Breathing heavily, Derek could feel strength quickly leaving his small frame of a body. His hands felt numb. "Again!" His father barked at him. He forced himself up from his knees again and continued his push-up which was one of the many trainings he was being forced to endure. He couldn't understand why he was being pushed so hard.
At this point his was clouded with tears. He was being pushed past his limits. His now shaky hands couldn't support his body anymore and he came crashing down to the floor. Panting heavily amidst tears, he looked over at his mother who had been standing by the door the whole time. She was giving him a sympathetic look. He could tell she wasn't in support with his treatment.
"On your feet. It isn't dawn yet. There's still more training for you to cover. You can't be tired just yet"
"His body can't take it anymore. He hasn't even undergone his first transformation. He's just eleven years old. You should go easy on him" His mother spoke softly, threading carefully so as not to set him off.
"There is no such thing as easy. There's nothing easy about being a werewolf. Our lives isn't easy and neither is our world. He's going to have to be strong if he's going to survive and be the best. I am not going to raise my only son as a weakling. A wolf is only as strong as it's host. If he's going to elevate this family then he has to become the strongest amongst everyone else in this pack" Beta Maynard explained with a stern expression.
"Our family is already elevated. You just got made the pack Beta. We are okay. He should have the chance to live like other kids, like a normal kid his age" She argued.
Derek looked up at his mom again, his eyes teary and filled with emotions. That's the most she's argued for him with his father.
"He's not a normal kid. He's my son and I have plans for him, plans that would elevate him along with the status of our family. I am going to raise my son however I want. Now enough from you. This conversation is over and I am not going to revisit it with you again" He stated, more like ordered.
She fell quiet, hanging her head with sadness, too ashamed to stare at her son in his eyes seeing as she couldn't stop the hell he was being made to pass through. Derek wasn't he disappointed, he was okay since he saw her try more than she used to. He wiped the flowing tears from his eyes and then began staring at his sore and still shaking hands. Just then he felt his father's grip on his shoulder. "Now up boy!" He ordered, pulling him up to his feet. "One day you'll thank me from pushing you so hard"
(Present Day)
After his trip down memory lane, Derek became conscious of his surrounding again. He looked down at his right hand side on the bed and saw Tessa still sleeping peacefully. He smiled softly. It's been a while since they woke up together. He thought his confrontation with Kieran the previous day took effect pretty quickly. His approach would scare anyone off, he was show of that.
He thought Kieran was lucky for being so obedient. He wasn't joking with his threats. He still doesn't trust him. He would do anything or harm anyone just to keep Tessa by his side and keep her as his. He never learnt to share nor give up and he wasn't going to start now. He reached for her free hand and took it in his, watching her sleep without a care in the world.
He on the other hand was worried. There was a war coming, and quickly. He knew he needed to be stronger for her. He almost lost her the night of the full moon because he wasn't with her. He thought her spending time with the White-haired Omega was putting her in reckless risk. That made him to wonder what his father's plans was. The Omega staying away from Tessa wasn't enough for him. He wanted him to disappear totally so she could stay safe and he could easily protect her plus her to focus only on him and wanted to know his father's plan for him sealing the deal with Tessa.
There was a lot going through his head, making him worried, angry and impatient. "What are you thinking about?" Tessa's soft morning voice broke through his thoughts. He hadn't realized she was awake.
"You're awake"
"Yeah. But it seems like you've been awake longer...plus you have a worried look all over your face. What are you worried about?" She questioned, forcing herself up, sitting with her back against the backrest.
"I am worried about me. We barely see anymore and now it's very dangerous out there with the Black Lotus roaming around creating chaos. I can't protect you if I can't see you or even know where you are" He explained with a sincere look in his eyes.
Tessa smiled warmly at him. She knew he loved her so much...more than she can reciprocate. He had always been protective and she loved him for it but sometimes she felt it can be overwhelming and it tends to give the idea that she wasn't strong enough to protect herself. "You don't have to try and protect me all the time...you can't. I am strong enough to protect myself" She explained whilst still maintaining her smile.
"Yeah but..." He paused when her phone vibrated on her night stand with a notification sound.
"Sorry..." She muttered as she reached for it. She unlocked the phone to a text from Vee saying she was taking Kieran out for the day. Her eyes shot open wider from the bombshell of a text. "Shit!" She cursed under her breath as she hurried out of bed and began fishing for her clothes. "I am sorry something came up, I have to go" She hurriedly stated.
"What?" Derek confusedly stared at her.
"Don't worry its nothing serious, just something urgent. I will see you tonight I promise"
***
Vee tucked her phone in her jacket pocket on seeing Kieran approaching. She had just finished texting her best friend about her plan for the day. She had planned to take him around town and try to know him as much as she could whilst giving him the tour. She was excited about how the day was going to go.
"Yo!" Kieran greeted with a smile whilst waving his hand just once.
"Hey" She replied, smiling broadly. He began looking all around and she immediately knew. "She isn't here. It's just going to be us today"
"Hmm?!" He pouted his lips before asking "And what are we going to be doing?"
"Hanging out" She revealed. She flashed him a smile before turning toward her car. "Now come on"
He sighed and shrugged before going with her. He got into the front seat of the car and watched as they pulled away from the pack house. He leaned on the opened window, staring at the scenery as they sped past. He knew Vee was up to something he decided to just let it unfold than ask.
"So! An Omega huh?" She broke the lingering silence.
"Yeah I guess" He sighed
"It must have been hard surviving on your own out there. Tessa told me about it" She glanced him.
He turned to face her with a smile forming on his lips. "You guys talk about me huh"
"Ermm...i guess..." She looked away, hiding her cheeks which were getting flushed from the way he was staring at her. "It's normal" She cleared her throat, focusing on her driving.
"You know I have been freed right? Like I can leave if I want to. Why is Tessa lying to me about it?" He asked
"I don't know anything about that" She replied almost too quickly.
"I see" He sighed, sinking into his seat more. He knew she was lying but decided not to press her more. "Where are we going anyway?"
"Where do you wanna go?"
"Well I would love to go get some new clothes. I think these have been worn enough" He explained
"Alright then. Let's go" She smiled
***
"Here you go" Vee handed him the new clothes where he stood in the changing room.
"Thanks" He accepted them and began waiting for her to step out but she kept standing there, staring at everything else but his face. "Erm...you want to watch me change?" He asked with a cocked brow.
"What?...No!...of...course not" She blew his assumption off, forcing an awkward smile. "Why...why would I want to do that?" She added, walking out the room. As soon as she was out, she heaved a sigh of relief. 'God, what am I doing?' She thought to herself, leaning against the wall of the dressing room and shutting her eyes.
"It was hard"
"What?" She asked with a puzzled look, wondering what he was talking about.
"About surviving on my own out there" He stated. "It was very hard but I loved it...I love the freedom. Being obligated to no one but myself. I would say it's a bittersweet experience and I have become used to it" He explained
She listened to his voice intently, trying to picture what that kind of life would look like and how it would feel like. "So you would rather be a lone wolf than be part of a pack?" She inquired
"Exactly" He replied just before he stepped out of the changing room. "Looking clean right?" He asked, turning around and showing himself off to her.
"Not bad" She replied nonchalantly, walking away. She didn't want to boost his ego. Coming out with a fitted black jean, a white tee and a black bomber jacket, he looked so hot. She glanced back at him and saw he had put on a dark shade, smiling and sticking his tongue out a little at her. The mesmerizing sight almost made her forget to breathe. 'How can he be so hot, attractive and cute at the same time?' She thought, turning away from him.
"So where are we going to next?" He questioned
"How about...." She paused, frozen on where she stood as she opened the front door and came face to face with Tessa. "Hey Tess!" She greeted nervously, scared at the death stare she was receiving from her.
Tessa's eyes were screaming bloody murder at her friend. "Hey you!" Kieran began waving at her from inside the store, smiling broadly at her.
"I am going to murder you Vee" She whispered to her before turning to Kieran. "Let's go" She said to him.
"What? You said you didn't mind. You agreed to it"
"I never agreed to it and I'm never agreeing to it, not to you or anyone" Tessa stated
"Why? It's because you do right?"
"Yeah maybe you were right I don't know but all I know is I am the only one allowed with him, he's mine" She replied with a serious look before walking past and toward her.
Vee smiled with a satisfied look. She had gotten what she wanted. She had been expecting her to show up since the moment she texted her she was taking Kieran out. She knew her friend to enough she would show up as fast as she could, proving her right the previous day. She did have feelings for him. Her biggest weakness has always been her jealousy. It was something she couldn't control and with how strong her jealousy was, it made her feelings to be very visible.
Kieran stared at both girls with a confused look, wondering what they were talking about. It made no sense to him. He thought it was definitely a continuation of a previous unfinished conversation. "What are you ladies talking about?" He asked Tessa who was approaching him.
"None of your business" She replied right before smacking him across his head. "You should learn to say if a girl asks you out"
"Why would I do that? I have always been thought to do the opposite" He gave a sheepish smile.
Tessa sighed with frustration. "Come with me" She instructed before turning to leave just when new customers were entering the store. The three ladies had their eyes fixed on him, giggling and whispering to each other as he began smiling at them too. She immediately grabbed his hand and dragged him out, her eyes sending daggers to the ladies.
Vee who had been watching the whole thing was having a hard time keeping her laughs in. she thought her friend was cute acting so heavily jealous but still arguing that she has no feelings for him. "I'm still mad at you" Tessa threw at her friend as she dragged Kieran past her.
"I'm not. See you" Kieran waved at her.
***
Beta Maynard hit the brakes, forcing the car to a stop. He exchanged glances with his son. They were deep in the woods on their way to the pack border. There was an urgent report about there being a disturbance. Now they've come in contact with who they assumed was the disturbance. From the way he was dressed they already knew he was a member of the Black Lotus.
They both alighted from the vehicle, eyes fixed on him in case he planned on making any sudden move. Beta Maynard wondered why he was alone. He thought they walked in group of five. He looked around to make sure the others weren't lurking around and waiting to take them by surprise.
"You are Beta Maynard of Blue blood Pack...I am Silas. It's an honor to meet you" He said from behind his mask.
"What do you want?" Derek asked, staring intently at him. He seemed calm even with the situation of two against one.
"To fight you two"
Derek scoffed at his boldness. "Even if you're an Alpha, you think you can hold your own against us both"
"You are both high rank members of your pack. It would be an honor to kill you both"
"Such confidence. It won't end well. It won't end how you think it will" Beta Maynard stated, rolling up his sleeves and bringing out his claws. Derek followed suit and took off his jacket.
"I will make sure you both have an honorable death" Silas took off his hood and his eyes began glowing red.