noun ~ a person with whom one has a personal bond of affection

NOVA

Three weeks passed by in a blur. I had been here a month now and things were looking up.

They didn't allow me to change into my wolf in front of the entire pack due to fear of segregation, but training had been going so well. We had to start gradually, but by day five I was healed, and we got more into it. I could run five miles now and I was so proud of myself. I was becoming better in combat too and was getting more of a figure and "meat on my bones" as Sean said. It was only a month; surely not much can change?

I had not spoken to Phoenix since the attack, and it was really disturbing me. I could sense him nearby or see him in the distance, but he never came near. He spent most of his time hiding from everyone. The closest he had been was the other end of the training grounds when I ran circuits through the forest. It felt like he was avoiding me and I was bracing myself for the rejection. Maybe he felt guilty that he was going to reject me, so to feel better, wanted me to be stronger? A weak wolf can die from soulmate rejection, so it wouldn't surprise me.

"Are you ready?" Sean slid into my vision.

Blinking away from my daze, I nodded. "I'm warmed up too."

Kate and I had been working on my stammer. I was improving immensely with the comfort of her helping me. Then Sean became my dummy, and I practised conversing with him.

"Let's do it then." He grinned.

His hand found the small of my back as we walked towards the sparring circle. The teenagers that had once mocked me were watching as I approached Tia, who had beaten me the first time I came here. Today I was going to win. I was determined.

With a low whistle, Sean began our spar. We circled for a while before she jumped and attacked. However, this time I counterattacked, and she squealed in surprise. I threw punches and kicks and blocked her moves and advances. We circled for only a few moments before I pushed her to the ground and pinned her in the circle. It was easy; I won.

The teenagers clapped and congratulated me on finally winning and I blushed in embarrassment as I helped my opponent off the floor. We continued sparring with a few others, my adrenaline burning with a passion. I successfully beat all the new shifters and I felt so proud of myself. I thanked them and my wolf for being so strong for both of us.

"Took you long enough." Sean teased.

I rolled my eyes, barely hiding my satisfied smile. "What next?"

He contemplated. "How about we go train on the main grounds? I have to oversee the men at ten, but the women are on the spot right next to us."

I paused, hesitant to reply because it meant I had to go around pack members and actually group train. They still weren't keen on me and I had no friend other than Sean, so it was anxiety-provoking in the least. Sean and Charlie both ran training sessions, but since Sean trained the men, it meant Charlie would probably be with the women. And with that, often meant Phoenix too. It was rare for the entire pack to train together, but when they did, it was everybody.

Shaking my thoughts, I took a deep breath. This is my pack now. I have to be brave. I can't treat myself as lower as we are equal members.

'You got this,' my wolf whispered.

"You know what? Let's do it." I agreed.

Sean grinned in triumph and gestured for me to follow him. My nerves built with every step, and I chewed on my lip again, fingers twirling together in front of me. We rounded the large fitness studio from where the new shifters were to approach the much larger field of the adults.

My eyes widened as the sounds of heavy breathing and skin-impacting leather met my ears. The clinking of weights agitated my wolf's newer hearing, and I grimaced. I could smell the testosterone building as ten o'clock neared. The men obviously felt eager to train alongside the females; a battle of hormones.

The field was bright in the sunshine; the rays warming my face. I was glad I wore a sports bra for training, contemplating how hot I would become. As we neared, some men stopped when they saw us coming and it made me stagger. My eyes widened at the sheer amount of people, and I ran to Sean's side, grabbing his shirt to hide behind him.

He chuckled but continued to lead me over to one of my big fears; strangers staring at me. Sounds pathetic, I know, right? But when you live an omega life of being bullied and hated for who I was... It's hard to build confidence in front of so many powerful wolves.

My hair stood on edge as we finally reached the training ground. We were centred in the middle of the two groups when the goosebumps grew. Something was urging me to turn, to look over my shoulder.

Turning my head to the root of the problem, I saw Phoenix leaving the fitness studio with two females chatting away with him. He held a stern expression as they batted their eyelashes at him, which caused my wolf to grumble. I tuned in my hearing to see what all the flirting was about.

"I'm so happy you'll be training us today, Alpha. I can't wait to show you how strong I've am. It's been so long since you watched us." One cooed.

"Oh, and me Alpha, I've got very flexible." The other giggled.

I suppressed a small growl, my hands tightening on Sean's arm. I could see Phoenix's eyes turn to me and harden, but I turned my face into Sean's back as I calmed my jealous thoughts down. Sean's hand came up and patted my wrist, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Realising I was grasping him so hard whilst he spoke to the men, I gently released my nails from his skin and chose to just stand beside him instead. I could not hear his words as my focus was on the tall, muscular figure approaching me.

I chewed my lip nervously, choosing to look up from the ground. As Sean to spoke, a few males glancing at me, a couple studying me almost too much to be comfortable with. It made me cringe down at my discoloured skin and scarring. Reaching for the t-shirt around my waist, I untied it and slipped it on. It hung to just past my hips, the leggings I wore covering the rest of me.

I noticed their backs straighten, and soon felt the warmth of the mate bond as Phoenix stepped beside me. He didn't say a word as Sean continued to talk about the training schedule. They were to train in cardio and strength today, no battling or matches until tomorrow. I hoped to catch onto the schedules, but it meant integrating more and that scared me.

My hands clenched tightly as the urge to look up at Phoenix intensified. He had ignored me for weeks, barely gave me any attention and left me like a lamb to slaughter in his pack. A lamb among wolves. But the urge to just glimpse that face, of those flawless cheekbones and hazel eyes...

One brief look wouldn't hurt, right?

I adjusted my hair and turned to peek up at him. He was a lot closer than I thought, his forearm almost touching my shoulder. I was still behind Sean and with him on my other side, I never felt so small. But somehow, I never felt safer.

Trailing my eyes across the tight black shirt he wore, I chewed my lip again. My eyes wandered, expecting to see his jaw and well-kept hair, but I didn't; I found his eyes staring down at me already. The surprise of him looking at me caused my stomach to flip and my eyes to dart away. I frowned at the strange feelings, casting my gaze back to him once more to see him still staring down at me.

What's crawled up his butt...

'He's jealous.' My wolf purred.

Jealous? I almost laughed. He has ignored me for weeks. He is not jealous.

She chortled. 'Oh, he is. He is jealous. You near Sean. His wolf is grumbling all about it.'

I frowned and cast a glance to see Phoenix now staring ahead of us. Jealous? He has no right to be, not when he's away from me all the time, ignoring me and giving other people his attention.

Sean finished his speech and looked up at Phoenix with a blank expression. I felt his hand nudge me, his thumb rubbing my right arm in comfort. Sean knew of my feelings. Since he was the only one to know about the mate situation, he was the only one I could talk to about it.

"I will oversee the females today." Phoenix's harsh voice made me jump as he spoke to the crowd. "There will be no goofing around. Stick to Sean's schedule and I will have no problems. You may begin."

With a wave of his hand, the men dispersed, bowing their heads from the intensity that came with the alpha command. Oh, his wolf was definitely annoyed - his voice was raspier, his eyes were dark, and his back was tense.

"Nova, what do you feel like doing?" Sean asked me softly.

I turned my gaze to meet his, his eyes soft as they looked down at me. I scrunched up my nose, eyeing the group of women that were warming up or staring at the three of us, particularly at me.

I took a deep breath. "I'll see what I can do."

I heard Phoenix's sharp intake of breath, but Sean spoke. "You got this. Just try. You can always just run."

I blushed and nudged him playfully, causing my back to touch Phoenix's arm. Sparks erupted and made me stagger, but I stood my ground and stepped away from him.

"I recommend you stand beside Molly. The girl with the pink flower workout clothes." Sean mused as he pointed in her general direction. "She will make a good friend."

I smiled in thanks and watched as he winked at me and walked away. Sighing, I glanced at Phoenix once more to see he was back to staring at me. It was winding me up. His wolf needed to back off with the intimidating trick. I felt my confidence surge, an agitation that came with being ignored for weeks.

"Can you do anything else other than stare at me?" I snapped.

His eyes widened in shock and I left him there as I walked toward the girl Sean told me about.

Molly had mid-length dark brown hair in a ponytail and big blue eyes. A few piercings lined her face, mainly in her nose and ears, but I could tell she was a bubbly one. She jumped from foot to foot with a grin as she stretched. The pale pink crop and leggings emphasised her curvy figure.

I found my place beside her, hoping to just be quiet, but she was already looking at me, a wide smile on her face.

"Hi, I'm Molly! I've not seen you around here before. Do you like books?" She held out her hand to me.

I eyed it before I shook it. "I-I-I'm Nova. I like art."

Her eyes widened with joy. "What kind?"

I shrugged, nerves diminishing. "I l-like to draw... and paint... sometimes."

She laughed. "I bet you're good, too. I can paint good but not great. Being a warrior daughter though, I've been forced, kind of forced, to focus on training. Mum and Dad don't live here anymore, but they still try. But have you seen my body? Do I look mean and scary to you? Sure, I can be mean if someone breaks the spine of my Harry Potter books or eats my last chocolate, but look at me!"

I giggled, my hand covering my face at her description. "I think you look badass."

Her eyes lightened, and she continued with her warm-up. "Nova, I know right now that we're gonna be good friends. But I have to say, if the alpha keeps staring at me, I may be dead by tomorrow, so we better make this the best friendship yet."

I smiled, but turned my attention to the man in question. Since Molly was standing a few feet in front of me, it seemed like she was the one being stared at. But I knew better.

His eyes met mine with a stern glare; the black was still prominent. My wolf shrunk away, feeling guilty for the random outburst I gave him. This man irritated me, just his presence alone was annoying me. Weirdly. I'd known him for at least a month and he had the decency to stare at me like that when he has nothing to do with me!

I glared down at the floor as he let out a low whistle to call everyone's attention. I wish I could blame something else on my anger, but there was nothing else.

"Ladies, today we are focusing on cardio. We are going to do mixed-level workouts. So, surnames starting A to H you are on swimming; I want you to swim the entire circumference of Koi Lake until your pedometer reads seven miles."

I looked around nervously. A what? I didn't have a pedometer... My watch was normal.

"Surnames I through R you have running! I want you all to grab your pedometer watch and run ten miles around the pack grounds. Time yourself." He announced and women groaned. "And finally S through Z, you're on cycling. I want fifteen miles around pack lands, so keep track... Once we are all back and done, we will have a ten-minute cool-down before we start with the exercises. No backing down or I will force you to complete extra training after this, courtesy of Sean."

Many women groaned, but all synchronised their watches. I looked around in nervousness, not having the guts to speak out to Phoenix again. I asked Molly instead.

Patting her shoulder, she turned to me with a frown. "Ugh, I have to cycle. Boo me and my fat ass."

I chuckled, but nervously wrung my fingers. "I don't have a-a..."

She frowned. "Oh! You can just go inside the fitness studio and there's a locker full of them! Go through those double doors and then go to the second door on the right. It's the storage room!"

"Five minutes ladies!" Phoenix boomed. "Wake up!"

"Oh-okay. Thanks, Molly." I smiled shyly.

She nodded and continued to stretch her limbs. As I walked away, I could hear her grumble about hating sitting on a bike seat cause it hurts her butt. I couldn't help but giggle as I reached the double doors.

Opening them, the smell of disinfectant was strong despite the many air fresheners. The faint smell of Phoenix and those two females lingered, but I made my way down the narrow hallway to the second door labelled STORE.

Going inside, I flicked the windowless room's light on and used my initiative. There was an entire wall of lockers, but thankfully, upon further inspection, I found they had been labelled. I found the one that read Smart Watches and assumed that's what I needed. I went to open the door but found it locked and frowned in confusion.

Searching the room for guidance, my eyes landed on a poster that stated the need to obtain permission and make a deposit beforehand. A deposit? Of money? I didn't have any money!

As my anxiety silently approached, I felt my breath becoming shorter and my head growing lighter with each passing moment. Just as I was about to sag to the floor, the door opened. My head snapped up to see Phoenix standing there, dark eyes glancing over my hunched figure.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but all that came out was a whoosh of breath as something took hold of me. Tingles erupted on my torso, lighting my body on fire as it hummed.

Blinking a few times to gain my surroundings, I found myself in a large, black-shirted chest. I exhaled, recognising the arms around me. Looking up from where I stayed pressed against the locker, I found Phoenix intensely staring at me. One hand pressed into the locker by my head as the other brushed my waist.

"Mine." He grumbled.

My eyes widened when his face came to press into my cheek. I could feel him breathing in my scent, his breath hot on my skin. I tensed, goosebumps rising on my skin. What was he doing?

"Ph-Phoenix..."

He grumbled and pulled his head away to look down at me. I became speechless at the closeness we shared. His body was right against mine, only a few inches between my face and his as he hunched over me. The hand that was blocking me against the locker moved to push a stray hair out of my face.

"Do you know how hard it has been to stay away from you?" He whispered.

My mouth parted in shock. I wanted to ask him why, but I couldn't form the words. His fingers traced my jaw, a fiery touch along my skin that ignited something inside of me when it trailed down my neck and collarbone. He was so close... I could almost kiss him.

"To see you so close to an unmarked male... It should be me you cling to, not him." He rasped.

I furrowed my eyebrows. So he was jealous.

"Phoenix I-

He shook his head and leaned away. I felt cold without him there, to heat my skin. The pinpricks he left behind were fading with every inch of distance. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair, moving around me.

I kept quiet as he unlocked the watch locker with a code. "Pick one out."

I hesitated as I watched his body language. I was so confused and so flustered. But I leaned away from the locker and stepped in front of him to look at the watches.

Most of them were black or pink like Molly's, but there was one in the far back that was a matt, dark green, and that's the one I chose.

Pulling it out, I looked up at him through my lashes. "But I don't have-

He shook his head again, shutting the locker behind me before the same hand cupped my jaw. I swallowed at the sudden invasion, and his eyes followed the movement.

"You never will need to pay for things. Whatever it is, I will get it for you. My wolf and I cannot bear to see his mate without, or working to live." He sighed at my nerves and moved away. "It's already set up. Just turn it on and come outside. It's yours now."

I watched his large retreating figure as he left me in the small storage room. I was utterly confused. It felt like someone had replaced my brain and left me with just a body.

I could hear his commanding voice through the walls of the building saying we were about to line up. Snapping out of my daydream, I slipped on my new watch and left my old one behind as I hurried out of the studio.

Sean was nearby, talking to Beta Charlie. As I approached, they both went quiet, and I blushed profusely. I saw their noses twitch and Beta Charlie grinned, greeting me softly.

"Nova," Sean commented, causing me to stop. "If you can't do the ten, don't push yourself. You need to take it easy. I'd be the punisher if you fail, so don't worry about it."

"Thank you, Sean." I nodded gratefully and gave Beta Charlie a small bow. "Beta Charlie."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "It is Charlie to you, Nova."

I blushed but nodded and jogged to the group of women that were gearing up to go running. I saw Molly swinging her leg over a ruby red bicycle and gave her a small smile. She was flustered already.

I dreaded the ten-mile run, only because I only had completed five with Sean. I knew I was going to struggle. The surrounding girls gave me dirty looks, but there were a few curious ones. I was new, after all; I had to prove myself. But since Phoenix had restricted me to just human form, I wasn't sure how much longer my wolf would stay down. She was dominant. Whatever genetics she had were strong, like she was. And her demand for respect as their Luna was almost suffocating.

The girl that cornered me before sneered down at me, her nostrils flaring. "I thought I told you to back off from Alpha, you whore."

I frowned. "I-I-I-

She laughed. "Cat got your tongue? Oh, wait sorry, more like ghoul!"

A couple of other girls giggled along with her, and I frowned, dropping my gaze. My wolf was vibrating in irritation, grumbling in my mind.

"Ladies, enough." Phoenix's sudden voice made some of us jump as he growled at them. "There will be no tension today. Everyone else has already started. So go, now."

They huffed and turned to run off. I waited for a heartbeat so I wasn't stuck beside them, but a hand grasping my arm pulled me back. Oh, those tingles made my toes curl.

I turned to look up at him with questioning eyes. He was so confusing; I was getting whiplash.

"Be safe." Was all he said before he walked away.

I nodded, more to myself, as I jogged in the direction everyone else went.

Let's get this over with...

*******

wc: 3600

A note-

Sorry it's taken so long everyone. My life has taken such a huge turn everything has gone wrong it seems and nothing is the same. But I'm getting there and loving books again. I think it was the incredible dream I had last night.

Do you ever get those dreams or thoughts where you could just make a book out of it? Like it all plans out in your head and it sounds sooo good. But then you'd snap out of it or wake up and forget half the details? 😢 yeah that's me right now 😅

-H

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