him.

“Probably a very accurate way to feel about your situation.”

“Is this just until I get my eyesight back?” I ask, stumbling along, trying to make sure he doesn’t rip my arm from its socket.

“We will see.” 

“Hah. Funny joke,” I mumble to the wind, wondering where the hell I went so wrong in my life to land me where I am.