Victoria, The Supreme Alpha (Book I of The Eresthai Series)

Poked By The Moon Goddess

Victoria

The first week was the hardest. The boys did all the running but just staying on top of Ghost was arduous work.

I fell off so many times that I lost count and at the end of each day, I would collapse into my sleeping bag, sore and more tired than ever.

"It's worth it. It will all be worth it. I will meet my wolf, we will train, and we will be strong," I kept repeating to myself.

A few days into our journey we learned that Ghost was our cousin. He doesn't talk much, so we had to ask a lot of questions to get anything out of him. Ghost is Aunty Aponi's son, my Dad's little sister.

When Felix asked him how old he was he just looked up at the sky and said, "Younger than my mother, but older than you."

To think of it, he probably doesn't even know how old he is, it's not as if he has a calendar tucked into his fur.

The journey to our new pack was when our Roamer lessons began, and every day was a lesson in something; where to find the cleanest water, how to read the weather, what fruits and roots that were edible, how to avoid leaving tracks or a scent.

The wolf training was the hardest since I couldn't take part and just had to sit around and watch. I offered to take off the charm, but Ghost was apparently under strict orders to make sure I didn't take it off until my Uncle Keo said I was ready.

If I could have shifted, this trip wouldn't have taken as long. I did have some provisions in my backpack but once they ran out, I had to cook whatever the boys were able to catch for me. I got really good at building fires and skinning rabbits with the pocket knife my dad gave me, so at least there's that.

Ghost stayed in wolf form the entire time, and I admired his patience, especially with dealing with the twins. Whenever they crossed the line one snap from Ghost is all it took to bump them back across it. They might be fools but they're not idiots. Sometimes, I think they play is up just to be underestimated, and if that's the case, that makes them clever in my books.

Three weeks into our journey and I'm absolutely mortified when I catch my reflection in the lake we camp by. My grooming has been on a slow and steady decline ever since I lost my hairbrush. I mean, I'm not much of a groomer, but this is just a whole new level of unkemptness.

Axel starts going through my backpack, "Do you want me to cut it off? There are scissors on that pocket knife of yours. They're small but I can clean it up a bit."

"No, I don't want you to cut my hair," I grab my backpack away from him.

"Maybe dreadlocks?" Oz adds studying my hair while stroking his imaginary beard.

"That's enough," Ghost says, "go wash up Victoria. Stay somewhere we can still keep an eye on you, and I'll sort out your hair when you get back."

I do as Ghost instructed and find a quiet spot along the lake away from all the boys. I love my brothers, and I wouldn't say I'm a girly girl, but that doesn't mean I need to smell as bad as they do.

As I walk into the cool water and start to lather myself up with the tiny strip of soap I have left, it's another one of those little reminders that I don't know my wolf yet.

Once you have your wolf you don't get cold from the elements. Your body doesn't tire as much and heals at a rapid rate. The charm not only suppresses her but also all her abilities. I could have easily taken it off when I broke my arm last year trying to ninja-kick Oz, but nope! My parents didn't say anything, I had to get a cast and wear it for weeks.

As I float about in the water and watch the sun go down, I think about all the things I want to do once I meet my wolf. One question I've never been able to answer was how I can mind-link. I've always been able to, and never questioned it, so I must have felt deep down I wasn't completely human, yet the charm doesn't block mind-links? I'll have to add my query to the ever-growing list of things to ask Uncle Keo.