15 FEBRUARY, MONDAY, CONTINUED
The second half of the training repeated the control technique exercises and everyone had to block their mindlinks again using the method the Black Forest Trainers taught us. Nobody tried to mentally spar with me this time, so I was just standing there watching Gamma Harry and Gamma Endo make constipated faces at each other as they tried to force through each other's mindlinks. Those two... It was really like two bulls with their horns locked. Neither wanted to give up.
This time, nobody got any concerned links from their mates and loved ones about the sudden block in their mindlinks either.
After that, I was happy to find that the sword training part was also going to be a regular segment of our training. Trainer L taught us a more advance drill. Mate impressed everyone by doing it in his first try.
"That form is perfect." Trainer L said, "I don't think I could have done it better myself."
The rest of us needed a bit more practice. I didn't do too bad. I was a black wolf after all.
But the sword surprised me. I mean, I liked shooting an arrow - the sound of it in the air was like... a certain satisfaction I couldn't quite explain. I liked fighting with a stick, the force it creates when it made contact with another stick, the rythym of the clapping sounds and footsteps. I liked fighting barehanded, the speed of the movements and the quickness of bare feet and fists. Okay, I just like fighting,
Given my track record of affinity to fighting (archery was debatably a fight sport), it was weird because when I held the blade, it felt a little frustrating.
It's like playing the piano with only two fingers. Last week, I had thought it was just because it was my first time. I had fun with Ben after the session, but we weren't using the sword right - we were throwing it etc. But this lesson, even though I've already got the hang of a metal extension on one hand, it still felt too slow.
I tried practicing with Ben again after the session when everyone else gathered for coffee and sandwiches.
"I'm speeding up." I told Ben, "Just the same movements but faster okay?"
"Yeah. Go." Ben said, immediately ready.
So we went through the new drill Trainer L had taught us, faster and faster... Ben was good at keeping pace with me. But eventually I had to stop.
"It's still too slow." I complained.
"Yeah." Ben was huffing from the exertion though, "I've see faster lawn mowers."
Hahaha...
"Okay, try again." Ben decided.
What? I gave him a skeptical eye.
"I'm fine. Go." Ben ordered.
So we started again.
"Faster!" Ben would order because he was just bossy like that.
I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't move any faster.
"Faster!" Ben said.
Seriously? Could Ben go any faster? I strained against the invisible barrier in my veins. My body just wouldn't go faster... I needed to break through, just a bit more...
And suddenly "SHING!"
A sound like the rip in the air above me, and Ben yelled, "Ah f***."
The adults turned around immediately alarmed.
I didn't have to look to know, the number of blades on my person had just increased. Hahaha. Who needs a sword when you had hair like mine?
Now I could slice much faster. Ben barely dodged my blades. Yes, in plural. It wasn't just the one in my hand, which he blocked, but the rest of my hair had also formed similarly sized blades. And it was all go go go!
Ben jumped back.
But it wasn't like I was really trying to hit him, just keeping my head beta on his toes.
So fun!
{So fun!}
Yeah, Boo and I were surprisingly in sync when it mattered.
After a minute, the adults realized that we were just playing, and returned to their conversation. The external trainers had some trouble ignoring the action happening on the other half of the training hall though.
Beta Gerald was trying to ask Trainer M about one of the sprays but Trainer M was gawking too hard to answer properly.
"Ha!" Ben yelled. He threw a blade directly at me. I barely had time to jump clear.
"Look away again, Sam." Ben taunted, "No matter how strong you are, as long as you get distracted, I'll win."
Oh. He had a point there.
Ben dodged and rolled. He was like one of those action heroes on TV. And then "BANG!"
My hair blocked the bullet.
"Ben!" Beta Lucas admonished, "Don't shoot your gun indoors."
"You shouldn't shoot at your Alpha!" Gamma Harry added.
Yes, thank you.
"It might ricochet on her hair. Very dangerous." Gamma Harry explained.
"Yeah, it might even hit us." Gamma Endo said.
"Exactly!" Beta Lucas said, "That's why I said no shooting indoors."
None of this made it less bewildering for our external trainers. Thank you for coming and teaching us Black Forest Vamp Slaying 101. Let us return the favour with an introduction to Night Leaf Leadership Logic 101.
"Sam!" Flynn yelled, "You need to aim your blow, not to where he is, but where he would be."
"Are you trying to kill me, sir?" Ben yelled back, "Don't just stand there guys, help me!"
"No, thank you." Ki smiled graciously.
"Sorry, I'd rather not get stabbed tonight." Harvey answered sensibly, "I have patrol duties tomorrow morning."
"We'll support you from here, beta." Ki offered.
Mate was smirking.
Mate!
{Mate!}
Hahahaha.
"BANG!"
"I told you so-" Ben said, and then he froze.
"Oh s***." Harvey blurted out in shock.
I was pretty shocked too. I thought the bullet was really going to hit me this time.
But right at the last minute, my hair wrapped itself around me like a cocoon. The bullet ricocheted off -
"Watch out, Alpha!"
My Dad jumped out of the way, Beta Lucas jumped right in.
"Oh f***, Dad!" Ben said.
My blades unflurred and I stepped out to see what happened. Ben was running towards Beta Lucas. Ki was glowing. I saw Mate pressing a heal into Beta Lucas.
I walked over, just in time to see Beta Lucas cough out some blood. Mate pulled out the bullet with a bloodied hand and closed up the wound with the other.
Ki continued glowing. Their magic felt very complimentary to my wolf. It's amazing how complimentary a true beta was to his alpha.
"He's stabalized, we just need to wait for him to wake up." Mate said.
I looked at Ben. It's true. He was my beta through and through.
"Dad!" He shook Beta Lucas quite hard and ordered, "Get up!"
And for some reason, Beta Lucas was dragged awake purely by the bossiness of his son, "I told you not to shoot indoors! You could have hit our Alpha!"
"I am not so old that I can't avoid it, old friend." Dad said, but I could hear the relief in his voice.
"Don't stupidly jump in front of a bullet for nothing!" Ben scolded back.
"What?" Beta Lucas sat up higher, "Oh."
He put his hand where his wound was, it immediately stained red, but upon lifting up his shirt, he found himself quite well, "Oh good. For a moment, I was worried what I was going to tell Willow."
"Just tell her you 'sprained' your waist." Gamma Harry advised.
Seriously?
Meanwhile Mate and Ki did whatever healing magic was needed and Mate said, "You've lost some blood, but as long as you drink water, rest some, and not get wounded again for the next two weeks, you should be fine."
And then Mate looked at me, "Are you hurt, princess?"
Of course not. I tossed my head proudly in a bid to show off in front of Mate, "As if a bullet can hurt me."
{Cute}
As far as I knew, Mate's wolf knew only two words. Cute and Mine. Which was in my opinion PERFECT.
Harvey came round with bottled water for everyone. I got one too.
"Drink it, princess." Mate ordered as he took a long swig of his.
I wanted to refuse because I didn't like being ordered, but I realized suddenly that I was VERY thirsty. Ben took the bottle from my hand, twisted the cap off and returned the open bottle to me.
So I'm strong enough for you to throw a sword and shoot at, but I'm too weak to uncap my own bottle of water? Wth.
But anyway, I was too thirsty to deal with Ben either. I was super thirsty. I realized the cost of running my wolf power freely in my puny human body was the need to constantly heal the broken vessels. Before this was limited by my own Alpha Wolf's healing speed, but now I could easily borrow Mate's healing power, but the cost of using Mate's power is hydration. The more I use, the quicker my dehydration.
I drank more water quickly. Ki glowed near me. When I looked at him, he only smiled like a flower and mindlinked me, "You need your body to absorb the water and balance your body salts quickly if you don't want to be put on an IV."
Oh, so that was Ki's role. It wasn't just to look pretty, pretend to be my moon, or make complimentary magic next to his Alpha. Mate did the healing, Ki supported him by keeping Mate's body stable under the constant dehydration.
Ki could do the healing too, but Ki's healing power was gentle and wholistic in nature, like the moon shining in the night, his healing powers were spread out across the whole body - and anyone who was near him. While Mate's heal was more forceful and targeted, like sealing a bullet wound with flesh.
Come to think of it, Bell and Ki had really amazing wolves. It was like something out of the colored Mountains. Actually, Ben and me too. I mean, I was like a super food processor! And Ben... Ben was super bossy. Hahaha.
The external trainers continued to stare wide-eyed at us.
And then Harvey smiled his usual wry smile and said very calmly, "Thank you for your guidance, sirs, but it's late and I'm sure you have quite a journey to return to your pack."
"Ah... Yes. Yes. Quite right." Trainer M managed to say.
"I'll walk you to your vehicle, gentlemen." Harvey gestured towards the exit.
The moment they left, Gamma Harry worried, "What if they go back and tell everyone about this?"
"Why not? No harm scaring them a little." Gamma Endo puffed out with pride, "They won't always be the biggest pack in the continent!"
"But perhaps we had shown our hand too early." Beta Gerald worried, "It would be troublesome if they decide to make things difficult for us."
Dad was wearing his thinking frown.
And then Ben spoke, "Don't worry. Harvey just settled it. He has reminded the trainer's of the mutually binding confidential clause in their contract and possibly a beneficial partnership. Now all we do is wait for Alpha Solomon to come knocking on our door."
"And then what?" I asked.
Ben smirked, "And then YOU meet him."
Wait, what?
I flared. But it was just normal hair flare. No more blades.
"Great! Then that's settled." Beta Lucas decided.
Dad nodded too, "An alliance with Black Forest would certainly be mutually beneficial."
"Yes, certainly." Beta Gerald nodded, "Our young alpha certainly thought out our every step."
No I didn't.
I looked at Ben. Ben! Did he provoke me on purpose again?
"Looks like we really can retired soon!" Beta Lucas announced.
Dad patted Beta Lucas on his shoulder as they left together, "Yes. Let's retire, TOGETHER."
Emphasis on "together."
We followed our elders out, I guess it was time to go home. Ben walked me.
"Ben!" I hissed at him over the mindlink, "You have a lot of explaining to do!"
"What now, Sam?" Ben asked back.
"Did you plan all that?" I had to know.
"What? You think I'd plan to shoot my own Dad?" Ben retorted.
Oh, I guess not. I know Ben could be many things, but he was not one to shoot his own dad... Not on purpose anyway.
Then how, why? Oh grrrr...
"That was really lucky. For a moment, I thought my dad was going to die." Ben mindlinked me, his relief palpable.
Yeah. For a moment, Dad too.
"I don't know what my Mum would do without Dad around." Ben confided.
I don't know what Dad would do without Beta Lucas around either.
"Hey, Ben... If you didn't plan this, who's idea was it to ally with Black Forest?" I asked.
Who was it pulling the strings behind the FAO? If not Ben, then my beautiful but evil Luna? Or maybe Dad? Omo. Was Dad the mad genius mastermind all this while?
Ben shrugged, "Harvey. Well actually, Ki was panicking on the Beta channel about the trainers going public with what happened and the PR storm it might throw up. I doubt old guys like them have any major social media networks worth mentioning though. And then Harv said to leave it to him and took them out. I was just reporting what Harv told me after."
So Harvey? The one pulling the strings behind the FAO was Harvey?
Harvey met us in the poolroom off the Alpha House, "I think we need to talk."
So Ben, Ki, Bell, Harvey and me went up to the third floor landing outside my room. It seemed like the guys liked to sit here to discuss things.
"I did my best." Harvey sighed after we all sat down, "I reminded them of non-disclosure agreement in their contract."
"It was a good thing you thought to make that clause mutually binding." Ki said.
"It never hurts to be too careful." Harvey said, "But I'm not a hundred percent confident that it would keep them from leaking what they witness of our Alpha and Luna's powers. Also, I'm very sure that they are reporting tonight's events to Alpha Solomon as we speak."
"We've reached our legal limit at this point. I took the liberty of suggesting some kind of further partnership. If Alpha Solomon chooses to pursue it, I would advise on a more extensive and detailed coverage in the next contract regarding the handling of sensitive information." Harvey informed us.
"Yeah, but what kind of partnership are we talking about here, Harv?" Mate smirked. Mate who was currently sprawled on one of the sofas like an ad for men's fragrance. Suddenly I realized that men's fragrance ads were trying to look sexy. Unfortunately, they didn't have Bell in it, so I hadn't noticed.
"Apologies, I was just, as your princess likes to say, 'winging it'. I did not have any kind of partnership in mind, Luna." Harvey said.
"Hn." Mate shifted so that he was leaning forward now, his hands laced under his chin and his elbows on his knees.
Was this what girls meant when they said a guy was hot?
"Sam? Sam!" Ben yelled and tugged at my mindlink at the same time so I could not ignore him.
"What?" I flared a little. Couldn't he see I was busy appreciating the beautiful mate the goddess gave me?
"Stop ogling at your Luna and tell us what to do." Ben demanded.
Oh, so he could see. I colored just a little. I wasn't that obvious!
"So, we have a possible partnership with Alpha Solomon's Black Forest Pack on the cards now." Ki was kind enough to summize, "What would you like to do, goddess?"
Why was he asking me? Oh right... Cos I was the Alpha.
I frowned... What would Dad do in a situation like this? Oh, that's right!
"What do you guys think?" I beamed. I was so smart!