Chapter 124

#Chapter 124 – Military Might I sigh a little, my arms crossed, as I watch the Betas load the boys’ little overnight bags onto the now-

familiar party bus. The boys, of course, are thrilled at the prospect of the third trial, but I’m a little sick at the idea.

It’s not that I don’t think Victor will win – of course, especially in a trial of military prowess, I have faith in him – but what tricks does Rafe have up his sleeve this time?

And also, do we have to go so far away? I shake my head, thinking that this is yet another three-day disruption to the boys’ education and daily schedule. When were we going to get them to the point where they’d just be normal kids, going to school and sports, hanging out with their friends? Not traveling to a ritualistic trial to see whether their dad or their uncle would take control of their pack.

“Are you all right?” Victor asks, coming over to me and studying my face. I look up at him, trying not to look so worried.

“Am I all right?” I say, purposefully keeping my voice light. “You’re the one who is about to be put to the test. I’m just going to sit back with your mom and drink a bunch of wine.” I put on a smile for him, hoping he buys it.

Of course, he doesn’t. But he gives me a smile in return, grateful that I’m putting on a good show for the boys.

You’re going to be amazing, I think to him, hoping my utter faith in him shows on my face and bolsters him.

Thank you, he warmly responds, smiling down at me. We’ll be done in no time.

My eyes shine up at him and I bite my lip. Subtly, he draws a finger down the side of my hand, letting me know he loves me, wants to be with me, wishes we could run away to the woods just ourselves, not without the whole family in tow –

“Are you guys done.” Ian asks, rolling his eyes at us.

I jump a little, surprised by his interruption, but then I laugh at my son. “What, are you regretting your little trick with the heat?” I say, grabbing him and pulling him close so that his back is against me, my arms wrapped around his front.

“No,” he murmurs, still pretending to be mad, but I can see him struggle to keep the smile from his face.

“You just don’t have to be all googly eyed all the time.”

“Oh no, baby,” I say to him, pretending to be giving bad news. “Unfortunately, we do have to be googly-

eyed all the time.”

“It’s okay, mama,” Alvin says, coming over to us and reaching his arms up to his father, requesting to be lifted up. Victor happily obliges. “I think it’s nice.”

“That’s because you’re the sweet one,” I say, smiling at him. “And you’ll have a hundred girlfriends while this one,” I nudge Ian with my leg, “is off learning how to shoot guns while he hangs upside down from a helicopter.”

“That sounds awesome,” Ian says dreamily.

A Beta comes forward and salutes to Victor, letting him know that it’s time to go. Victor nods at us all and I feel the temporary happy mood drain from me as we climb onto the bus. I know that Victor’s going to come out ahead, and I’m glad he knows it too, but still. I’m nervous.

The whole family takes the trip on the bus with us, which I think is weird. If Victor and Rafe are being pitted against each other in this trial, why are they sitting next to each other like they’re buddies? Why is their father, his new wide-wheeled chair strapped securely to the bottom of the van, smiling at us as if we’re all one big happy family?

I sigh, looking out this window.

I’ve chosen to be part of this family now, I know. But still. They’re weird.

It takes about two hours to get out to the campground, the same one we went to after I was attacked by my stalker so many months ago. I’m glad to see it again, though it’s less pleasant now in the winter air.

I eye the uninsulated cabins suspiciously. Were we going to be warm enough?

The Beta forces are already on the move, using flame throwers – of all ridiculous things – to clear out the snow from around the fire pit, off the cabin porches.

“Is this for real?” I ask Victor, gesturing towards the long tongues of flame licking around the campground, melting the snow away like cotton candy in water.

“What,” Victor says, frowning and looking around. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit much?” I say, gesturing towards the flames. “Couldn’t you just have given them shovels?”

“These are more efficient,” Victor says, putting his hands in his pockets. “Besides,” he says, giving me a boyish smile. “It’s cool.”

I roll my eyes at him but can’t help but laugh. “Alvin, Ian!” I call to them – they’re getting a little too close to the heat. “Over here, stand by me, until the Betas are done with the flame throwers.”

Alvin runs over but Ian drags his feet, clearly disappointed. “God,” I murmur. “I can’t even believe I’m living a life where that’s a totally normal sentence.”

“If we could all gather round,” Victor’s father calls from his place on one of the cabin’s porches. I cross my arms and shake my head, but follow everyone else as we head in his direction.

“Victor and Rafe have, of course, already been briefed on the details of the trial,” Henry says, his voice lofty. “However, for the sake of transparency and for the edification of those not in the know,” here, he eyes the women in the group with a little disdain, “I will spell out the rules.”

I do my very best not to roll my eyes. Victor, of course, told me everything about it last night when he came over for dinner. We stayed up long into the night discussing tactics and, well…

I drag my attention back to the proceedings, forcing myself to concentrate and not reminisce about all the other things we did last night.

“The trial will begin at nightfall,” John says. “Victor will take his chosen team of ten Betas into the woods headed east, Rafe will do the same headed west. Each troupe will be armed with the same relative amount of weaponry, though the types of weapons are left to each Alpha’s discretion.”

I nod at this, knowing that Victor has chosen guns. I hope, for his sake, that Rafe has been stupid and chosen something flashier. Like swords or ninja stars. But I know he as probably chosen guns as well.

“Importantly,” Henry continues, “as we are ultimately testing military leadership, and not ruthlessness, all weapons will have been made nonlethal. This means that blades will be dulled and bullets will be rubberized. All weapons will, however, be coated in wolfsbane.”

I swallow at this. We all know wolfsbane, grew up knowing about it. When we came of age, my father made my sister and I drink a glass of water with a drop of wolfsbane in it, just so we knew what it smelled like, knew the consequences of letting it into our systems.

Even just a single drop of it had resulted in crippling pain. Emma and I had spent the rest of the day in bed together after we drank our glasses, clutching each others’ hands, roiling in agony. It had passed, eventually, but it had left us weak as kittens, covered in sweat, and trembling for days.

The result of the weapons being coated in wolfsbane would be that anyone who came in contact with the substance on a blade or a bullet would be incapacitated. They would survive, but they would spend a horrible night writhing on the forest floor.

I glance briefly at the Betas on Victor’s team. I see them swallowing with anxiety. They’re aware that at least a few among their number will fall to this poison and they’re not looking forward to it.

Rafe’s Betas are less stoic than Victor’s, shooting each other anxious glances and struggling to keep their formation. They’re all strangers to me, members of Rafe’s own personal guard who live with him in his home. They’re all trained by Victor, of course, but I wonder if their allegiance is to Rafe now, after all the time spent with them.

“The length of the trail depends on the tactics of the Alphas involved,” Henry continues, “as it only concludes when one Alpha is left standing. That Alpha will be the winner. Are there any questions?”

Nobody says a word and I feel my mouth go a bit dry. I know that the trial is meant to be non-lethal, but damnit, why is it necessary to do all this? I shake my head at the thought of sending all of these men into the forest to hunt each other. It all just seems a little primeval.

I feel Victor take my hand and squeeze it. I squeeze his back, but I don’t look at him. I don’t want him to see the fear in my eyes.

“Come on,” he says, tugging my hand towards the cabin which has been setup for me and the boys.

“Let’s the three of us go and have a quick meal.” He looks up at the sky, which is just starting to turn purple with sunset. “It’s almost time.”