Chapter 5: A bet

*Onyx POV*

Tic glowers at Bill, who seems completely unphased by the heat directed his way. Not that he ever is. In fact, it takes a lot to get to Bill. Unless you are a blind girl with a smart mouth, it would seem. He lasted only thirty minutes with the smart mouthed woman named Tilly. Now Tic and I get to be graced with his shitty attitude for the duration of this meeting.

Day one of training is over, as is customary. We are dividing the fighters up based on capabilities. There are zero surprises in who the top five are. Anna, Harriet, Flint, Peter and Lux. All five have excellent form, powerful strikes and their own style. Of those five, only two are humble. Anna and Flint.

I understand Flint’s humility. He comes from a lower-ranking family in a large pack. There is no doubt that he got his skill from nothing other than hard work and dedication. Anna, however, is a natural and has every right to be a cocky warrior. Yet, she is considerate and quiet when she fights. She weighs her options and goes for the most ethical kill. I can only assume that has more to do with her personality and friendship than with her training. 

“I think we know who the shittiest warrior is,” Bill chuckles darkly, leaning forward and writing the name Matilda on the little white board. It’s strange how seven letters in black can cause me so much discomfort. Yet they do, and I am struggling to pinpoint why.

“We can hardly judge her based on her skill when she can’t even see,” Tic argues, sounding offended. 

“If she were any kind of warrior at all, she would rely on her other senses. Hearing and smell are just as important as sight. She might be the worst warrior we have ever seen through here and you know, Tic. Shit, you both do,” Bill retorts, looking at me to verify the truth. 

He isn’t wrong. Not even a little, but I’m not feeling like taking his side on this one, not while I’m still trying to understand why talking about her like this seems wrong. Then again, I have always been weak for those with severe injuries, so perhaps her blindness has struck a chord in me. 

“If you were any good, you would have tried to actually teach her and not make a fool of her for the others to laugh at.” 

Bill rolls his eyes and sits back in his seat, giving Tic a close look. 

“You have a thing for the handicap, Tic?” He lifts a brow, the entire exchange now becoming a game to him. 

Tic shoves off the table and stands with an annoyed growl. “We are here to help them become warriors.”

“Not everyone is fit to be a warrior,” Bill shrugs. 

“So we should give up and send them on their way to a sure death?” He says, his voice growing louder by the minute. 

“Better off away from their pack than staying and getting others killed.” 

“Enough.” I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Tic is right, Bill. We are supposed to be training all of them, skill or no skill. We don’t want to lose anyone to being a rogue.” 

“Some people are better off left behind, Alpha.” Bill gives me an incredulous look and I know he is right. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it. It doesn’t mean that we should give up on her and let her die on her own. Because truth be told, she will die on her own as a rogue. Especially if her eyesight doesn’t come back. 

“Bottom five warriors.” I say, choosing to ignore him and move this meeting along. I avoid Tic’s heated gaze..

“Lincoln,” Tic sighs after a moment. “And Naomi, Hyacinth. I’d probably throw Patrick in there, too.”

“And Matilda…” I verify. 

Maybe if I say her name, the idea of her being in the bottom warriors won’t bother me as much. It shouldn’t bother me at all. I don’t get attached to anyone. Hell, not even Harriet, who is going to be my chosen Luna. 

“Shit, I bet she won’t even last two weeks before she renounces herself and ends up rogue,” Bill grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I think she will surprise you.” I reply, my eyes meeting with his. His face lights up and there is a glimmer of excitement as his lips twitch at the corners into a wry smile. I groan, knowing exactly where this is going. 

“You think she will make it?” He asks, quirking a brow.

“Perhaps. She has guts.” I shrug, trying to walk myself back out of the verbal corner I just found myself. Tic grins and Bill leans forward in his seat.

“Guts won’t get her through training…” he says, watching me carefully. 

“Persistence might.”

Bill snorts a laugh. “Persistence is just a dead man prolonging the inevitable.”

“I bet she will surprise you.” Tic says.

“Tell you what, how about we make a real bet?” Bill gives us both a childish smile and I groan in annoyance. 

Bill is notorious for his stupid bets. He loves a good gamble, but since I refuse to let him do so in a real environment, we agreed he could make bets with others on small things.

Things like who might fall asleep on night duty and the likes. His most recent bet was on how long it would take Harriet to bed me. I left out that she had already been trying for some time. He feels cheated by my win on that bet. Now he is looking for that win with this new one. 

“What kind of bet?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. “I won’t have anyone’s training interfered with.”

“Nah, this is a two parter. Sort of win-win for me.”

“Hardly seems like a fair bet then.” Tic scoffs. 

“You train her, woo her, do whatever you have to do to ensure she tries her darndest to succeed.” He says to Tic. I instantly hate the bet already. “And I bet she will still only last two weeks.” He chuckles and gives us both a satisfied grin, which feeds my competitive alpha nature, or maybe it’s my sympathetic nature. More of me not wanting to think she might lose and wind up a rogue.

“Deal,” Tic agrees.

“No.” I say shortly, then stand. “She will make it to the Warrior’s Ball, and I will be the one to train her.”

I look down at the table pretending to be doing something, anything, to negate the shocked eyes I know are on me. 

“You? You are going to train her?” Tic asks, the surprise in his voice apparent. 

“Yes. Can you think of someone better than me?” I ask, looking up in challenge. Both of them throw their hands up in defeat. 

“Nope. Just…you’ve never focused solely on one person. Especially not a lower-ranking warrior, before,” Bill says. 

“If anyone can do it, it would be me.” I mutter standing and collecting the papers in front of us and erasing the names off the small white boards. 

“Fine.” Bill says slowly. “I accept the bet. But with you training her, I’ll give her four weeks. Harriet will not be happy.” he laughs, standing, and moving toward the door.

“Why do I care about Harriet’s happiness in this?” I ask, annoyed. 

“Uh. Well, isn’t your chosen Luna…You are supposed to announce it at the Warriors Ball,” Tic reminds me and I roll my eyes. 

I keep forgetting about that. The last warrior’s ball was my final to find my mate. My pack can’t wait any longer for me to have a Luna. So I have discussed with Harriet and her family my desire to take her as my chosen mate, as she has also not found hers.

She stands to lose a lot by agreeing to being a chosen mate. We both do. The typical instant attraction, the undying pull and need to be around each other won’t be there. Our bond would be that of a more human relationship.

Then again, I’ve never been one for needing affection or intimacy beyond a certain type of touch. Harriet is understanding of that. I know she is in it just for the title. But she is ruthless and an amazing warrior. She will be an excellent man. 

“Harriet is not my Luna until the ball, so she has no say in anything I decide to do with another she-wolf. It’s not like I will fall for an incapable future rogue.” 

Bill stops at the door and gives me an assessing look before a smirk spreads across his lips.

“And what exactly do you plan to do with this little she wolf?” He asks. His words are harmless, but my wolf takes it as a cocky, disrespectful tone.

“Whatever I have to do to win.” I snap at him. “Train her, make her want to stay. Hell, I’ll stoop as low as to woo her if I have to. I’ll do anything to wipe that cocky grin off your face, short of slapping you.”

“You’d screw her…?” He shrugs like it’s a common question. “Are you willing to bed a blind girl and make her feel loved just to win a bet?”

My spine tingles and I roll my shoulders back, that competitive edge waking up once more and rearing its ugly head. 

“Did I not explain myself well enough? I said anything, Bill.”

“Good, because if I win, I get your truck... fair?” 

“And when Alpha wins? What does he get?” Tic asks, narrowing his eyes.

“Whatever he wants.” Bill shrugs and gives me a mischievous smile. “Though I have a feeling he is getting much more out of this bet than I am.” 

It’s not a fair trade. My truck for a little one-on-one training time with the worst warrior we may have ever seen. But I can’t deny that he may be right. I may get more out of this little bet than I think. That and I get time to understand the draw to this spunky, blind, pretty girl who seems unbreakable. Even if it’s for a short period.  

And I realize that’s enough of a bet. Because I want her, even if deep down I know she won’t be in my life long.

She is worth the gamble and what I stand to lose.