The Code of The Alpha

Chapter Forty-Seven - Respect Your Elders

You can do this, you can do this.

My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest.

Sweat dripped from every pore, making my hands sweaty as they reached out for the next bar in front of me.

You can do this.

As my feet landed on the wooden platform, I lowered shaking arms to look at the timer on my wrist.

Four and a half minutes left.

Chest heaving for air, I reached out and grabbed the salmon ladder bar and shifted my body weight to thrust it into the divider above it—continuing this movement until I was four feet higher and could reach the platform above it.

I pulled myself onto the platform, trying not to think about how high I was in the trees.

Swallowing my fear, I grabbed the rope in front of me and swung to the next platform that was a few yards away.

When I landed, I saw Luca standing on the ground a little more than a hundred feet away.

"Go! Go! Go!" He yelled enthusiastically, hands pumping in the air.

I smiled.

"Let's go! Move it! Hurry!" Fallon screamed next to him, ushering me forward with her hands, one of which held a stopwatch.

I jumped forward to the hang onto the climbing net, trying to methodically but quickly lower myself to the ground.

I could hear them cheering for me as my feet landed in the dirt, my shaking legs running me over the finish line.

Fallon clicked the stopwatch to stop it as Luca rushed forward and lifted me into his arms, beginning to jump around enthusiastically.

I felt limp from exhaustion in his arms as he kissed both of my cheeks in rapid succession.

"That was amazing, amore. I'm so proud," he said, beaming.

I couldn't help but emulate his bright smile, pulling him into a hug.

Hearing the children cheering behind him, I looked over his shoulder to see Cristina and her kids standing a few feet away, clapping for me and screaming with excitement.

Luca placed my feet back on the ground before I walked over to them, giving them each a high five.

"I want to do the defense team test when I grow up," Leesa said aggressively, her firm tone surprising the quiet boy who stood next to her.

"You have to be very strong," I told her, nodding.

"Oh, I am," she assured me quickly. "I can pick up my laundry basket even when it's full."

"I wish I could do that," a voice said behind me.

I turned to see Bates approaching, a smile on his face.

"You can't pick up your laundry basket?" Leesa asked him.

"I don't have a laundry basket," Bates said shaking his head.

Her nose scrunched at his response.

"So where do you put your dirty clothes?" She asked him.

"In a chair, in the corner of my room," he answered.

"Yuck!" Leesa said, pinching her nose.

I just laughed, Bates pulling me into a one-armed hug.

"Congratulations on passing," he said. "Are you going to join the defense team now?"