Chapter 7
The moment I stepped out of the airport, a boy practically sprinted toward me, his expression a mix of relief and mild panic.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone? I was starting to think your flight got delayed, and I had no idea how I was supposed to track you down!”
I shook my phone at him. “No SIM card. Took it out when I left the Red River Pack.”
His eyebrows shot up, and a grin tugged at his lips. “Disconnected from the old pack, huh? Let me guess–boyfriend drama?”
“Something like that,” I muttered.
He laughed, grabbing my bags and slinging
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one over his shoulder. “Man, you’re bold! Don’t worry, though. You’re gonna love it here. We’ll throw you a party tonight, celebrate your new freedom!”
I groaned. “Actually, I was thinking of starting with the Training Grounds.”
Harper didn’t miss a beat, steering me toward the parking lot. “Training Grounds it is, party animal. Let’s hope the place hasn’t fallen apart yet.”
As we drove, Harper filled me in. “My parents always emphasized both individual combat and group tactics for the pack. The thing is, we’re solid as a team, but solo combat? That’s where we fall behind. The Moon Eclipse Pack, on the other hand, is legendary for their individual trainers. They’re leagues ahead of us in that department.”
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I nodded, flipping through the Training Program folder he handed me.
“They said you studied solo combat, right?” Harper asked, glancing at me.
“Once upon a time,” I admitted, skimming the outdated schedule. But it’s been a while. I’ve spent most of my time dealing with Alpha Kendrick and his… packhouse politics.
Harper winced. “Ouch. Well, you’re here now. Time to dust off those skills.”
The more I read, the more intrigued I became. My parents had always wanted me to find something I was passionate about, and wolf training had always been my thing. Maybe they sent me here for a reason.
“Mind if I borrow your phone for a sec?” I asked.
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“Sure,” Harper said, handing it over without hesitation.
I called my parents to let them know I’d arrived safely. My mom answered on the first ring, her voice a mix of relief and… something sharper.
“Felicia, Alpha Kendrick doesn’t know you left, does he?”
“Nope,” I replied, bracing for the inevitable.
“Well, he’s been calling nonstop. Even
reached out to the administrative line at the Moon Eclipse Packhouse.”
I
I could practically hear her eye roll. “He even flew over to see us, but your father
and I blocked him. He acts like he can’t live without you now, but where was that energy
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when he should’ve married you?”
Ouch. Classic Mom.
“Lucky you’re with the Blue Moon Pack now. You don’t need to deal with him anymore. Honestly, what a relief!”
I stayed quiet, letting her vent. Deep down, I knew she wasn’t wrong. If Kendrick had truly cared, things wouldn’t have ended like they did.
Changing my surroundings had been the best decision I’d made in years. Though he still crossed my mind, my new life with the Blue Moon Pack was proving to be overwhelming in the best possible way.
The Training Grounds were more of a mess than I’d anticipated. What I thought would be simple wolf pack training turned out to
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be a full–blown reassessment of their entire system.
A portion of the patrol team consisted of disabled wolves–fighters injured while protecting the Blue Moon Pack. Their old combat techniques no longer worked for them, but the Alpha insisted they have stable jobs and dignity.
It was my job to train the fully capable soldiers and find new methods for the injured wolves. Talk about a challenge.
I dove headfirst into the work, attending meetings, joining discussions, and catching up on everything I’d missed. At first, it was exhausting. The sheer weight of responsibility felt like too much.
But then I started to see progress–injured wolves finding new techniques,
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rediscovering their strength. Watching
them regain their confidence was the most rewarding thing I’d experienced in a long time.
Harper walked into the training arena one day, hands on his hips, watching as I guided a wolf through an exercise. “You’re smiling,” he said, smirking.
“Am I?”
“Yep. Don’t worry. It looks good on you.”
I rolled my eyes, but deep down, I knew he was right.
For the first time in years, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.
