Proving Myself
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Excuse the mistakes. The downside to making this chapter longer than usual is that I'm too lazy to do good proof-reading. It's limited to spell check and the green squiggly lines under the words.
Enjoy :)
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~~~Tyler's POV~~~
I couldn't sleep. The twisting in my stomach called nerves was preventing it. Tomorrow was the day that I would be observed by Stark, and my fate in the pack would be decided. I was honestly terrified of not meeting up to his expectations and being kicked out.
Where would I go if that happened?
I would get hot and kick off my blankets, and then I would get cold and bundle myself up. I felt sick, and more than once, I had made my way to the bathroom with the feeling that I was going to throw up.
Now, I was sitting up in my bed and staring out the window at the moon. I was having one of those "cold" moments, so my comforter was wrapped tightly around my body and I was shivering slightly.
I glanced at the clock and groaned; it was well past two in the morning. I would start being observed at nine, and I was still completely awake. There had to be something I could do to make myself tired.
Maybe take a walk, my wolf suggested. Well, it wouldn't hurt.
I slipped out of bed and reluctantly left my blanket behind as I slipped out of my room. The halls were almost pitch black, and it took me a few seconds to let my eyes get used to the dark. After that, I let myself wander through the pack house.
The pack house was actually really big. The top two levels were all bedrooms, and the main level had the multiple living rooms, the expansive kitchen, and the long dining room. I ended up wandering down to the opposite side of the house, and I found myself heading towards an all too familiar bedroom.
I didn't knock, but instead slipped in as silently as I could, wincing every time the wood creaked beneath my feet. I pushed back the covers and lay down on the bed slowly and carefully. I pulled the covers back onto my shivering body and closed my eyes.
I hadn't slept in this bed since the night before I had sprained my now healed ankle. That didn't mean I hadn't had plenty of nightmares. It's just, after the kiss, I didn't think it was okay for me to come here for comfort anymore.
So, those nights when memories of my nights in captivity plagued me, I would just lay in my bed and count the minutes until morning came and the darkness of the night receded. Then, things didn't seem as scary.
"Ty."
My eyes snapped open to find him looking at me.
"It's been awhile." Bo's voice was slurred from sleep, but I could detect amusement in his voice.
"Yeah, I guess it has." Even though it was dark in his room, I felt like he could see the bright red flushing of my cheeks.
"Is everything okay? Did you have another nightmare?" I could make out the concern in his voice, and I got the urge to cry.
"Nope, I'm fine." That wasn't convincing at all; my voice was shaky and I could feel the tears building up.
"You're a terrible liar Ty," observed Bo. "Tell me the truth."
I started to insist I was okay, but I saw Bo raise an eyebrow, and I stopped. "I'm terrified," I whispered. It was the first time I had admitted it out loud since I started feeling this way two days ago, when I realized my time was almost up.
The tears started to leak from the corners of my eyes, but it was silent crying. Reality was becoming known to me, and it was scary as hell.
"Don't cry!" exclaimed Bo, and a second later we were both sitting up in the bed, me with Bo's arms wrapped around me. I didn't even have a chance to blink. "I hate it when girls cry." He just held me and rubbed my back until the embarrassing waterworks stopped.
It was then when I realized how weird this was. Here I was, bundled in Bo's arms, crying, when he spent most of his time avoiding me. Even when I had asked him if he was my mate, he acted weird before denying it. And for some reason, when Bo told me he wasn't my mate, my wolf had growled at him.
Why was it that I kept coming back to Bo? He obviously didn't want to be near me in public, so why, when I came to him when he was alone, was Bo like this? He was sweet, caring, understanding, and he just made me feel better without words.
The boy was too damn confusing.
I abruptly pulled away from him and looked at Bo to see him shocked. "Thanks, I feel much better now. I should go back to my room," I said quickly.
"Are you sure?" asked Bo, looking like a mix of hurt and confusion.
"Yep," I replied hastily, "I need my rest for tomorrow." And before I could give into myself and stay, I bounded off of his bed and rushed out of the room. It was probably the stupidest way to leave, but I just needed to get out of that room.
I just needed to get out of his arms.
***
Push yourself harder, urged my wolf, you need to go faster!
I grunted and pumped my already burning legs harder. My ponytail whipped around behind me, and my arms sliced through the air, helping to propel me forward faster. The tree branches and bushes scratched at my limbs, but I barely felt them.
I was on the last stretch of my timed run through the woods, and I could feel myself tiring. I'd had to run to a certain marker in the woods, grab a flag to prove I'd been there, and then run back to where Stark and Anton were standing with a stopwatch. The catch with this whole thing, I had to find the marker first.
I wasn't the best tracker in the world, so that had taken me a good five minutes, but when I found the marker, I had started back to the pack house as quickly as I could. Now, I could sort of make out the shape of the house in the distance, and I knew I was close.
Faster! ordered my wolf. I clenched my jaw and sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me. I would be surprised if I wasn't flying.
I broke through the tree line and didn't slow down until Anton called "Time!" Then, I collapsed on the ground and gasped for breath. I pulled the bright flag from the waistband of my black running shorts and threw it far from me, glad to be rid of it.
"Impressive," commented Stark, and I looked up to see him smiling at me. I was too busy choking on air to return the smile.
"Alright, Tyler," said Anton, and my eyes snapped to him. "Now you just need to show your fighting skills." No part of me wanted to. After leaving Bo's room, I had waited another hour before I had drifted off to sleep. The lack of sleep and the sprinting through the woods made for a very exhausted Tyler. But, I couldn't exactly say no.
"Okay," I said with a nod. I took another moment to catch my breath, and stood up. My legs felt like jelly, and it took me a minute to steady myself. Anton looked at me for a moment, and then he motioned at someone behind me.
I turned around to see some boy, I think his name was Jake, step forward. "Shift," commanded Anton. I stripped quickly out of my clothes and felt myself morph into my wolf form. Jake did the same, and I noted that his wolf was a dark gray with black ears.
"Fight!"
As soon as the words left Anton's lips, Jake lunged at me. I jumped to the side moments before his teeth snapped where my flank would've been. I head-butted his side, but he barely moved. Instead, and he whipped around and swiped at me with his paw.
I yelped as his claws raked against my side. I reared up onto my hind legs and he rose up to meet me. We swiped our paws and each other, and I managed to land a blow to his face. Jake whined, and I pushed him down so that I was on top of him.
I nipped at his neck, not intending to do any real damage. Those were the rules. We were supposed to fight, but no serious injuries; a little blood was okay.
This went on for a while. We fought hard, and I tried my best to keep control and be the one winning. It was difficult, though; Jake proved to be a skilled warrior who had more than a month to prepare for this.
After about fifteen minutes of wrestling with each other, Jake had me pinned on the ground. I tried to squirm out of his grasp, but I couldn't. Jake's eyes glowed with victory, and I felt the sudden urge to bite him hard and deep. But, the rules said no serious injuries.
"That's enough," said Stark, "You can both shift back."
Feeling defeated and embarrassed, and shifted and pulled on my clothes quickly. I stood up and waited for Stark to say something. The fact that I had been pinned after fifteen minutes scared me. I didn't think it was near good enough.
After a couple minutes of Stark and Anton whispering to each other, I got impatient. I cleared my throat loudly, and they both looked at me. "Well?" I asked.
Anton glanced at Stark before grinning at me. "Well done, kid."
It took me an eternity to process what he just said. "Do you mean what I think you do?" I asked, my voice shrill with excitement.
"Yes, we are," confirmed Stark. "Welcome to the pack, Tyler."
I couldn't control myself; I grabbed both Stark and Anton in a hug, which was more than a bit awkward. "Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, "I won't let you down, I promise!"
I was part of a pack! Now, there was somewhere where I belonged; somewhere I could officially call home. Happy tears started to spill from my eyes, and I laughed for no reason. I hoped my parents were proud of me, wherever they were.
"Alright, alright," said Stark with a chuckle, and I let go of them. "We'll officially announce in an hour at the pack meeting."
"But first," added Anton, "You should go take a shower. You smell..." he thought for a moment then smiled. "You smell like ass."
"Seriously?"
"Yep," he said, and I rolled my eyes and his teasing.
"Go on, Tyler," said Stark.
I thanked them one last time before turning and running to the back door of the house. I was so happy I felt like I was going to burst. However, when I slipped through the door, I slid on my best poker face.
As I walked through the halls to my room, I could see other pack members, my new pack mates though they didn't know it, staring at me, trying to figure out the outcome of my testing. I just ignored them and did my best to look impassive.
However, when I closed the door to the bathroom, I let my grin return, and I couldn't help but jump and pump my fist in the air. I did it! I proved myself and now, I had a home!
I turned on the shower and stripped off my sweaty clothes. I slipped under the pounding hot water and let it work its magic.
After what seemed like an eternity, I emerged from the shower in a cloud of steam. Part of me felt clean and refreshed, but the other part of me, the majority, was feeling the soreness of every muscle in my body. The soreness felt good, though; it was a reminder of the hard work I had done to earn my spot in the pack.
I wrapped myself in a fluffy, blue towel and walked across the hall to my bedroom. I sifted through my drawers and pulled out an outfit. I dried off quickly and pulled on clean underwear. Then, I pulled on a pair of white denim shorts that stopped just above my knees. Then, I pulled on a loose-fitting, maroon blouse that buttoned up the front. I wove my hair into a loose braid and then walked out of my bedroom.
I hung the towel up on the shower rod and then made my way down to the basement where the pack meetings were held. The hallways were empty other than me, so I guessed everyone was already there. My assumptions were confirmed when I hopped down the stairs to find everyone already sitting down in the chairs.
Dot waved at me, and I hurried down the main aisle and settled down between her. Before she could say anything to me, Stark cleared his voice. The murmuring in the pack was instantly silenced, like someone had hit a switch, and Stark started talking about things going on in the pack.
After about fifteen minutes, I frowned and started to fidget in my seat. Stark was talking about stupid stuff, like someone getting a promotion at work. Why wasn't he mentioning my acceptance? Then, just when I was starting to panic, thinking that maybe Stark and Anton had played a cruel joke on me, Stark caught my eye and motioned for me to come up to the platform.
I felt my cheeks burning as I stood up and walked slowly up to the platform, everyone's eyes boring holes into the back of my head.
"As many of you know, if not all of you, today, I observed Tyler Grayson in her training to decide if she would be a good addition to this pack." I glanced over at Bo, who was leaning against the wall next to the platform. He was smiling, but I could see a different emotion tucked away in his intense, dark eyes.
"I'm happy to report that what I saw was impressive for someone with only a month of training. Therefore," Stark turned to me. "Congratulations, Tyler. You are an official pack member of the Blood Moon Pack!"
I smiled and could feel myself swelling with pride. The pack erupted into cheers, and people jumped from their seats to swarm me.
"Congratulations!"
"Welcome to the pack!"
"Good for you!"
The voices ran together. I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Patrick. "I'm proud of you, Tyler," he said with a grin. I beamed at him and threw my arms around his neck in a hug.
"Thanks, Patrick," I replied happily. Patrick wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed. The hug
felt great, but it felt different, not complete. The only person who hugged me like that was Bo.
Bo.
I looked over Patrick's shoulder in search of him. My eyes landed on him, still in spot against the wall, almost in the same exact position I had seen him in when I had last looked at him.
The only change was that he was glaring at Patrick and I, his mouth in a tense scowl.
~~~Bo's POV~~~
That prick, my wolf growled. He was all over her!
I didn't disagree at all. Patrick had his hands all over my mate with this dreamy look in his eyes. That look made me want to rip his head off. She was mine, not his.
I had been brooding in my room for the past couple hours, pissed off. Dot had come to gush about Tyler's acceptance, but she didn't stay long. After realizing I was in a bad mood, she rolled her eyes, told me to get over it and not ruin Tyler's special day, and then she had left.
The thought of wrecking something Tyler had worked for made me feel like a jerk, but I couldn't help it. I just wanted to lock her in my room, where Patrick couldn't get her.
You know, piped up my wolf, she was just accepted into the pack.
So what? I thought bitterly.
Remember what you said to your dad a couple days ago? My wolf said slowly.
I sat up straight on my bed, my eyes wide. How could I be so stupid to forget something like that? Tyler was officially part of the pack, which meant I could tell her that I was her mate.
This night was about to get a lot better.
I rushed out of my room to go find Tyler, all the while thinking about how I would tell her. I didn't want to just tell her flat out. I would get her alone and break it to her slowly. Then, I would apologize for lying to her when she asked me the first time, and I would explain why I did it. Hopefully, she wouldn't be too mad at me.
I stuck my head in every room I passed, but she wasn't there. I was on my way to Tyler's room when I heard her voice.
"You wanted to talk to me Patrick?"
"Yeah." He sounded nervous. I stopped walking and listened. They were around the corner, and I had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going.
"What about?" she asked, sounding completely clueless.
"You have to promise not to laugh."
"Why?" Tyler asked, and I could detect her amusement.
"Just don't."
"Why so serious, Patrick?"
"Seriously Tyler!"
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," she said, clearly failing at suppressing her laughter. I heard Patrick take a deep breath, and I could sense how fast his heart was pounding.
"Do you want to go out with me?"
The words filled me with fury and I stormed around the corner. "She doesn't want to go out with you!" I growled. My wolf had completely taken over. Right now, all we were focused on was protecting out mate.
"Bo, what the hell?" Tyler cried, but I ignored her and glared and Patrick.
"Why do you care who she goes out with?" demanded Patrick, taking a step towards me.
"Because," I stated, meeting his step with my own.
"Because why?"
"Because I'm her mate!"
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Okay, first of all, don't expect another chapter this long. I just got really carried away and I wanted to write this part so bad that i just lumped it all into the same chapter...
How is Tyler going to react to this?????? AH!!!!!!!
So, the song on the side is because it's my current jam... I decided since I haven't found a picture of Patrick yet, I would give you guys a song instead. I don't know if it really has anything to do with the story, but watch and enjoy!
Again, anyone good at making covers? I'm bored of my current one.... I made it and I think It's kinda bland....
After going to a funeral for a 12 year old boy this morning, I have a piece of advice for everyone: Live life to the fullest, and never in fear. You never know which day is your last, so make it count and enjoy every second. Also, be thankful for your siblings. They may be annoying at times, but they may not always be there. The first thing I did when I saw my little brother today was hug him.
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