Chapter 106

Zenovia

The next few days passed into a blur as I trained and kept pushing myself as if my life depended on it. I

did it all- strength training, stamina increasing exercises, and workouts to strengthen my core like

clockwork.

It didn’t matter if Elijah was with me or if Callahan passed by without even looking at me. I did what I

could. I repeated their workouts and also added some of my own by seeing videos on the internet. One

such day, I lay on the ground, panting and wheezing after feeling like my lungs would burst apart due to

lack of air.

Thunder was a solid support and she helped me push myself. With her, I was never truly alone.

“Oh my, girl cut yourself some slack”

I heard Cynthia as she walked out on the ground towards me.

“Don’t bother” I quipped and got up from the ground, tying my shoelaces so as to give myself

something to do.

“Oh, alright then. Just thought you wanted to come along to the pack to see the trials.”

I raised an eyebrow at that.

“What trials?”

Cynthia twirled a strand of her hair and answered, “Oh, did nobody tell you? Well, every few months

the newly awakened wolves are assessed on their strengths and how far they have progressed in trials

aka mini spars or battles where all newly awakened wolves compete with each other. The one who

stays standing at the end gets to request a reward from the Lycan King himself. Great, isn’t it?”

I dusted my hands and got up from the ground.

“That is….great” I said as a plan began to form in my mind.

“When are the trials held?”

Cynthia rubbed the back of her neck, “As I said every few months when there are enough candidates to

hold a trial. Given the rogue King and how the new wolves are behaving, I suggested to the King that

we should hold the trials sooner. He approved of the idea.”

I nodded,

“That is a great idea. The newly awakened wolves would feel involved and it is a great way to make

packs interact with each other in a friendly way instead of always lunging at each other’s throats.”

Cynthia’s expression brightened.

“I know right? That is why I came up with the idea. Callahan has been so worried and stressed lately

with the way things are going on and I could only do my bit to take off some of his load…you know as

the future Luna.”

She batted her eyelashes at me and I grunted.

“Where do I go to register for the trials?”

I had bigger worries on my mind than her petty drama. And my feelings about Callahan were a mess.

Like an idiot, I had confessed like a school girl that I was crushing on him and he had made out with me

but he never took the effort to specially come looking for me, neither did he ever make an effort to talk

to me on his own unless it was related to training or my butted in to ask about my father.

It hurt a little that he did not feel anything except for the need to sate my wolf heat but then I could

either mope about it all my life or get over it and focus on my goals.

I had to save my father and my pack. My feelings for Callahan would die eventually. At least, that is

what I told myself.

11:54

“Oh, are you sure you want to do it? I believe Matteo is in charge of everything. You could ask him.”

I bit my lower lip.

I had never interacted much with the beta of the pack. He was always busy with work and duties.

“Or maybe you could ask the King himself. Though I am not sure if he has the time to talk to you.” As if

I needed any more reminders about that.

Seeing my silence, she pulled out the phone and dialed someone.

“Hey Cal, I have a request. Can we talk?”

My eyes went wide when she directly dialed him and began talking.

“No, please don’t” I tried to whisper but she put a hand on her lips as if to signal me to keep quiet.

“Yeah, I know you are busy. Sorry for disturbing you. But, Zenovia wanted to participate in the trials and

she was hesitant to talk to you.”

What was this girl even doing?

“No, I did not ask you to speak to him on my behalf” I whisper yelled at her. But she continued to shush

me and pulled the phone closer to her ear.

“What did you say? Sorry, your voice is not clear” She said and then put the phone on speaker.

“Cyn, I am busy. If she wants she can participate but I doubt she will last the first round. Ask her to stay

at home and train instead.”

Cynthia threw me a sorry look and she hastily added, “Oh she IS training very hard. So what if she is a

late bloomer? She deserves a chance.”

I rolled my eyes, “you know what? Forget it. I don’t want to.”

I said and began walking away. I was hurt by the way he spoke of me, the way he still dismissed me as

if I was made of glass.

“Now you just made her cry. Stop being so rude to her” Cynthia spoke but I did not strain my ears to

hear his response.

Wiping the tears off my face, I angrily stormed inside the doors and towards my room. I hated my life

and my fate that had to make everything so difficult for me.

Cynthia came running after me and spoke softly.

“Hey, you know he is busy and stressed out. He means well for you.”

She spoke and I shook my head.

“You did not have to request anything from me.”

She bit her lower lip. “I know you hate me and that I have not really been a good friend around you. But

being a Luna of the lycan King is not all rainbows and sunshine.”

I looked up at her, “what do you mean?”

She pulled me towards a chair and made me sit while offering a glass of water to me.

“Do you know when I was young, I was asked to train with the sons of the beta and gamma? Men who

are genetically stronger than me. I was a frail girl too. Even if I have alpha blood in me, I had to work

hard to earn the respect of my pack members who thought I was just a beautiful doll that my father

would trade in marriage for political reasons.”

I took a sip of water, wondering where she was going with this.

“Despite being the daughter of an alpha, I did not have it easy for me. If anything, I had more pressure

than anyone to prove my worth. Everybody kept saying it was a shame that my father didn’t have a

son, an heir to the throne.”

“Okayyy…”

I said warily as she suddenly turned all business to me.

11:54

“I know you like Callahan. There is hardly any girl who doesn’t. But let me tell you that he is rude, and

obnoxious and only respects you when you have proven your worth. If you go to him crying and

sobbing every time, he will not be the prince who rescues the damsel in distress.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

I asked and she placed her hands on the table.

“I have worked extremely hard to get to the position I have. Callahan might not love me yet but he

knows I am good at drafting clauses, fighting, administrative functions, and everything else that he

needs in a partner to keep the pack functioning. I mean, he has not just his pack but an entire kingdom

to run. So, when the time truly comes, who do you think he will choose? A girl who stares at him with

puppy eyes or a girl who knows being his luna means making difficult decisions for him, being an equal

he can rely on.” “I…I don’t fancy being his Luna.”

She let out a mirthless chuckle, “You can’t, sweetie. All these days, I kept dismissing you as just

another girl who keeps eyeing him like a delicious candy but let me warn you, if you ever try to dream

beyond your limits, I will be more than happy to clip your wings.”

I put the glass down. “Is this a threat?”

She leaned back on the chair, “Make you what you want of it. You can even go run to him and tell him

everything I said to you right now. I don’t care. It will only make you look weak in front of him and that

will be easy for me. I am being nice to you and letting you stay around him. Just know to stay within

your limits.”

I got up from the chair and pushed my hair back.

“I would rather defeat werewolves in the trials than bicker with you here”