Chapter 9 #2
His silver hair cascaded around his face, and the elongated, sharp fangs protruding from his mouth added to his furious and scary appearance.
With a menacing growl, Torin clenched his fists and pounded them forcefully against the metal table, leaving behind two deep imprints. Though every instinct urged me to flee the boardroom, my legs remained frozen. A cold shiver crept down my spine as I questioned whether Torin’s fury would harm me.
Watching him take measured breaths to gain control, I could sense the raw power emanating from his enraged vampire. Torin faced me, piercing me with his intense gaze. He stumbled forward, his hand reaching for me. I took a step back with shaky legs, my eyes widening. He took another step.
“Torin,” I warned in a low voice.
He halted, dropping his hand to his side. Something shifted in his gaze. He shook his head, turned, and stomped out of the boardroom.
A rustling noise sounded in the hallway.
“Alpha!” Alexander’s voice boomed at the threshold. “I hope you didn’t hurt our Luna.”
A loud growl echoed, rattling the doorframe. “Of course I didn’t.”
I exhaled loudly. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I took a deep breath. I wanted to smile at the thought of having Torin’s Beta in my corner, but I didn’t.
I walked to the large window and tried to calm down by staring at the green and yellow colors of the forest. I didn’t turn when footsteps echoed inside the boardroom.
How was I supposed to tell Torin the truth that Hayden was my other mate? I couldn’t even hold a normal conversation with him when Hayden was concerned.
“Breanna?” Alexander had entered the room, his gaze sweeping over me, searching for any signs of injury. “Are you all right?”
Worry laced his voice.
I nodded, still trying to process what had happened.
Just a close call, I said to myself.
The Beta’s gaze fell on the damaged table, and with a resigned sigh, he muttered about having to repair the table yet again.
“Not that I’m an expert on matters of the heart, but the Alpha is afraid of you choosing your bodyguard over him.”
Hadn’t I shown Torin I wanted to stay in his pack by his side? I wasn’t sure what face I made, but Alexander put his hands up, palms facing me.
“I know, I know. I’m not making excuses for him.”
“Your Alpha is unreasonable.”
Alexander raised his eyebrows. “Is he?”
Wait…what was that supposed to mean?
“Why would Torin think I’ll choose Hayden?”
Hayden and I had a past, but I didn’t initiate a deeper relationship with him. Logically, Hayden checked all the boxes for a perfect mate, but instead of listening to my brain, I tuned in to my heart. And my instincts led me to Torin’s territory.
The Beta gave me a half smile. “Because Alpha Torin thinks he doesn’t deserve you.”
I didn’t know what to say to this. I still had to face Hayden at some point, regardless of what Torin felt. Torin couldn’t lock me up in his high tower and keep me for himself.
I walked next to the laptop and glanced at the screen. My bodyguard must have left. Only one warrior stood guard.
Torin thought he could evade confrontation with me and walk away from tough conversations.
I had always been the Queen of burying issues deep within the cobblestones of my heart, but this time it was different.
We needed to navigate our differences, but not communicating was something I wouldn’t allow.
At least, we had to be able to talk without him being triggered.
In the kingdom, Dad kept me sheltered from politics and royal affairs under the pretext that I had ample time to learn. The King probably did it to protect me as usual and shield me from internal fights among packs and Alphas.
But in Torin’s pack, I had to involve myself, even if that meant I had to stand up to the Alpha.
“Where did your Alpha go?” I hoped Torin would calm down by the time I found him.
Alexander’s smile widened. “Training. I’ll show you how to get to the building.”
Moments later, we walked down narrowed streets that turned into dirt roads. Pack members gave me curious glances, but I was too busy seething.
We entered a long white warehouse with the highest ceiling I’d ever seen before. The space was so large that I couldn’t see the other end.
A cold draft brushed over my skin. Ignoring the wide-eyed stares of the half-naked and sweaty men, I stomped farther inside like a lady boss. Now that my shock had faded, Torin was going to get a piece of my mind.
I wanted to wipe the smirks off some of the warriors’ faces. One had the audacity to whistle, and I was sure he didn’t know I was his King’s daughter or the future Luna.
Next to me, Alexander let a low growl of warning, and the men quieted down. He then muttered something about a horny pack of beasts, making my spirits lift.
But my confidence wavered as I took in the obstacle course and fitness equipment. What exactly were they training for? Gladiator games?
I would never complain about Dad’s brutal training anymore.
I spotted Torin, who was staring at me. He hadn’t changed into workout clothes yet.
“Hi,” I said when I got to him.
“Hi,” he said in a gentle voice, disarming me.
Did I come here to fight some more with him? If my heaven was the brush pens and canvas, his equivalent must have been this place. I respected Torin’s ways of letting off steam. If his way had a physical outlet, mine would be creative and emotional.
Alexander stepped between me and his Alpha, frowning. “I brought her here to knock some sense into you,” he said, crossing his arms around his large torso.
But Alexander couldn’t pull a menacing expression as much as Torin could.
Torin patted his shoulder hard, making his Beta stumble forward. “I’ve got this. You can leave.”
Alexander sent me a glance, the corners of his lips tugging upward. He nodded at me and walked away. He wouldn’t have, if he thought I wasn’t safe.
I let out a heavy sigh and faced Torin. “I came to see you.”
“I’m glad you came so I can see how unfocused my warriors are. They need more training.”
I let out a small laugh, earning me his genuine smile—a rare sight but one to behold.
“I was going to find you, Anna,” he said.
Now I knew how handsome and gentle his facial expressions could be without the facade he wore in the kingdom. His lips were softer, fuller than I remembered them—when they were not pressed into a firm line.
His amber eyes were warm and kind when he didn’t glare at me. This man had put up the wall between us for so many years to stop himself from reaching out to me.
His hand shot to my face, hot fingertips brushing loose strands of hair off my flushed cheek. “I’m sorry. I had to walk away, but I will always come back to you.” He ran his fingers through my hair, sighing. “I shouldn’t be around you as a vampire until I’m more in control. I’m so sorry, Anna.”
I nodded, and he released me.
“After the training session, we’ll meet with our Council to discuss the Luna ceremony. Alexander won’t stop pestering me about the preparations.” Torin smiled. “My Beta wants to make sure everything is to your liking.”
My insides warmed, but at the same time, a giggle bubbled in my throat. “More likely, he wants to make sure you won’t grumble after the ceremony.”
I had the feeling that the Beta was loyal to his Alpha, and both were close.
“Now show me around, Alpha.”
As we walked, Torin explained each station of the obstacle course. Various men were going through it, demonstrating. We talked as if we hadn’t fought moments ago, and my body relaxed. My breathing returned to normal.
“This one is a strength challenge where each werewolf must lift a 200-pound stone or sandbag and carry it around the flagpole”—Torin pointed in the distance—“and haul it back to the start.”
A young man had what looked like a giant boulder resting on one shoulder. His face scrunched in agony as he took slow steps.
Yuck.
“Next one is the towering shelf. They’ll have to jump high to be able to grab and pull themselves up on the mantel shelf part. Then climb over a metal fence.”
The sharp clank of metal grinding echoed behind me, and I turned.
“So cruel of you, Torin,” I said as I stared at another man.
It’s true this man looked badass with a cargo ship chain over his shoulders while he attempted to run laps, but still. Brutal.
“It’s only cruel if I order them to go through this training without joining them. I do the training with them every week if I’m not out of the territory.”
Was this how Torin let out steam and kept his vampire in check?
“Come this way. I’ll show you the easiest one.”
I scoffed. I doubted that but kept up with the Alpha.
“The balance beam, hanging about twenty feet above the ground,” Torin said while looking up at one of his men attempting the obstacle.
I swallowed hard as the man walked up the incline and across the top, looking like an agile cat minus the nine lives. I held my breath until he reached the other end and climbed down the ladder tower. Maybe a supernatural wouldn’t fall to their death, but I would as a human.
“Have you fallen off?”
“I have,” was all Torin said and shrugged.
If you had a personal vendetta with the vampire Queen, then you had to undergo this type of training, I supposed.
“Maybe the princess wants to try out our obstacle course?” a female voice said, and I whirled around.
Torin’s personal assistant, dressed in black workout clothes, had her hair up in a tight ponytail. Her fake smile made my stomach roil.
“I thought you’d still be in the dungeon,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed.
“She was”—Torin crossed his arms over his chest—“for the night, and now she’ll be completing the obstacle course.”
I wasn’t sure which was worse.
“I thought Veronica had an office job,” I said, ignoring her presence.
Torin chuckled. “She does, but not when she disrespects the King’s daughter and my future Luna.” He turned to face the woman, raising his eyebrows. “And she still hasn’t apologized.”
Veronica clenched her jaw. Yesterday she’d called me Torin’s bed warmer. Did she want the position?
“I am sorry for any offense I may have caused, Princess,” she said with a glare my way.
It didn’t escape me that she called me Princess instead of her Luna. She’d shown her disrespect to me before her Alpha, and she wasn’t afraid.
Something was amiss here. Something made her foolishly brave.
I gave a tight smile back. I didn’t like the woman one bit. It wasn’t her words. There was something vicious about her that raised red flags.
Torin and I were about to move away from her when Veronica said, “But perhaps the princess would do a friendly sparring session with me? Would you accept my challenge?”
I’d guess Veronica was too much of a coward to challenge me as her Luna, but my instincts told me that she desired the position.
The words “friendly” and “challenge” didn’t go together in a werewolf’s vocabulary. For the supernaturals, challenges weren’t mere contests. They were werewolves’ way of asserting leadership and dominance, an integral part of their community.
The challenges were also a problem-resolution strategy for werewolves, ensuring that the strongest led the pack. The outcomes determined the rank of those involved.
There would be more werewolves like Veronica in Torin’s pack. One way to win their favor was to show them I wasn’t going to be a weak Luna.
Torin’s lips parted, ready to speak, but I intervened.
“Accepted.”