Jade’s pov:
My call with Alex was brief because I told him I was tired. My beloved mate didn’t hesitate to tell me to lay down and get some rest. Truth be told, I was more worried I would break down crying on the phone, because of how I missed him already.
I wrung my hands together, almost painfully so, the longing almost too much to bear. From the day we found out about Jessica’s betrayal, we barely had time to ourselves.
I sighed as I remembered my dad’s passing, and had a hard time keeping a positive outlook on everything going on.
There was a knock on the door just as I was about to step into the bathroom for a quick shower. I sensed a werewolf, and my sense of smell told me it was mom.
I didn’t think twice of it and went to get the door.
“How’s the room?” She asked in a sweet albeit curious tone of voice. “Are you well settled?”
“See for yourself,” was my answer as I let her in.
She closed the door behind her, and soon sat on the edge of the bed, typing on her phone, before showing me.
It read: As nice as Trudy is, don’t let it fool you. Chances are it’s just a facade.
I know, I typed back with a soft smile on my face.
She nodded at me before tucking her phone away.
“Rest well, sweetheart,” she hugged me goodbye. “You’ll probably start your training tomorrow.”
“Thanks mom,” I told her softly.
She left shortly after said hug, and leaving me alone to my thoughts, unending insecurities, and bottomless doubt.
I hopped into the shower, and as I washed the tiredness away, I felt something rather peculiar. It would have been unsettling if I had not read about this before, and heard from other women too.
The baby had just kicked softly, almost as if letting me know it was there silently supporting me on this journey.
Feeling less alone, I cheered up at once… so much so that I began to whistle.
I didn’t know the gender of the baby just yet, but I did know that werewolf pregnancies tended to be on the shorter side somewhere between four to five months.
Thus, with a confident smile, I told myself that I needed to train diligently. After all, the faster I completed this training, the sooner I would be on my way home.
** ** ** **
I woke up around dawn, as per my habits. The past few weeks’ early training had instilled this habit in me. After going about my morning routine, I put on fitted cargo pants, and a loose t-shirt, ready to tackle the day head on.
Are you awake? I texted mom.
Naturally, came her almost immediate response.
And before long, we were walking down the narrow corridor which later led us to the spacious hallway.
We came to a halt at the dining room, where my eyes met those of the Alpha King at once. He and beta Marc and gamma Spencer were having breakfast while having a serious conversation it would seem.
I was quick to avert my eyes, wishing he wouldn’t take it as an offense.
“Good morning, your highness,” I greeted him humbly. “Good morning everyone.”
Mom seemed surprised, no doubt because the Alpha King didn’t look a year older than 25, but she soon greeted them with my exact words again.
It was custom, and maybe protocol even, to always greet his highness first, and then anyone else.
The Alpha King smiled at us, and with a welcoming wave of his hand, said, “Join us for breakfast.”
We merely nodded in response, and were soon shown our seat by a servant.
“You’re up early,” the beta let out in a tone of voice that told me he was pleasantly surprised.
“I expected we would have to drag you out of bed, considering how tired you were yesterday,” the gamma went on jokingly.
“We’re used to having training at 6,” I shrugged as I grabbed a croissant from the basket in front of me.
“I see,” both men let out in unison.
“You don’t have to wake up that early here,” the gamma then quipped.
The beta let out a noncommital sound in agreement before adding, “Your training doesn’t start before 8 am.”
I let out a stunned Oh in response, before following up with, “I would rather we didn’t lose our touch. Provided we are shown to the training grounds, we won’t bother anyone.”
The Alpha King nodded before he continued silently observing us, making me almost spill coffee twice he knew exactly how to make people nervous. Hell, had I been on the recieving end of his glare, I would no doubt spill my damned guts.
He was that intense, and then some.
“Were the rooms fine with you?” The beta then asked, making small talk, it would seem.
“Absolutely,” I nodded at him, a small smile stretching my lips.
He didn’t need to make small talk, or even make me feel comfortable really I was here to train, nothing more, nothing less.
I sensed someone coming someone who wasn’t a werewolf and I reasoned that it must be the witch.
Only it was Anna first, running the way only kids knew how, with the one I believed to be her mother right behind her. They had strikingly similar blue eyes, and the same lush blond hair.
Anna stopped abruptly as my eyes settled on her, and then took a couple of steps back, right into her mother’s awaiting arms.
“Sorry about the interruption, your highness,” the woman soon let out in a humble tone of voice.
“It’s okay,” he said without delay, the ghost of a smile on his face, “Paulina, meet Luna Jade, the born healer I told you about.”
Her eyes bulged a little before she nodded curtly at me, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Luna Jade.”
“Likewise, Paulina,” was my answer. “I will be in your care.”
She looked rather taken aback by my words, and I wondered if it was because she didn’t know she was supposed to train me, or because of something else.
“You’re so down to earth, I believe this training will be a walk in the park,” she soon offered me a smile that looked genuine.
“Amen to this one,” I giggled goodhumoredly.