Ivory

ELEVEN*

I placed my last suitcase in the back of the truck. Today was the day that was leaving, two days after the meeting. Tomorrow would be the first evaluation of their fighters and form what I had been told it wasn’t going to be a good one. If my hypothesis was correct, ten percent of them would die, but if that was what it took for them to get serious about training than it had to be done.

Parker had been avoiding me, hiding in places that I wasn’t allowed to go. Not that I blamed him, I would probably have done much the same thing if I was in his position. I really should have told him from the beginning, about my mate and everything else. But would it have made a difference?

I doubt it.

With a sigh I walked back into the house to grab my jacket and helmet. Against multiple protests I was riding back with my bike. Five of the best trainers: Devon, Harris, Fillip, Monica and Hank were driving in two trucks and would camp out in a cabin that was just before we crossed the border. They would camp there until I gave them the signal

John, Zander, Talia and Josh were standing in the foyer, waiting for me to say good bye. I hugged John first and then Zander. I went down the line and when I pulled away from Talia she had tears glistening in her eyes.

“Hey,” I said, wiping away a tear that fell, “are you sure you don’t wanna come? It’s not too late.” Since Austin was her mate she really should have been coming, but she was a stubborn old cow and had refused to leave her brother yet.

She shook her head. “If Austin can’t change my mind then there’s no way you’ll be able to. When I’m finished school I’ll go, but for now I’m fine just knowing I have someone waiting for me.” We hugged against and I felt myself tearing up.

Parker was nowhere to be seen, which I couldn’t deny hurt. I had expected it, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. I looked at Zander who apparently read my emotions on my face. "Tell him that I'm sorry," I said. It was the last thing I could do, since he refused to come down and let me say it properly. How could he not understand that I felt nothing towards Brettly apart from blind hatred? What could possibly possess me enough to fall in love with a dirt wad like him anyways?

He nodded and smiled at me. Hank and Devon walked by with the last of the bags, which told me that we would be leaving soon. The other three were saying their goodbyes to their families. Unlike me they had been here their entire lives, so they were leaving more than I was. But that also didn’t mean I was leaving anything less.

Once everything was done I walked outside towards my bike while the others climbed into the trucks. The others had left a few hours ago, to tell their packs that training began tomorrow. I had opted to stay with my pack but Austin had insisted that I go to the house so that they would know who the head instructor would be. I didn’t like that idea, but what the Alpha orders I have to go by, not my Alpha but my brothers order I somehow felt obligated to follow no matter how much I hated him.

I climbed onto my bike, with the feeling of being watched. I knew who it was, watching from the second floor window, I had no want to look at him or acknowledge him. As much as I hated the feeling that I had, I would not give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his stare did to me. So without another glance I slipped on my helmet and sped out of Grey Borough.

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I led the group to the cabin and made sure that they were well settled. I stayed there for an hour longer, just stalling the inevitable. I wasn’t ready. Not one bit. I was crazy for thinking that I would ever be ready for this again. Would they recognise me and put me back in the same slump I had been in four years ago? Would my parents recognise me?