A/N: No, we will not be seeing the kiss. Hopefully, it will come at us in Chapter 30, but I am not making any promises.

Thanks

~Rissa

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Xavier was rather stiff when we walked to the training ground where we were supposed to meet the others. His whole body was tense, and I had a feeling it was because of the scene we had this morning.

Hesitantly, I caught up with his long pace and brushed my arm against his, hoping that he would understand and take my hand into his.

Xavier didn't take my hand in his or move away from me. He set his jaw, but that was the only thing that he did.

"So, what am I supposed to be doing?" I asked, taking his hand in mine. I prayed that he wouldn't move away from me and was happy when he squeezed my hand and brushed up against me.

"Training," he replied, causing me to roll my eyes. He flashed me a small smirk causing me to scowl. "What else would you be doing?"

"Eating," I replied, causing him to snort. "I kind of figured that we would be training, but what does training include?"

He shrugged. "It depends on what Bane's father, Derek, wants us to do," he said. "If it gets too hard on you, I do want you to stop." He looked down at me. "You won't get penalized or be moved down to the lower ranks. You've earned it."

I hesitated but nodded my head. I was probably not going to stop even if it got hard for me. It was that stubborn pride that I had as well as training with the highest ranked group of the Guardsmen.

"Zion told me that there were ranks in the Guardsmen as well," Xavier said, causing me to nod my head. "What was, or is, yours?"

"I'm part of the Alpha Beta Omega Gamma Delta Psi," I said. "Which is the... highest rank and I am the youngest member."

"Seriously?" Xavier asked, causing me to nod my head. "When did you become one?"

"I think I became one after I had killed that Worber," I said, furrowing my brows. "So, I think I was ten. If not, then I might have been younger and had skipped some of the ranks to become one."

"Do you know how many there are?" he asked, causing me to shrug my shoulder.

"There were twelve people when I became a member," I said. "I don't know if more initiated after I had left or not. It takes a lot of training to become one."

Xavier nodded his head. He pulled his hand out of mine when we heard talking but didn't move away from me like I thought he would. "What is Zion?" he asked.

"Gamma Delta Psi, Alpha," Zion called out when we made it to the clearing. "Why? Are you talking about how good I am and should be in the top ranks?"

"If you were so good, then why did you have to come up with a plan to cheat when we were racing, even though you were given a huge head start before I was even allowed to go?" I asked, causing him to shrug. "And no, we were talking about how I am part of the top ranks with the Guardsmen."

"Then this should be easy for you," a male that looked like Bane said. He stood about 6'10 and was muscular. His dark brown eyes were hard as he looked me up and down, and he pursed his lips in disgust.

Xavier was about to growl a warning but stopped when I nudged him and shook my head. He set his jaw but didn't say a word.

"I hope you don't think I will give you any handouts, since you are the only female to bless us with her presence, Princess," he said, causing Zion to snort.

"You have no idea how true that word is," Zion said. "Considering the fact that the King has made her his adopted daughter, even though she doesn't call him "Dad"."

"I do call him "Uncle"," I said. "I think that's enough for him right now until..." I shrugged.

Zion set his jaw but nodded his head. "I heard you were ordered to be at the cabin next week," he said. "Is it true?"

I nodded. "Van's supposed to be here at nine sharp."

"Do you know who is driving it?" he asked.

I shook my head. "As long as it isn't May then I am fine. I swear, she doesn't get better with practice but worse."

Zion snorted and nodded his head. "If it is, you will not be getting any sleep, and you will be super pissed once you reach the cabin."

I shrugged my shoulder, staying silent.

"Ok, enough talking," Bane's father said. "This isn't social hour. This is training time. Now, the first thing I want you ten to do is run twenty miles twice in wolf form. You will be following this path, Sweetheart. I hope you can keep up with them."

"She is still healing," Xavier growled, setting his jaw. "And, she doesn't have a wolf which you already know."

"It's ok," I said, looking at Xavier. I offered him a small hesitant smile before turning my attention to Bane's father. "I might not be able to keep up with them right now, but one day, I will," I said. "But, I can promise that I will complete what you have me do with no complaints."

He nodded his head seeming satisfied with my answer.

"After we are done training, why don't we do some Guardsmen training? It's been a while, and I am kind of rusty," Zion said, causing me to look at him. "Hell Week isn't something that I am able to do right now."

I nodded my head, feeling kind of relieved that he was willing to do our training as well as this. I was rusty with our training as well and wanted to get ready because I was sure that Commander would have me do stuff when I was at the cabin.

"Then, I guess we should get started, so you two lovebirds can do whatever this... training session entitles," he said.

Xavier growled louder and set his jaw. His whole body was tense, and I could see his face darkening as he took a step forward. "I would watch what you say right now, Derek," he warned. "You are walking on thin ice, and I am not afraid to end you."

I grabbed his shirt and gently pulled him, back surprised that he actually took a step back. I had no idea if he would hurt him or not, but I didn't want him to get into trouble not with multiple Guardsmen around reporting everything that was happening. "Why... don't we get started?" I asked, causing him to look at me with blue eyes that looked like they were burning with this fire that I felt coming off of him. "I've... never seen you in Wolf form yet, and I am kind of... excited?"

Xavier set his jaw and nodded his head. He gently removed my hand from his shirt and gave it a squeeze before pulling away. "Shift and get ready to go," he said.

"Yes, Alpha," the group said before dispersing into the woods leaving behind Derek, Zion, Xavier, and I.

"Z-"

"I have something for her, Alpha," Zion said, nodding his head towards me. "I am wanting to give it to her before I do shift."

Xavier scowled and nodded his head. "Make it quick," he said, causing Zion to nod his head.

Zion walked over to me with a bag that I just noticed. He handed the bag to me and watched as I reached in and pulled the item, well, items, out. "Specially made, better than your old ones," he said.

I took a deep breath as I noticed the sheaths, knowing that Sergio had made it. I stuffed one of the sheaths underneath my arm and pulled out a small staff that was the length of my forearm.

"A new collapsible bo staff with an extra side to it," Zion said. "For those pesky idiots that won't stay down. Open it and then twist the center."

I nodded my head and pressed the button to show the actual length of the staff. I flicked the staff around a couple of times, testing out the weight before twisting the center.

Wood disappeared, and two blades appeared in its place. Both blades looked rather sharp, but I wasn't going to try it out.

"The works?" I asked, twisting it this way and that before twisting the center and then collapsing it.

"It's Sergio we're talking about," he said. "Of course he has placed the works on it. He wants you to figure out what it does."

"Of course," I replied. I watched as the Wolves appeared all in their wolf form and nodded my head. "Go shift so that we can go," I said. "You might be my first test with them."

Zion rolled his eyes and nodded his head. "Put them on," he said, causing me to nod my head. He looked at our Alpha. "Come on, let's go shift and get this show on the road. I know for a fact that Cass wants to try out her new toy afterward, and that's what we'll do today. You are free to watch if you want to."

"Fine," Xavier said, coldly. He looked at me. "I won't be long," he promised, causing me to nod my head. He sent Derek a seething look before walking into the woods to shift leaving me alone with a pack of Wolves.

Goddess, protect me.