PETER’S P. O. V.
I decided to head to the training grounds early. The Elders were more than willing to let us do the conversions that we needed to in order to get this place ready for all the wolves to train. I am still hopeful for tonight, but I just have this feeling in my gut that we have reached the end of the line. The rogues are not going to be easy pushovers. Them meeting us tonight is like us inviting the start of the war. I know that we are as ready as we can be right now but I still wish that we were more so. We have the numbers on our side, but if they have trained harder than they can take us.
After this we are going to have to prepare to set up our troops. We are supposed to meet the rogues at sunset, this time of year it is about seven. I want to be ready ahead of time. Benjamin has informed me that the wolves that we sent out to go with the trackers left about an hour ago. They will be waiting for the rogues to head out and leave the females with as little guards as possible. I know it won’t be a walk in the park, but hopefully it will be a success.
I am not sure why but I feel the need to bring back the females, as if my very life is dependent on it. I mean it isn’t going to make that much of a difference to the pack. Except with morale. The pack will feel better having them back. I want to help my pack, but I shouldn’t feel as though my life depends on it.
Shawn comes over the ridge with his Luna and a few guards. He is holding her hand like she is a prized jewel that he wants to display to the world. I can’t help but envy him. I mean it isn’t my day so I can’t do that. Which just seems like bullshit. I should have her to myself. Why the fuck should I have to share? Does she not like me? Why is she so confused? I should be the one she is screaming for. But no, I have to share her. Why does this have to be so hard? I did nothing wrong to the goddess for her to do this to me. I have a few choice words to say about her now, but I know I can’t fight her will. She has a reason for all of this.
Truth be told, I had protection with me yesterday when I was with Olivia. I was just so pissed at not being the first that I couldn’t bring myself to use it. I wanted to rip off a specific member of Victor. Why should he be first? At least I got her to accept me being the first to mark her. That gave me a glint of happiness. I can imagine the look on Victor’s face when he was told that I got to do it first. I can’t help but feel a little smug.
I feel bad for Benjamin, he seems to be getting the short end of the stick all around. Except I heard about the date that he is taking her on tomorrow and then I feel anger again. He is my best friend and I am pissed he is taking his mate on a date, because she is mine too. I am just going to have to push it down. I don’t know how much more I can do this.
Wolves are starting to arrive, when Shawn approached me with his mate Bianca. “Hey, Peter, can you help me out here? Bianca here wants to train. I told her that it isn’t a possibility but she seems to think I am just being unreasonable.”
“You are bringing me into your marital problems?” I shake my head at Shawn.
“We agreed that pregnant she-wolves shouldn’t train. We all know that it is dangerous for the baby.” Shawn looks exasperated. I really don’t want to be involved in this, but I can’t have him ripping his hair out.
“Alright let’s do this. Olivia is training the junior wolves. You can join in with them, Bianca, under the understanding that Olivia will know that you are with pup and if she thinks that you shouldn’t do something, then you can’t.”
Shawn doesn’t look happy and neither does Bianca. “It is called a compromise. Later after you have the pup then you can train fully.”
Shawn grumbled. “Fine she can do that.”
“Oh, thank you, master. If I want to train I will. Since I am assuming that I will need to train with Olivia anyway, I will go talk to her and work this out.” Bianca turned away from Shawn without even acknowledging him.
“You are in the dog house.”
“Thanks for stating the obvious.”
“A compromise is the only thing that is going to even work. Olivia wont let anything happen to her or her pup. I trust Olivia.”
“That’s all well and good, but this is my pup and I don’t know Olivia.”
“Then trust me.”
He heaves a big sigh. “Fine. I am just worried. It’s my first pup. I think I might be overdoing it, but I really just want them to be safe. As you know my mother died giving birth to me. I don’t want to lose either of them. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“To be honest if it was Olivia, I would probably be the same way.”
“Really, even if it wasn’t your pup?”
“Well, it will be mine at one point and I would need Olivia alive for that to happen.”
“True, so did you guys work out who is the first daddy.” Shawn smirks at me like he already knows the answer.
Now it is my turn to heave a big sigh. “It would appear to be Victor. Not that I should be surprised she has known him a great deal longer than the rest of us. I guess they have known each other since they were very little. They have a history that Benjamin and I may never be able to compete with.”
“I can see this is hard for you. Do you ever think that it can be resolved? I mean it made it easier at least.”
“That is what I am really hoping for. I really can’t talk to anyone about this. I mean normally I would talk to Benjamin, but he is in the same boat. We are somewhat competing with each other.”
“Harsh. Well, I am an open ear. I don’t really think I can help. I can just listen.” Shawn shrugged and then ran after his wife.
Olivia has arrived, with Victor I notice. Not surprising since it is his day. I just don’t like it. She is dressed in leggings and a rib tank much like the first time that she ran with us. Her hair is pulled up into a high ponytail that I can only imagine bobbing in front of me in all the naughty ways that I can imagine. I want to pull her into an empty classroom right now and have my way with her, but that isn’t possible. I smile at her even though I am dying inside.
“Hey, baby doll. Ready to train these pups.”
“Sure, that is what I am here for right? Anyway I just ran into Bianca, I guess I am training her in some modified version.” She looks confused. I can’t blame her, with their arguing she probably didn’t get any clues as to why this was happening.
“Yeah, Bianca and Shawn came to me complaining about training. Shawn doesn’t want her to train because of the pup that she is carrying. Bianca wants to train anyway, so the only compromise that I could come up with was for you to train her and modify her training so it doesn’t affect the pup. I figured you would be more attune with her situation than anyone else.”
She gives me a look, like ‘are you serious?’ “Why because I am a woman so I would automatically know what to do when pregnant?”
“No honey, because you know how to start light and then build up.” I smirk at her and then pull her in for a quick kiss. It isn’t nearly enough. I want more, but we are in public and we have work to do. This war couldn’t have come at a worse time. Everything is so mixed up I would like nothing more than to work it out sooner rather than later. I find that we are always putting our romance on hold. I feel anger build up when I think about it. “Well, we better get to work. I am sure that you have plenty to do. I have to see if I can find more adequate wolves for tonight’s distraction. I know we have the numbers now, but the more we have the less casualties we are going to have.”
“Do you really think it is going to come to that tonight?” Olivia looks concerned.
“Really I hope that they will see our numbers and just back down. I just am being overly cautious. You understand right?” I am trying to downplay what Victor and I already know. The battle will start tonight. Whether it is the end of the war or not is yet to be seen.
“Yeah I get it. I’ll see you around the training ground. I better get to my station so I can whip these pups into shape.” She smiles that smile that just lights up a room and walks away. Inwardly I groan. I need to fix this fast. I can’t stand this waiting. The sooner the war is over the better.