Heir To The Iron Crown ✓

42 - Fjörutíu og Tveir

The students I was working with had just gotten out of school and only recently started training. They were still in their learning phase but picked up quite quickly. We did well for the first day, and by the end of it I was quite tired.

I realized soon into the training that my body was still sore from the first shift, and that I should let Ima out so that I could be more prepared for the third day of training with wolves.

I didn't want to have to deal with Bayo immediately anyway, so after reporting to Fraser about the day's training, I decided to go for a run in the surrounding forest.

Leaving my clothes near a fairly recognizable tree, I shifted and started to run, keeping in mind the direction I was coming from.

"Thank you Rayne," Ima said in my head as I ran. I could feel that she was more relaxed now, the movement bringing her comfort.

After a little bit of a run, I decided to do some individual drills with her that we used to do before. Something to brush up on before teaching the warriors-to-be.

As I was training, trying to see if Ima's form could still climb trees, I heard something from behind me.

I turned around to find a man that I'd never seen before, looking at me. He was tall, slender, dark-skinned, and seemed to be much older than me.

He wasn't even trying to be discrete with the staring. Creepy.

I waited for him to say something as, clearly I couldn't. It was difficult for me to tell if he was amiable or hostile, given how neutral his stance was.

After what seemed like a whole minute, I decided to leave this part of the forest and find another place to practice climbing.

I walked a certain direction without looking back.

"What do you think Ima?" I asked her.

"Creep," she said. My thoughts exactly.

As I found myself at a distance from the creepy guy, I decided to try climbing again. Although this isn't something wolves do, Liet band members use climbing to their advantage and escape quickly and efficiently. I used to be able to climb easily, but it's been so long and Ima has gotten bigger, it would take some practice to get the hang of it again.

I started climbing an old-looking tree and soon enough felt comfortable with the climb. It was a little difficult at first, and took a few tries to get the footing right, but I found myself strong enough to push upwards.

I stopped at the first branch landing, feeling accomplished at the few feet I managed above ground.

"Let's go higher," Ima said.

As I caught my breath, I decided to try.

"Okay. But if I fall, I'll blame you," I said, and started climbing a little higher.

I had climbed double the height now and was almost at the next landing when I looked down.

But it wasn't the height that made me lose my footing, it was the creepy man from before standing at the base of the tree, analyzing my every move.

Thud.

I fell into an unceremonious lump at the man's feet, and pain erupted in every part of my body.

"Why, I thought you were doing great," he said.

I immediately got to my feet and growled at this man, baring my teeth at him.

"Now, now. It's not my fault you got distracted by my handsome face," he said, rather full of himself.

I was annoyed at him, whoever this was, and honestly exhausted.

"You know, it's so rare to see light-furred wolves in these parts. I believe they come from the East. You're not from here are you?" he said, carefully reaching his hand out to my muzzle.

I didn't back away from him, and allowed him to get closer.

Easier to bite his arm off if he tried anything stupid.

"Is it true that grey wolves are blessed with the ability to shift much earlier than others?" he asked me.

Yes it is true. Everyone is able to hear their wolves quite early on, but their bodies aren't strong enough to shift. Which is why they do so on the first full moon after their eighteenth birthday.

I was only fifteen when it happened, and I was almost alone as no one else was shifting that night.

But I couldn't tell him that. I decided it was enough training for the day and started walking back towards the pack. To my annoyance, this man fell in step with me.

"How rude of me, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm one of the guests for the meeting you know. We just arrived today. My name is Alfie, Alpha Alfie. I think my parents did a splendid job of naming me, don't you think?" he said, seeming really pleased with himself.

"Can we kill him?" Ima asked, almost sincerely.

"No Ima please don't tempt me," I said and stopped by the tree where I knew my clothes were.

Alpha Alfie had probably noticed my clothes and thankfully walked ahead into the pack.

I quickly shifted back and changed into my clothes, making sure the collar was up and buttoned, and headed back into the pack.

Not to my surprise, Alfie was waiting for me at a little distance.

"Aren't you a lovely little thing," he said as I walked past him.

I was too tired to respond and just walked to where I knew the pack house to be.

"Bayo?" I tried again.

"Hey. Where are you? Done with the training yet?" he asked me.

"I'm coming to the room," I said.

"Okay. I'm here," he replied.

I sighed and kept walking, hoping this character would just leave me alone.

"Was that your mate?" he asked.

I stopped to look at him.

"Your eyes, they just glazed over for a minute there, so I could guess," he said, pointing to my eyes.

Unfortunately his own action drew his attention to my eyes way too much, and he was about to say something but refrained. Instead he put on a knowing smirk, an expression I have come to hate, courtesy Sven.

Just a little distance from the pack house, Alpha Alfie chose to speak again.

"Ah young love. It's quite beautiful isn't it? And I see you're probably still in your honeymoon phase by the mark on your back. It's still quite light."