Chapter 12

I awoke after a few hours of sleep, but felt as well rested as sleeping eight. I felt a weight over my stomach and turned my head, Damian’s head was mainly pressed into the pillow but his sapphire eye was staring at me. “Morning beautiful.”

“Morning” I stretched and moved closer to him. “How long have you been awake?”

“Just a few minutes” his long eyelashes brushed his cheekbone as he blinked slowly. “Did you fancy doing something today?” he asked

“I’m not sure… what like?”

“You can explore the pack grounds, meet others. You can train if you want, go shopping. The day is yours” he pulled me closer to him, his lips finding my temple. He’s so gentle and I loved it, I felt safe with him. “Do your warriors train together?”

“Yes- well we have two sessions every day; everyone trains here to some degree apart from once per moon cycle, each new moon they take off”

“It’s not new moon today is it?”

“No, they’ll be training” he replied

“Can I observe? I was trying to train to be warrior at my old pack”

“Course you can, although you don’t have to be a warrior here… you’re my queen”

“Your queen should be strong… you are” I countered

“Like I said, the day is yours to do with as you wish” he kissed my nose and then began rubbing our noses together. I was slightly surprised at how forward thinking he was… sometimes I would think because of how long he’s been around he would have kept the views of five hundred years ago. I’m not complaining mind. I loved that I was getting free rein. I looked him over feeling warm, ‘Strong father, I want his pups’ my wolf piped up

‘we’ve only known him a few days!’ I argue, get to know him first, pups later. Silly wolf.

‘Pups! Pups! Pups!’

‘Shut up you broody beast’.

Damian dropped me off where the warriors had begun training “Be back in two hours, just have some bits to do then I could do with observing and picking weak spots of our warriors” he said out the car window. I lent in to plant a kiss on his sweet lips before turning to face the big burly men fighting. It felt like the first day of training all over again where… quite frankly I gate crashed just as I felt like I was doing now.

I approached a younger group, they looked similar to my own age, I was thinking maybe less experienced… I forgot what kind of pack I was in. There were only two other women I could see and they were engaged in a vicious spar. I gulped, apprehension filling me as I opened my mouth to talk to the younger group “Hi” is all that came out of my mouth

“You’re new… why are you new?” a sandy haired man asked, one of his friends sniffed the air “She’s mated, probably one of the guards that went with Alpha to that pack… she’s too weak for the Alpha.” The black haired man spoke who had sniffed the air. I reddened slightly at the ability to smell my newly mated scent, and his assumption of Damian. I cleared my throat ready to set them straight when I heard a cough behind me, I turned to face the cough “Luna, Alpha has asked that I train you today, is that OK?” I heard frantic whispers behind me as I nod to the raven haired man. He had kind eyes like Beta Adrian. Even if he did tower above my small frame.

He led me a little way off from the others “I’m Peta, in pack terms I’m Gamma… but as you may have guessed apart from Alpha we don’t really have ranks… we’re all equal” he shrugged his broad shoulders smiling down to me “Oh! That makes sense!”

“Ah, I see I gave you a little jigsaw piece. Shall we begin?” I nod and began warming up ready for a spar or learning some techniques.

After two hours I was dripping with sweat but my roundhouse and front kicks were getting more powerful and more sure of striking. “Well done duckling” Peta beamed at me, his nickname started when he realised I kicked like a bird… flimsily. He said when I can kick as well as a swan can beat someone with their head… I can graduate. I thought it was adorable and hoped I could train with him regularly. I felt I’d got further in two hours than I had in five years at my last pack.

Arms wrapped around my damp body and with the smell and calm I knew it was Damian “Have fun?”

“Yeah! Peta’s taught me loads”

“Good, I’m going to have a little contest, want to judge with me?” I nodded, glad to do something with Damian “Thanks for looking out for her”

“Not a problem Alpha, she was a pleasure to teach… I just need to go discipline though… I don’t think they realised she was Luna but their less than pleasant greeting irked me.” Damian nodded to Peta who stormed off to the group I had first spoken to.

“What did they say to you?”

“Oh… nothing really, they just didn’t know I was with you” Damian began to lead me to an area with a large circle painted on the grass. “No, tell me, please” he insisted

“They just said I was too weak to be with you is all… I didn’t take offence, and Peta’s shouting at them” I nodded over to Peta… who was indeed yelling while red in the face.

“They should have known better” he kissed the top of my head drawing me closer to him.

“WARRIORS!” He bellowed over the crowd who instantly stopped and looked to Damian. “I want to assess each of your skills, for this I’m doing a competition. Warrior that comes on top wins an extra day off!” howls and whistles erupted from the warriors. I could see around forty faces… similar size to the Bloodmoon pack itself. “My Luna will be judging! As many know I found her after years of searching. I expect her to have the same level of respect you give me!” I could see his piercing gaze roll over the many faces… stopping at the group that had just been scolded by Peta. They all looked away, embarrassment and shame evident on each of their faces.

I felt it was to make a point but Damian wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind demonstrating I was his. I felt a warmth of happiness, he was showing me off. I leant my head back against his chest. The safety and peace he exuded was like a drug. I closed my eyes for a second just to take in the feelings until he kissed the top of my head “Ready?”

“Yeah” I opened my eyes and saw two warriors already in the ring ready to start. “Begin!” and I watched the two dance around each other. Swinging blows and kicks until one was in the grass, his arm bent painfully behind his back. He exposed his neck in submission “Guy on top… Patrick” Damian breathed into my ear. “Patrick! Well done, please stand to the right” he did as I instructed.

This went on for a few fights, there were 9 winners to my right. Some of the fights had been really short and Damian whispered names into my ears. Sometimes he whispered the loser, saying that they needed to train harder and he would organise that. “Why don’t we have two pairs spar at once? We’re not even halfway through” I suggested

“I’m assessing as I watch, I can’t do that as well if there’s two fights. You can go if you want, I’m not keeping you here” I could hear the smile in his words

“No, it’s OK”

“Can do something special later?” he asked, kissing my temple. I looked ahead in thought and saw three figures walking towards our group… I had a horrible suspicion they weren’t werewolves.