Chapter 16

They burned the rogue's body. I didn't go and watch him burn. I probably should have, but if he wasn't alive to be burned, then I didn't want anything to do with it.

Days then weeks passed, and we settled into a new routine. I was back to only one guard if Riley or Devie were around, and two if they were not. The guards from the other Packs all went home, much to my sadness and relief. We had all gotten close those last few weeks. I even got the numbers of a few of them who wanted to keep in contact. I had actually made some friends, how about that.

My training was still going strong, and I must say, I am getting rather proficient. I am quite proud of myself. We had even started gun training. I was better at shooting a gun than I was with the dagger so far. Riley and Devie both assured me that fighting with hand to hand weapons was a lot of work and that I'd get the hang of it soon enough.

I had not yet come into the ability that Derrick Jamieson had, had. I don't know if it would ever show itself, but I half hoped. I did discover, though, that I had inherited one ability from a surprising source: Ronnie. I had inherited her ability to go into the man-beast form. We were all surprised at that. No one had ever been able to inherit from a second donor. Maybe no one had ever been attacked by a second person before their first shift. We didn't know why, but it is what it is, and I liked it.

Jaime was studying hard for his final year of public school, and I started studying with him. I had a lot to catch up on. I learned from Justin that by the time I was five, I was already reading at a first-grade level. Jaime was a great tutor and was in a lot of advanced classes. I was just grateful he didn't mind teaching me things I should have already known.

Justin and my parents were retired teachers and looking forward to meeting me. I was scared, beyond scared. How would they like me? How would I like them? Could they handle a daughter that didn't want to be called by her birth name? I had decided I would stick to Poppy. I had earned it.

Riley and I had a date night at least once a week. He's taken me to several dinners and movies, and even to a place called Lowry Park and MOSI. I always had a lot of fun when it was just us. He had gone back to work for about two days out of the week, so he could do meetings and things he couldn't do from home. I always missed him terribly and jumped into his arms as soon as he came in the door.

I don't know what I did to get this new "leash" on life, but I was forever grateful. I had a home, family, and a man who loved me infinitely. This was my new life, and I loved it.