Alora’S POV.
Eight-thirty am.
Tania and I were supposed to be at the training centre thirty minutes ago. Halle must be waiting for us right now and I’m sure she’s pissed. I just ruined my chance of ever becoming friends with her.
“Luna Alora.” Tania calls after me, panting. I’m running out of the castle, juggling my bag and water bottle in my hands and I only stop when I get to the car. Tania comes running over as well and she almost crashes into my body. I laugh hysterically as I watch her support her hands on her knees, breathing like someone who just returned from a marathon race.
“What…what…” she wheezes as she tries to speak. She’s completely breathless. “What’s with the rush?” She finally asks her question. Before the guard can rush over to open the car door, I beat him to it. I throw my belongings into the backseat and turn to look at Tania who’s still panting.
“We are extremely late for training. Halle’s going to rain anger upon us when we get to the training centre.
“You are the Luna, for God’s sake. You have the right to show up for training at any time. It doesn’t matter if you are late or not. It’s her duty to wait for you and she knows that.”
“Yeah, yea. But it doesn’t hurt to be respectful. Get into the car.” I instruct and she stands upright, giving me a tired look.
“I’m already exhausted. I’m definitely going to faint in that training centre today. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She hops into the car and I get in as well. Once we are both settled, the driver ignites the car engine and drives out of the castle premises.
Throughout the ride, I keep glancing at my wrist watch. This is one of those rare moments when I wish I had the ability to pause time.
By the time we arrive at the training centre, it’s nine am. I’m one hour late. I lead the way with running into the training centre and Tania follows behind, mumbling curses and all I do is laugh.
I feel bad for putting her through all this trouble. We are in this situation because my lazy ass woke up late. I have to scold Alpha Jayce for not waking me up before he left for work.
“Halle!” I call with an apologetic voice as I rush into the arena and stop in front of her. She’s sitting on a bench at the corner, with an eternal frown on her face. Tania joins me. The sounds of our heavy laboured breaths resonate throughout the arena. My heart is beating the same way it did yesterday during the jogging session. Halle’s eyes are burning into me.
“You are late.” She firmly points out. I swallow hard and suck in a deep breath. I almost choke.
“I know, and I’m so sorry. I woke up late and…”
“Save it.” She rudely cuts me off. I can see Tania fuming from my peripheral vision. I purse my lips and calmly nod my head. Halle rises from the bench she was sitting on and takes her stand before me. It’s a good thing I’m a bit taller than she is, else I would feel more intimidated than I already am.
“I don’t care if you died in your sleep last night. If you have to show up for training, you show up on time. I’m missing out on doing other interesting things because I have to come here and teach you basic self defence and other boring shit. The least you can do to make this already unbearable work better for me is show up early for training.”
“Hey!” That’s Tania. She takes a fearless step towards Halle, but I hold her arm and pull her back behind. “She’s not supposed to talk to you in that manner. You are her Luna!” Tania scolds and Halle scoffs.
“It’s fine. Calm down. That’s an order.” Tania relaxes her body, but I can still see her burning desire in her eyes to give Halle a piece of her mind.
I turn to face Halle who’s looking at me like I’m some piece of garbage.
Too bad for her because she’s stuck with this piece of garbage.
She seems to dislike me, but I like her. I’m going to learn as much as I should, maybe even more from her.
“I’m sorry for showing up late. Forgive me. It’s never going to happen again.”
“Whatever. Just go in and get changed. I nod and beckon Tania to come with me to the dressing room.
I swear to the Moon goddess if you keep taking shit from this girl like this, I’m gonna have to report her myself to the Alpha so she can fired and why not punished severely! She’s out of her mind!”
“You will do no such thing.”
“Luna Alora!”
“Tania!” My gaze hardens. She quickly goes down on her knees.
“I’m so sorry for raising my voice against you, Luna. Please have mercy on me. It’s never going to happen again.”
“On your feet, now!” I command and she instantly obeys. “Look at me.” She looks at me. There are tears trickling down her cheeks. I breathe, broken. “There’s no reason for you to go down on your knees in tears. You’ve done nothing wrong. However, I’d appreciate it if you let me handle Halle from now on. No matter what she says or does, don’t talk back to her. Let me do the talking. Can you do that for me?” She quickly nods her head and I break into a smile. “Good then. Let’s get dressed up and join her before she spits fire at us from the arena.” Tania giggles and so do I.
I love working with her.
She is the absolute best.
When we go out, we start with jogging just like yesterday and we do other exercises for the next hours. It’s pretty hard to keep up with all the exercises, but I’m trying my best and so is Tania.
Halle is a no nonsense girl. Her countenance alone is enough to fuel my determination to carry out every task she assigns to us. She’s very fit and I hope to be like her one day.
“One last round of jogging before we go for break.” Halle instructs. Tania and I rise to our feet. We start jogging around the arena in a clockwise motion while Halle stands at a distance and observes.
“If she teaches the pups, they are all going to be scared of her.” Tania whispers in a hushed tune and I simply chuckle and shake my head.
“She’s too young to be this…”
Crack.
The wrath of hell courses through my right ankle and I scream at the top of my voice and fall to the ground on my butt. The impact is nothing compared to the pain I feel in my sprained ankle.
Halle rushes over and stoops in front of me. I’m holding onto the sprained ankle and crying like a baby.
Thick searing pain is tearing every part of my body. It hurts.
Halle holds my leg and examines the ankle for a while.
“It’s just a sprain. Tania, get me some ice from the fridge and a towel.” Tania flies away to get the things. Tears are spilling down from my eyes as I keep holding my hurt ankle. Halle is looking at it with her face devoid of any emotion.
I can’t tell if she feels bad or if she’s happy that I’m in pain.
Just like Reed, she’s impossible to read.
Tania comes over with the ice wrapped in a towel.
“Place it on her ankle and hold still.” Tania does as instructed. Halle rises to her feet and looks down at us.
“Seems like we’ll have to end here for today. Keep that ice on her leg for about fifteen minutes before taking her home. I’ll ask one of the pack doctors to bring an ointment to you at the castle. Report here when your leg gets better. Have a nice day.” She pivots and exits the arena, leaving both Tania and I utterly and completely dumbfounded.
We both exchange confused glances.
“Did… did she …” Tania stops on her words. “Are you sure Halle isn’t a sociopath?” Tania asks, frightened.
I’m just as scared as she is.
Halle lacks empathy and a lot of other feelings a normal human should have.
“She has issues. That’s for sure.” I keep looking at the door Halle just exited and my mood turns sour when Skye’s face comes into view.
“What is she doing here?” I murmur to myself.
I don’t like her. Not after the fat lie she told me yesterday.
She walks over to Tania and I and stops before us. There’s a bright smile on her face. She must be in a good mood.
“I can see there was an accident.” She remarks, but I don’t say anything to her. “I’m not here to pick a fight with you, Luna Alora.” The way she calls me Luna Alora feels like a joke.
I’m sure she wishes she could swallow her tongue after uttering those words.
“What I’m about to say to you could put me in a lot of trouble, but I’m willing to take the risk. I thought I could keep it in, but I just realised I couldn’t.”
I know I shouldn’t believe anything she says, but her words are touching my very soul and my anxiety is taking a hold of me.
I want to hear what she has to say.
I look up at her. She smiles.
“Long before Alpha Jayce brought you to this pack, the two us have been fucking.” She deciphers and studies my face, expecting a reaction and when she gets it, she wears her smile of triumph and nods. “Yes. We’ve been fucking for five years now. That’s what he has been hiding from you. If you think I’m lying, why don’t you go ahead and ask him with your own mouth?”
Thorns are popping up in my stomach and the sharp edges are piercing every inch of my nervous system. Something is breaking in my brain.
Just like Halle, she pivots and saunters out of the arena, leaving just Tania and I behind.
He lied to me.
Alpha Jayce lied to me.