Chapter 72: Chapter 72

I woke up after a long but much-needed night with the twins, finding myself in an empty bed, though not entirely. The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a fiery mane of hair and Aly’s smile. Sitting at the edge of the bed, she rested her chin on her hands.

“Um, how long have you been here?” I grumbled, my voice rough from sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she straightened up and looked at me mischievously. “Oh, about half an hour, more or less.” She shrugged, pushing some strands of hair away from her forehead. As my senses sharpened and the sleep haze cleared, I noticed she was wearing an emerald sports bra and black leggings. Her thick curls were tied back, and her eyes gleamed with impatience and enthusiasm.

“Do you always spy on your friends while they sleep?” I laughed, leaning back against the wooden headboard.

“Not always, that’s a privilege reserved only for my Luna.” She smiled, quickly changing her expression to a playful look. “I must admit, Luna Sussan, you have a terrible mood in the mornings.”

“Shut up,” I whispered, tossing one of the luxurious pillows at her face.

“Oh, you’re in a bad mood.” She clicked her tongue, jumping off the bed before the pillow could reach her. “Liam and Ethan must love the morning Sussan. So feisty, so fierce. Keep that attitude for today’s training; you’ll be a grumpy Luna when you’re done.”

I grumbled incoherently as I got up from the bed and headed to the dressing room on the other side of the room. I quickly realized that Aly was one of those annoying people who could wake up at five in the morning, always in high spirits. It took me longer to wake up, and even longer to shake off the initial crankiness. Caffeine helped, but I always hated getting up before the sun came up.

“Always so chatty,” I snorted, rummaging through the clothes hanging in the closet. Liam and Ethan’s mom had taken charge of buying me an entirely new wardrobe. Her style was very different from mine, but I was starting to get used to the clothes she had chosen for me. The thing I struggled with the most was the sets of bras and underwear with frills; I’d probably never get used to that. Although I was used to thinking of Liam and Ethan as my mates, I was still having a little trouble adapting to their family’s mindset of acceptance. However, they had opened their home to us without hesitation, even letting the three of us share a room. Liam and Ethan had briefly explained to me that werewolves didn’t worry about their mates having intimacy with each other.

“What a coincidence, right?” they affirmed. Aly shook her head as she leaned against the door frame.

“Why do you say that?” I asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. I was putting on the black shirt I had found in Liam’s drawer and had chosen a pair of Ethan’s sweatpants. Their clothes were so comfortable to wear at home, and they carried the pleasant scent of my mates. They never minded when some of their clothes disappeared for a few days, only to reappear on my body later. In fact, they enjoyed seeing me wear their clothes.

“You’ll feel uncomfortable wearing that,” she commented, shrugging and laughing. “All sweaty and everything. You’d better go for a sports bra and leggings. You’ll show some skin, but think about how much Liam and Ethan will enjoy it later.”

“Alright,” I joked, exploring the dresser drawers in the dressing room. “Just because you paint it that way.”

“Tell me, what’s it like having two mates?” she asked, laughing with a mischievous smile. “At this point, I’d settle for one!” A deep blush took over my face, understanding what everyone knew among the three of us. Since that first night I spent with Liam and Ethan, I noticed a change in my own scent. It seemed like I always carried a little piece of them with me, and I couldn’t escape the knowing glances some people threw my way. They shyly explained to me that when we first mated, our scents would blend. So, not only did I carry a part of them with me, but they also carried some of my scent. Despite wanting to be angry with them, I couldn’t; not when I could feel their emotions and see the happiness on their faces.

“It’s interesting, much more than I imagined,” I smiled, avoiding going into details. “I’m sure you’ll eventually find your mate.”

“Oh, come on,” said Aly, making a face and putting a hand over her heart. “Give me some juicy details! By the expression on your face, I know you have many interesting things to tell.”

“I think it’s better if I get dressed now; I don’t want to be late for training,” I smiled, taking my clothes into the bathroom. From inside, I could hear Aly growling, and I chuckled to myself. I adjusted the hem of the sports bra I was wearing, frowning as it revealed my entire midsection. Not that I usually dressed conservatively, but I had never worn anything so revealing. If what Aly had said was true, I’d rather have my stomach exposed than feel stifled and uncomfortable any day.

Liam and Ethan’s mom had prepared a delicious full breakfast that I was eager to dig into. However, before leaving the house, Aly handed me an unappetizing-looking smoothie and a couple of protein bars.

“It smells bad,” I commented, making a face, but still took a big sip of the fruity mixture. “Hold your nose,” Aly joked. “It’s a protein shake, Sussan. They’re not meant to be delicious.”

“Are there vegetables in this?” I asked suspiciously, observing the dark green hue of the smoothie.

“Among other things,” was all she said, laughing at my horrified expression.

When we arrived at the parking lot of the local gym, I felt a little confused. Our pack had its own gym, much better than the one next to my high school. I wondered why we were going there.

“Take this, you’ll need it. Get ready, Luna!” Aly joked as she tossed a small deodorant bar at me. Following her instructions, I applied the deodorant to my armpits, appreciating the strong floral scent that filled my nose. “It’s better than smelling like sweat,” I muttered gratefully.

“First and foremost, you need to train in your human form,” Aly commented as she searched the trunk of her car for a large pink canvas bag. “The stronger you are in your human form, the stronger your wolf will be.”

“Does that mean I’ll have to lift weights?” I grumbled, with a slight hint of bitterness in my voice. It wasn’t a secret that my coordination left much to be desired, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to see how the transformation worked for me. Before, when I failed at sports, I simply thought I was just a regular human. However, now my senses were sharper, and my vision clearer than it had ever been before. Above all, I desperately wanted to be useful to the pack, in addition to my strange abilities as a white wolf. I wanted to prove to Liam and Ethan that I could stand on my own, rather than rely on a power I didn’t know how to control.

“We’ll both be lifting weights,” Aly joked with a mischievous smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll have your glutes in shape in no time!”

“It’s not my glutes that concern me,” I huffed, following her toward the main entrance of the building. “And they are already in shape!”

The city gym was a large, modern building, with a spacious parking lot capable of accommodating the entire city’s population. Through a large window, I could see the interior of the gym, where men and women moved from one machine to another.

Upon entering, I was surprised by what I saw. Whenever I thought of a gym, I had a clear image in my mind: muscular, sweaty men grunting as they lifted weights in front of a mirror. But here, things were different. Yes, there were muscular men, but also many women. The smell of sweat was so faint that it was barely noticeable; the predominant scents were cleaners and deodorants.

The lower half of the gym was enormous. Apart from a long counter a few meters from the entrance, the rest of the room was filled with all kinds of machines. Half of the walls were covered with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and there were water bottle refill stations everywhere.

The receptionist was a casually dressed woman, chatting cheerfully with some of the attendees. Her blonde hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and she was wearing sportswear similar to ours. When she saw me, she seemed to straighten slightly, and a bit of her relaxed attitude disappeared from her eyes.

“Luna Sussan, it’s an honor to have you here!” She smiled, coming around the counter to approach us. She shook my hand firmly and gave it a little shake before turning an equally cordial smile to Aly. “Everything here is at your disposal. Your trainer is upstairs, in one of our private rooms. Feel free to use any equipment. On the second floor, you’ll also find a smoothie bar, and on the third floor are the changing rooms. We have showers and even a sauna, if you’re interested.”

With difficulty, I managed to mumble a proper thank you and followed Aly through the maze of weight machines. The sound of clinking weights and the faint murmur of people exercising filled the air. Although many eyes turned towards me, none lingered beyond my face. Men and women of all ages greeted me with a slight nod before returning to their routines. Liam and Ethan had explained the dynamics of the pack to me a few days ago. Although they hadn’t planned on introducing me so soon, my appearance during the battle against the rebels had drawn attention. Now, men and women of all ages showed me respect, as my word also carried weight.

“While I love and respect you, my benevolent Luna; I’ll never hesitate to call you out on your sh*t,” Aly smiled, wrapping her arm around my shoulder as she led me towards the stairs. “Honestly, I appreciate that.” I chuckled softly alongside her, “I’ve been treated like an outcast my whole life, and now suddenly, I’m royalty. It’s really strange and unsettling.”

“You’ve been surrounded by useless idiots your whole life, what did you expect?” she grumbled, but then disguised the smirk forming on her face. “Think of it this way, now you’re surrounded by people who know how amazing you are.”

“I hope it doesn’t go to my head,” I joked. “That’s also part of the job description.” She winked at me, “As the Luna’s best friend, it’s my duty to make sure you don’t become conceited and arrogant.”

“I hope you know I’m not paying you for this,” I teased.

“Being in your glorious presence is reward enough, Luna Sussan,” she whispered, sticking her tongue out at me. “If you keep talking to me like that, my head will definitely grow,” I replied, giving her a genuine smile.