Chapter 7

*BRIANNE’S POV*

“Why do I have to train at the pack house?, can’t I train somewhere else?” I asked as my anxiousness skyrocketed.

“So you’ve agreed to train?” My mother asked, her tone laced with surprise.

I held myself from rolling my eyes. “Did I have a choice in the first place?” I retorted.

“The pack house is the best and the safest,” she said, her mood seemed to have been elevated. “You could even get the chance to be trained by the Alpha’s mother. Then maybe you could transform into your wolf form”  she continued, the last part came out in a whisper.

“Not again” I groaned in annoyance. “ do we have to do this all the time?” I stomped.

“You need your wolf Bri,” she persuaded.

“No I don’t,” I said, the volume of my voice going higher as I took a step back. “Why can’t you see me for who I am instead of sending me off to some combat training? I can’t shift... Wolf wolf wolf, You all make me so sick. I don’t need my wolf,” I yelled.

“Then you’re nothing more than a human,” my mother yelled back at me.

“You don’t treat me like I deserve to be amongst you, so it wouldn’t be bad if I were human” I gritted my teeth and turned around.

“Please leave,” I said, my voice unexpectedly turned calm. The calmness belied the turmoil that went on within me as a dull ache throbbed in my head.

I was already sick of the pressure, the constant expectation to transform into my wolf form was suffocating me. Why do I have to go to the pack house of all the training grounds? That’s Alpha’s Jordyn’s dojo.  Not to mention that I’ll be surrounded by wolves…wolves who could smell my fear and weakness. It was like my father was pouring gasoline into the fire.

I wanted to call Mary, I needed to vent to someone who’d understand, but I can’t always burden her with my problems. So I bottled up the anger and let it simmer inside me.

***

*JORDYN’S POV*

It’s almost absurd, how much I yearned to go back to her house. My wolf was growling, restless, threatening to break free if I didn’t get a grip. I have to keep it under control before I lose my mind.

I let out a long, slow exhale, trying to calm my racing heart, as I picked up my pen.

Just then, a knock at the door broke the silence.

“Come in,” I invited.

I still had my head down when the sharp feminine voice pierced my ears.

“Jordyn,”. She called out. I looked up at her, meeting her gaze, and immediately felt a surge of frustration. It was my mother.

“I’m busy,” I said curtly, dropping my eyes back on my paper.

I heard her scoff. “you’re always busy. Too busy to even see your mother?” She asked.

I dropped my pen and looked up again.

“What do you want mother?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

She walked around the table with her heels clicking loudly on the floor, and sat close to me. Her mere presence was suffocating.

“You know what I want’” she said, her voice coiled like a snake.

I fell back in my chair, pinching my brows. My patience was wearing thin.

“Mother, I and Amelia… we are done, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” I said to her, my voice cold and resolute.

“But you both can work things out…she’s a great lady, and she’s strong, strong enough to be your Luna” she persisted.

“She can’t be my Luna,” I said. “I felt no mating bond with her” I turned to her, making my point clear.

“Then find a mate,” She snapped, standing up abruptly in a burst of anger. Her chair scraped against the floor, the sound echoing through the room.

“You’re excused,”  I said in a flat and dismissive tone.

I knew it was a harsh thing to say, but sometimes I had to treat her like a mere council official just to get rid of her. Her persuasions could be a real pain.

She glared at me for a moment, her eyes flashing with hurt and anger. Then without another word, she turned and stormed out of the room.

I let out a heavy sigh, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease slightly. I had better things to do, like focusing on my work, but my mind kept wandering off to earlier today.

The reason I suddenly left Brianne…

It wasn’t because I wanted to, but I had to. That telepathy call had come out of nowhere, piercing my mind like a sharp knife. And the voice on the other end…it was one I couldn’t ignore.

I was left wondering what they wanted from me. What do they possibly know about me or my secrets?

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I thought of the possibilities. I had to be careful, I had to stay one step ahead of them.

As I delved deeper into my thoughts, I knew that I couldn’t keep running forever.

Eventually, one day I would have to face the truth and the things that I have kept hidden for so long.