Ch. 181..190

Chapter 0181

“Basically.” Nathaniel shrugs. A man of few words, I like it.

As we round the corner from the foyer to the living room, the low rumble of noise lets me know just how many warriors live here. We walk towards the glass wall at the back of the room and I can already see the line forming.

When the Alpha King and Warrior Osiston showed me around earlier we didn’t go further than the kitchen. I didn’t even think about the lack of usable seating in that space. We must be heading to a dining room.

When I get around the corner and through the door, the roar of conversation is almost deafening, and I love it. You can feel the excitement and energy radiating off of everyone in the room. The buzz is almost overwhelming. I get goosebumps and my wolf is even purring.

It is just five after 8 and the room is already almost filled. The line around the buffet styled counter is moving faster than anything I have ever seen before.

These wolves know what they want and understand the time crunch.

“See, we told you, you have to be right on time. This place is a madhouse. Especially when everyone is here.” Wyatt says in my ear and all 1 can do is smile. I love it!

We got through the line and I think every type of food was available. I remember what Oliver said about me being too small and losing weight, so I piled my plate up not wanting to have to deal with being malnourished if training is going to be as intense as everyone makes it seem.

“I think there is enough room for all of us over there.” Lillian points out at the far corner of the room.

We walk through the long rectangular room. This seems to be more like the kitchen, industrial and functional. No decoration or frills here. Made to house the hundred or so warriors that live in the bunkhouse.

We sat at the end of a long wooden table that looked antique, but sturdy, with grooves and nicks and stains all over it. This table would have thousands of stories to tell if it could talk.

‘So you need to tell me what I am in for with Audrina. I need to know how not to piss her off any more than I already have apparently. What does doing my baseline today with Warrior Osiston have to

do with her issue with me today?” I ask the three of them, taking a huge bite of a burger that just melts in my mouth. Alpha Lucas could take lessons.

They all look at eachother and must come to some kind of agreement.

Lillian takes a deep breath then starts. “So normally, new recruits do their baselines in front of the whole warrior training camp. It’s like a right of passage to get heckled and basically suck at the thing. Almost nobody finishes, because there is no kind of preparation for it, it's long and no one helps each other. When we all got accepted after the trials, we were housed in a shack overnight, then given a set of training clothes and brought here, straight to the gauntlet. No directions were given, we were just told to ‘go.’ There were about 50 of us to start, after the gauntlet, when we came to lunch there were about 30 of us. By the end of training our first day 20 were given room assignments. So there’s that.”

I just looked at her confused. I did all of those things, just maybe not in that order and not with an audience.

“Drina is the only other person Warrior Brogen has ever personally evaluated. I think that made her feel special. She was also the youngest recruit, at 17, until you.” Nathaniel supplies around a

mouthful of spaghetti.

‘‘My situation is different though, I wasn’t supposed to be here for two more years and it’s more than a month after the trials. Surely she understands that it would be a waste of time to stop everyone’s training, just to give me a hard time, now that the new session has already started.” I try to reason.

“We get that, but he also told you to call him by his first name. That is a rare thing, I’m sure you’ve been told that. Not even Drina gets that liberty. And he has a pet name for you, something she also doesn't have.” Wyatt looks at me seriously.

 

Chapter 0182

“Okay, so she might be under the impression that I am here to overshadow her or take her place in some way. I just need to stay under the radar enough to stay out of her way. I don’t want to be ‘the favorite’ or whatever she thinks. And the Alpha King calls me ' Little One' too, it's not a unique nickname. Almost all of my friends back home call me some synonym of short. Even Wyatt calls me ‘Mighty Midget.’ It's just a thing.” I shrug.

"She doesn't know that though. She was only at trials for the second day and she left on assignment almost immediately after. She didn't see any of the interactions you had with other people socially."

Nathaniel says matter of factly.

‘Midge, you just turned 15 and were personally brought here by the Alpha King and his lead warrior, you are on everyone’s radar.” I can feel the color drain from my face and I feel sick. Wyatt must notice, he hurries to amend his statement. “I think she’s the only negative one though. You have been the talk of the compound since we got here. Lillian and I have been asked nonstop questions about you since we got to work with you in a team. I think that’s why they

assigned me as your guide for the day tomorrow. I’m kind of interested in following you around at school.

I graduated two years ago, I wonder if anything has changed much?” He looks a little thoughtful, like he is remembering something pleasant about his high school experience.

“T think your brain might explode following her around to classes.” Nathaniel comes up from his food again. “Has it occurred to you that at 15, a technical sophomore, she is going to qualify to

graduate by the end of the summer? She’s two and a half years ahead of all her peers, you barely made it out on time.” He and Lillian are laughing as the idea settles on Wyatt.

The look on his face was priceless.

“Okay, so really, what do I need to look out for? I don’t think I can do anything about Audrina right now. What other newbie hazing mistakes can I at least avoid?” I am pleading with them, but I need to transition in quickly. Like I told Warrior Osiston and Nathaniel pointed out I am on people’s radar and I can’t afford to make mistakes. This probationary thing must be serious if they got rid of thirty people on just the first day.

“It’s not so much avoidance of things, Everything we do is designed for us to f*ck up. It’s the way we learn

best, from our own failures. Make sure you are on time and are prepared. Listen to the little instructions, read between the lines and you should be fine. Like you said, it’s only been a month, you aren't that far behind us. And based on what everyone was going on about after trials, I think you will pick up quickly.” Nathaniel gives me a warm smile and goes back to eating.

I have at least figured out, if I want a straight answer, he’s my guy. It seems like I made a good enough impression on Wyatt and Lillian that they will help me if I really need it too. We’ll see. I’m not sure if they play us against each other at all here, since they seem to do eliminations during the probation period.

“Oh! How long is the probation period and what happens after that?” I have to move away from the topic of Audrina and people trying to get rid of me.

“We have three levels of probation. The first 30 days we are probies or newbies, depending on who’s talking to you. No one is outwardly hostile, but not helpful either. They all want to see what you are made of, but understand if they are too mean or try to sabotage you and you end up on

their team later, you could cause them problems if you hold a grudge.” Lillian points at me with her fork, like I am the one causing problems.

Chapter 0183

Chapter 0183 "After that we are in preliminary, or prelims.

Again this lasts 30 days.

If you make it that far you get to be inducted and get a temporary warrior brand and can start going on smaller missions.

Wyatt says around a mouthful of taco. "What is this brand that everyone keeps talking about? Why is it so special?" This is like the fourth time I have heard about that today." "The brand is what links you to the warriors.

Think about it like a pack link, but just with us.

We all come from different packs and we don't want to renounce our pack connection just to do training, so we are given this brand that is applied to the inside of our right wrist.

Nathaniel indicates the spot.

"It doesn't sever your pack link, it just brings you into the warrior link You can communicate with the warriors on your team while out on missions and you have access to the lead warriors no matter how far away you are, which comes in handy from what I have heard from some of the veteran warriors. "I wonder how that will work for me then? Warrior Osiston said that I won't be able to join missions until lam 16, that's just under a year from now.

I hope my probationary period doesn't last a year, that would suck! I let out a little whine. "Who knows.

The Alpha King and Warrior Brogen already seem to have plans for you or you wouldn't be here." Nathaniel deadpans.

Yep, he's a keeper, I think right before he starts talking again.

"The other thing the brand does is shut down your mating hormones. I choke on my water and almost spit it across the table.

"It what?" "It shuts down all the hormones that make you want to mate, at all.

You won't be able to find your mate while you are branded, I think that is the most obvious thing.

But, you also won't have any s*xual desires or any kind of attractions either.

At any given time there are about a hundred warriors in this building, both male and female.

We are all very active and fit, even for werewolves, which usually correlates with our drive.

By shutting this down, there is no relationship drama or other distractions that come from sleeping around.

It allows us to focus on the task at hand keeping those emotions in check" "Who gives us this brand and what happens if someone wants the chance to find their mate?" I ask, a little horrified.

I can't find my mate for another three years, but I don't know how I feel about the option to find them taken away from me. "The brand is applied by the warrior elders and a coven of witches. It is temporary and wears off after a while. I don't have many more details about it than that. I do know that every five years the Alpha King requires warriors to remove the brand for a full year and travel to try and find their mate.

So, mates have been considered. "Nathaniel, how do you know so much about this? It seems like a lot of detail, that isn 't common Imowledge." I ask, truly curious. He must be a sponge.

The quiet observant guy that no one thinks twice about talking in front of, but he gathers every piece of info he comes across. Clearly this isn't something either of the other two thought to ask as their heads whip towards him looking expectant.

He stares at me for a moment, clearly deciding something.

I don't feel any animosity coming from him and I hope he doesn't find any from me.

He really is just a fascinating person and I have only known him a couple hours. "My dad was a warrior. He found my morn on one of his sabbaticals.

She died when rogues attacked our pack, it almost killed my dad to lose her.

He brought me here and joined the warriors again to remove the pain of the broken bond.

He looked back into my eyes, a kindred spirit in a way.

Somehow he knows what my family, what I, went through. I just nod, confirming his unasked question.

 

Chapter 0184

Chapter 0184 Before things get too heavy another chime rings and everyone starts getting up and clearing the space. Warrior Osiston wasn't kidding when he said it's our job to take care of this place.

There was not a single crumb left on any of the tables.

It was incredible. "What do we do now?" I ask after we all disposed of our garbage and organized our dirty dishes into bins for the omegas. 'We actually have free time until lights out.

Most shower and head to their rooms for some quiet time, especially when they have been out on the territory all day.

Some hang out in the common room, it's really the only down time we get here." Lillian links her arm into mine, "Come on, let's see what's going We spent the rest of the hour mingling around with the other warriors.

We didn't spend too long with anyone though and I couldn't tell you any of their names yet.

It was interesting to see the dynamic of the older warriors and the younger generation.

There was a distinct difference in the interactions. The warning chime for bed time went off sooner than

I wanted, I was enjoying listening and talking to the warriors here.

It already feels like home, but not the same way the Blue Crescent pack house feels like home.

It's strange and I don't know what to make of it. "Is it the chimes that wake us up each day too?" I ask Lillian as we walk up the stairs together. "No, that's the floor leader's job." "Oh, great.

I say sarcastically.

"Will you do me a favor and check on me in the morning? My routine is off from the last month and I don't trust myself to get up when I usually do and I don't thinkmy floor leader likes me enough to show me that courtesy. can, but she really should.

It makes her 100k bad if anyone on her floor is late, unprepared or out of uniform. "That's good to know I guess. I think I have classes tomorrow, so I don't knowwhen I will see you. Thank you for helping me today. I appreciate a friendly face. " I smile at her as I step onto the landing of my floor and she ascends to hers. "You are a team player and so am I, we got this." She winks at me and heads up.

With the exception Of Audrina, my first day here wasn 't so bad. I head to my room and find more books and a folder on my desk I opened the folder first.

It has my schedule for this week on the top of the small stack of papers.

It looks like tomorrow will be at the school.

At least I get to see Sierra and check in with her, but it would be nice to see the warriors in action now that I have gotten to know them. I toss and turn all night, but not because I was uncomfortable or scared.

I am excited to get started and only wish my first day could be on the training grounds and not at the school, I have so much energy to burn after being cooped up in the hospital.

I have to stay positive though, I will be able to graduate earlier than I thought and I will get to train.

This is like a dream come true.

There is a wall clock next to the door, but no alarm clock or any outlets actually.

They take this separation from the outside world seriously.

I'rn sure there is a place downstairs to charge and use phones in a designated space and at designated times. Once the sun starts to rise and the dirn yellow light peeks through my curtains, I get up and get dressed, assuming I have to wear the uniform no matter where

I am at on the territory, including school. I flip to the second page of the folder that was left for me which has my class schedule.

All core classes, nothing unnecessary and no battle classes. This might actually be boring.

On the other hand all of the classes say 'advanced' so they might all be really hard and suck.

 

Chapter 0185

Chapter 0185 I'm flipping through my pack history book when Lillian comes rushing in. "I am so sorry, I totally forgot to come get you." She looks horrified and I look up at the clock, it's 5:45. Probably no time for breakfast. I grab all my things and shove them quickly into my bag following her down the hall to the main stairs. "I only realized you weren 't there when Wyatt asked if I had seen you so he could get you to school." "It's okay, I was up, I should have paid more attention. I was just trying to get ahead on the reading so I could understand what was going on. This is not your fault. I didn't hear a wake up call at all." I hug her and she apologizes again before jumping down the last few stairs and running off to join training. "You probably didn't get one." Wyatt says as I join him in the foyer. "Audrina's group is usually first in and first out and she was saying something about certain people not being able to handle being here.' She is making a point of separating you from the rest of the floor mates.

"perfect. Well, let's get this show on the road, tour guide. Am I late to school? My schedule didn't have times on it. "Really? It should have. Well, that doesn't shock me, your floor leader was responsible for getting you everything you needed for today." He rolls his eyes and leads me out the door to some kind of two person four wheeler I have never seen before, but really want to learn how to drive. "And if she screwed with my daily schedule, Pm screwed. Who can I go to to confirm that it's right? I'll double check with the office at school, that will be easy enough to do, but if she sets my training schedule she's going to mess with me until I get kicked out, isn't she?" "Maybe. I've never had a problem with her so this is all new to me. I can't understand acting this childish over a new recruit though. He shrugs and steps on the gas and I almost fly off the four- wheeler. I laugh all the way to the school building, Audrina forgotten for now. We pulled up to a building about ten minutes later. I use the word 'building' loosely. Like every other structure I have seen in

the Royal pack this building is old and weathered, but impeccably well kept. It might have been inspired by cathedrals with its ornate design, dark wood and stained glass. "This is the high school?" I can't help the squeak in my volce. "Yes...correction, this is the high school for the ranked members of the King and the Elders and their families." "Ugh, seriously? I know Sierra is amazing, but are the rest of them stuck up elitists? I had enough of that in my own pack and all ranks went to school together, so it really sucked." "Aren't you a Beta? I'm sure everything was just fine for you being the second's kid. He snaps back at me a little. "Yeah, I am the Beta's second child and his daughter, but no it wasn't all that great. Being the spare Beta and a female made me no better than an Omega to some people in my pack. I turned around and walked to the door. I need to walk away from this conversation, now, before I say something I will regret to a person who has actually been kind to me. "Wait up Midge. I didn't mean to pigs you off. I just meant that as Beta kids we don't really have it all that rough, you know. "You may not have, as the first born male, like my brother, but it was not that same experience for me. Maybe someday I will tell you about it, but right now I need to figure out what I am doing here and how badly Audrina messed with me, so I need my head on straight, okay? He just nods at me and we walk into the building.

Chapter 0186 Wyatt walks me to the office. At least we aren't late here. We approach a big ornate desk with a little woman sitting behind it. When I say little, I mean little, compared to me which is saying something. She has graying hair cut short and styled like a punk rock pixie. She has a form fitting navy blue top and chunky gold jewelry hanging from her ears, neck and wrists. "Excuse me." I say sweetly. I figure I will start with soft and sweet and go from there. She looks up at us giving me a full body appraisal, then lifts an eyebrow in question. "My name is Skylar and Pm new. I was going over my schedule this morning at breakfast and in my rush to get here on time I left it behind. Could I get another copy, please. I want to make sure I don't inconvenience the teachers, by having to guess my next lesson. I smile hoping this is a simple transaction. Of course, it wasn 't going to be that easy. "Skylar, is it? The way the Alpha King spoke of you, I figured you would be intelligent enough to remember your schedule. What makes you think I would give you a duplicate schedule?" I am so tired of the attitudes from everyone. No one here knows me and yet I keep getting treated like I am the scum of the earth not worthy to be here. I let my temper get the better of me and respond. "Honestly?" She raises an eyebrow again. "I don't fully trust the person who gave it to me and I want to check I don't like getting my information secondhand. If you really don't want to print another schedule for me, can I at least look to confirm what I was given?" I look her in the eye, not wavering. "That's better. Start with the truth next time, you aren't great at getting out the cute and innocent story. I huffed and smiled at her. Wyatt let out a quiet laugh behind me. "My name is Theresa, and if you need anything else while you're here, just let me know. I got a look at your transcripts and set your schedule myself.

You are a rare one." She winks at me and jumps up to pull a paper off the printer behind her. "This is your correct schedule, you must be someone to look out for if Drina is trying to hold you back after being on site for less than a day." She reminds me of Martha and I have a feeling we are going to be great friends. I thanked her and Wyatt and I set out for my first class. The day was like any other high school day. Wyatt kept me entertained by trying to see if he could distract me during every single lesson. Everything from flicking my ponytail like he's the one who's 15 not me, to knocking my pencils and notebooks on the floor while Pm taking notes. I was ready to punch him. He only stopped when the science teacher called him out about not paying attention the first time around and maybe the second time he would be able to comprehend the information and pass all the tests.

All of the girls seemed to like having an 'older' hot guy to stare at though, but thankfully no one approached us. They were either too intimidated by him or maybe thought we were together. That didn't stop him from basking in the attention. I had to remind him that they were minors and he physically couldn 't do anything about any attraction they felt for him anyway. Only when I told him that he would embarrass himself by not even being able to please them with his warrior brand in place and that he would be the height of all the worst rumors did he stop trying to flirt back.

I didn't find Sierra until lunch, when she ran up and almost tackled me. "Oh, man! I have been trying to find you all day, but you aren't in any of my classes since they have you on a fast track and you get to skip all the unnecessary stuff."

Chapter 0187 It's just like the first day met her all over again. She is a force and I love it. She grabs my arm and drags me along to her table of friends, Wyatt following, a little bewildered, in her wake. We eat lunch and she asks me a thousand questions about living at the training compound. Her friends keep sneaking glances at Wyatt and he is eating up the attention. The rest of my day is the same. Nothing exciting. I get everything need to get caught up with the rest of the kids in my classes, which thankfully is only a month's worth of work and I don't have to do any of the projects. It should take me a week. Wyatt and arrive back to the bunk house around 6. I made sure I had everything needed to get started on all my assignments and checked in with Theresa to get any books she thought might not be here at the bunkhouse, since high school students don't normally participate in warrior training. Unfortunately that's where my good day ended. AS soon as we walked in the front door Audrina was in my face and livid. "Where the hell do you get off, not showing up for your mandatory training? If you can't handle being here, fetus, maybe you should take your sorry ass back to whatever pathetic pack you came from." For a moment just stood there. What was she talking about? I don't have training today. Before I could say anything, Wyatt spoke up for me. "Back off, it's her first day, she barely has her schedule read, let alone memorized." 'That is no excuse, she is in warrior training now and should act like a responsible warrior, not the spoiled little child she is." She doesn't even look at him when she is speaking, she only has daggered eyes for me. I can actually feel the hate radiating off of her. Wyatt goes to speak again, but I put my hand up to stop him. She can be angry and petty with whatever issue she has with me, call me names, I could care less, but she questioned my loyalty and responsibility and that I won't stand for. "Enough! Whatever problem you have with me is exactly that, your problem. Get over yourself. I have direct orders, that come from above you, and I won't allow you or anyone else to fick with that

do you hear me? You don't have to like me or even be nice to me, but you try and f*ck with my schedule again and we will have real problems." hissed. I take a step forward and get into her space. She doesn't back down, but I see the hesitation cross her green eyes. " You want me at a training? Inform me, and not after the fact or at the last minute. You want me to be responsible for my own wake up call, just let me know. Act like the leader you are instead of the petulant child you seem to think I am.

Now, unless you have a reasonable request for me, I have homework to get through before dinner." I cross my arms and stand there staring at her. I will not let another 'Kaley' run my life. I'm here with a fresh start, and I plan to live my life to the best of my ability. "l don't care what your orders are, you are to report to training every morning at 5 am and evening training at 5 pm. No exceptions. Is that understood?" She lowers her voice, trying to sound intimidating, but just coming of bratty. I decide to end this stupid power trip conversation. We can have a pissing match later. I have things to do. "Yes, ma'am. May I go? I have to get started on my homework and Wyatt needs to report in." "Go. Be on time for dinner and you are to sit with me tonight." I just nod. She thinks separating me from the couple of people I have managed to make friends with is a punishment. I will let her keep thinking that. I walk off towards the hallway with the study rooms and library, Wyatt hot on my heels.

Chapter 0188 "Okay, so not what you want to hear right now, but that was hot!" He chuckles behind me. "You are an idiot, you know that right? "Hey, not everyone can be a child genius. Some of us get by on our phenomenal looks." I just shake my head at him. " What the hell are you studying anyway? I don't think I had this many books in the whole time I was in high school, let alone one semester." "l am a freshman taking junior and senior classes and I missed a month of them. I have to make up for the time I missed. I wish I would have been able to get started while I was sitting on my ass recovering in the hospital for a month." "What the hell took a month to recover from?! My eyes go wide, I don't even know why I said that. I am usually so careful with my word choices, We walk into the library and I literally am at a loss for words. I don't want to talk about Kaley or what she did to me, but I cant seem to shake her either, not even this far away. "It's not important, it was just really boring and I could have gotten all of this done in that time." I roll my eyes trying to move past his question.

"You don't have to say now, but you really should talk about what happened to you. If it was that bad, you need to make sure your head is on straight. They make all the warriors who come back from missions go through a mental evaluation, every time. It's mandatory. We seethe worst of the worst and sometimes that messes with your mind. I know how good you are, you kicked my ass without breaking a sweat, but I also know that you wouldn't be here yet unless you needed to be. If you need to talk, we're all here." I look at him skeptically. "Okay, maybe not all of us, but you get the idea." I just nodded my head, Sierra said the same thing, so did her parents and even the guys before I really got hurt. I'm just not ready yet. hate how weak I feel just thinking about what happened to me, talking about it makes it that much more real and not just a nightmare. "l really do have to study, but thank you Wyatt, for everything today." He took the dismissal and

turned to go. "I'll come get you for dinner okay? At least you can stand in line with us since you have to sit next to the hardass." I nod again. "Sounds good. I'll take all the relief I can get." He stepped out and closed the door. I got everything that is currently due mostly done and made a schedule for getting all the back work done. I'm hoping can get caught up in a week, but adding in early morning and after school training with Audrina is going to cut into my time. I also decide to ask Lillian, Wyatt and Nathaniel about getting an alarm clock so I don't have to rely on Audrina to get me up until my body clock gets used to being here, Once get a feel for the training schedule and how tired I will be after I can make a better study schedule. It feels like only minutes have gone by, but Wyatt knocks on the door and sticks his head in before I can even reply. "Alright bookworm, enough of that. Pack up your sh*t and get your ass out here and you are not allowed to ditch us after dinner either. You need a break." I just laugh as Nathaniel and Lillian both walk in behind him. They helped me gather everything up and I was going to store my school books here, but after a very short discussion, he convinced me it was probably a better idea to keep everything in my room so it can't be sabotaged by Audrina, since this is a common space.

Chapter 0189 We dump all of my stuff on my desk and head down to the canteen for dinner. As requested I am early enough to be close to the front of the line, and here before Audrina. That wasn't good enough of course. "You were asked to be with me for dinner tonight, that includes standing in line. Can't you follow a simple instruction? How did you even convince Warrior Brogen to allow you to come here? Move. Now!" Audrina snarls from about ten people behind us. Lillian moves to do or say something, but just like Wyatt, I stop her. This has to be my fight. She is clearly trying to find a weakness to exploit and she won't use my new friends as one. "Actually what you said was to be early to the line and that I have to sit with you during dinner, which I am more than happy to comply with. You did not mention in your instructions where in the line I needed to stand, so I will remain here and wait for you to show us to our seats." I just turn around and face the front of the ine again. This is going to get real old, real fast. We make it through the line doing our best to ignore Audrina and her friends, who are all making little comments under their breath. I love the variety of food we get. Everything from Steak and mashed potatoes to tacos to sushi. There is something for everyone and a TON of it. There is rarely much left over too. The kitchen Omegas are miracle workers. I get the basic idea of what a day full of training is like in a rapid fire from Nathaniel while in line. Wyatt must have explained what Drina tried to do to my school schedule and wanted to make sure I knew what was really going on before she tried to set me up again. "Basically, we all start together first thing. We get announcements, find out about any missions that are up for grabs, things like that." "Wait, we get to volunteer for missions?" "Sometimes. If they want to train people in a certain skill or have simple recon or protection details they will let us sign up. For the more intense missions specific people with specific skill sets are assigned and it's not an option." "Have any of you been on missions yet?"

"No, we are all still on probation, just like you." Wyatt bumps my shoulder. "But we do get to start going out into the community soon and helping around the Royal Pack territory. We will also start doing patrols soon too. It's all decided by the warrior leaders and the elder council." "Ah, well hopefully I can do the territory missions and patrols with you guys. I hate missing out on stuff."

Lillian just laughs at me. "You're here three years sooner than you should be, we figured that out." I just smile back at her. We get to the end of the line and I decide to stop pushing my luck with Audrina and wait with my plate while my friends, slowly, walk away. Lillian said they would try and stay close, just in case, but if they sit anywhere near her usual table she'll probably steer us in another direction. This is so stupid, it's worse than the petty high school interactions I used to watch from a distance back home. "Let's go, newbie." I follow Audrina and two other girls who are wearing the same look of distaste on their faces as she is. This should be super fun. We walked over to the table Lillian had pointed out before as 'their' table in the middle of the canteen. This is clearly a place given a wide berth from the rest of the warriors. There's enough space to fit ten wolves here and it's just the three of them, now four including me. I make a move to sit on one of the benches. "Not there, that's my seat." The darker brunette says to me. So I go to slide over on the bench.

Chapter 0190 "That's my spot." The ighter brunette whines. I have to fight a laugh. Are they serious? It's bench seating, there really aren't 'seats ' to have. This time I do roll my eyes. "You all realize it would go faster and be far less irritating if you just used your big girl words and told me where you wanted me to sit, right? You are wasting my time and missing out on your own dinner time just trying to be difficult. You can be mean to me when we are all sitting and eating. Where do you want me?" I gesture at the table. Hopefully I can use logic and nonchalance to get through this dinner. I try to channel my inner Nathaniel. "Over there." Audrina points to the opposite side of the ong table. There are so many people in here now and the table is so big I have to walk half the length of the room to get to the end and walk back to the center of the table on the other side. Center of the center table, yep she likes the attention and wants to be in the middle of everything. I finally get to my seat, sit, and start eating without looking at them. They are going to try and keep me from eating and I cant afford that. I still have Olive(s voice in my head telling me I need more food so I don't become malnourished again.

"What pack did you say you were from again?" The dark brunette asks. "l didn't, but I'm from Blue Crescent" I responded without looking up. "And how is it you managed to get here at 15, when none of the rest of us were allowed until we turned 18? I mean I am the best warrior to come out of my pack in 30 years." The lighter brunette asked. "l dorfi actually know. After the trials I was told that I could join when I graduated high school. That was the plan, but the plan clearly changed." I continued shoveling food into my mouth. "What makes you so special that you know the Alpha King?' Audrina asks. "I'm sure plenty of people know him. I'm sure my age and early entrance to the warrior program were the reason he was here yesterday." just have to keep my answers short and sweet. These girls strike me as the gossips and they will use any info they learn to their advantage, including

altering what they hear. "No one else got a personal escort by the Alpha King though. Not even Audrina, who got here the day after her 18th birthday. That's how good her training scores were." The dark brunette raises her eyebrow at me.

I really should learn their names, but they aren't offering them up and none of them have bothered to say mine so I just let it go. I shrug in answer to her non-question. I have no control over who the Alpha King pays attention to. "Do you think you're better than us? That you don't have to respect us since you have been noticed by the Alpha King and personally trained by Warrior Osiston." The light brunette asks, letting her attitude slip in now, not bothering to pretend to be nice. "No, I don't. I'm a warrior in training just like you, no better no worse, just new. I don't know what did to you, but I'm not the bad guy and I'm not a threat. From what understand we are supposed to train like a team. I just want to train, become a warrior and move forward with my life. As for respect, I give it when it's been earned." I figure I'll try to be the bigger person and slow down the hostility a little. But I'm also not going to let them walk all over me. I came here to get away from that. These three like a scene and I refuse to give them one. "We are your superiors, you'd better learn to respect and obey Bridget, Chelsea and l. I'm done hearing how great you are and you haven't even had to prove yourself yet. You're probably just a sl*t who slept around so much you had to be sent here before you were discovered as a stain to your pack. I bet your Alpha wanted you to have the warrior brand so you would be forced to keep your legs shut."

Audrina is talking loud now and has the attention of the people surrounding us, but it won't be long before she has the whole room listening in.