BENJAMIN'S P. O. V.
Olivia is sitting up eating now. I can't help but watch her. She must think that I am a crazy person. I am just so happy that she is alive. Then Peter sends me a link. "I challenged Benson. I am going to have you stay with Olivia while I go and deal with this. I am going to bring some warriors and I will have Victor and Shawn with me."
"You know I am not so cool with that. I should be there."
"I know but I need someone I can trust to guard Olivia. I am not afraid of Benson and his wolves. Half of them aren't even really trained warriors. We need the territory protected or we will have a major whole in our defenses."
"I hear ya. I just will be on edge until it is all over."
"I got this. Watch after our girl."
Olivia looks up at me. "What's going on, you look worried?"
"Peter challenged Benson for Alpha." I try to make it sound like it isn't a big deal.
"What? Why the hell would he do that now?"
"I guess he thinks that Benson is doing a crap job and it is going to leave us vulnerable during the war if he doesn't do something. I know Victor was pretty pissed with his performance at the meetings too."
"Just timing sucks. We don't need to be spread too thin. If Benson wins, this will really screw with the war efforts."
"I highly doubt that Benson will win. It may push Peter too much to have that many wolves under him."
"Do we really need to do this right now?"
"Unfortunately so. Victor is going to be with him and he has informed me that Shawn is also on his side. So that alone could make this easier. I just wish I was there to make sure."
"Why can't you be?"
"Well…"
"Let me guess he wants you here with me." Olivia rolled her eyes. This has been a topic for a while. She doesn't see why we need to protect her.
"Yeah."
"Oh, you men. Who is going to attack me in the hospital? I will be fine. We need to make sure that the packs are safe. I am one person."
"Yes, but a very important person. You are Luna to two packs. That is a pretty big deal."
"I haven't even accepted either job."
"Regardless, that is who you are. And a Beta Female."
Olivia looks at me like I am crazy. "I didn't say that I was that either."
"You are. Through the bond that is what you are. Until we work this out you are treated as all those things. I wish it was simpler but that isn't how it is." I pinch the bridge of my nose and shake my head. This girl is going to be the death of me.
She glares at me. "Maybe I could just make this simpler for everyone if I just reject everyone. I was prepared to live alone. I can still do that."
I am pained at what she said. "Please don't ever say that." I can't hold back the pleading in my voice. I am searching with my gaze to see if she is serious. She can't be serious. She was already rejected once, she wouldn't do that to us.
"I just don't want other wolves to die, because you guys are worried about protecting me. I feel weak enough as it is. I don't need to feel like shit either, because I caused a problem. Just don't worry about me, ok. Take care of what you need to. Don't let protecting me be in the way of your jobs."
"Do you realize what you mean to all of us? Do you realize that you are the most special wolf in two packs? We need to have you taken care of. You are not in the way. And you are anything but weak."
"Yeah, is that why Hector was able to take me down? I should have fought harder." She looks down like this is a shameful act. She thinks that she should have fought off Hector. From what I could tell he blind sided her and then injected her with wolfs-bane. How was she supposed to fight off that?"
"Look at me Olivia." I have come closer now and I am pulling her face to mine. "You are not weak. Any wolf would have been taken down the way that you were attacked. Do not think for one minute that you are inferior like that asshole made you feel for the last two years. He is gone and you are here. Who was the weak one?"
"I know what you're saying is true. I just don't feel that way right now. Sitting in this bed is killing me. I don't know how much longer I can just sit here."
"You are not going to be here much longer. I can guarantee that you are going to be running circles around us pretty soon. I have seen what you can do. Why do you think that we wanted you to train the youngsters for us?"
"Really, you want me to train." Her face lit up. "You guys really think that I am good enough for that?"
"Of course we think you are good enough for that. We are all waiting for you to get out of this bed to start the training. You are going to make the young wolves the strongest in the packs."
"I think you are crazy. I am not that skilled."
"What are you talking about? You were running circles around Peter and I. I know you can wipe them kids into shape." I let go of her face and gave her a quick kiss. "Besides, I know for a fact that the Omegas will look up to you, being one of them leading the group."
"Maybe you're right."
"Of course I'm right. When are you going to learn that I am always right?"
"Well, not always."
"Name one time I was wrong."
"Well,.. Um." She looked really thoughtful for a moment and then something clicked. Then she seemed to be fighting with bringing it up. "OK so how about when you first met me. You nearly broke my leg."
"OK, that I regret deeply. I would never want to hurt you now."
"Better keep that anger in check. I would hate for another Omega to feel that wrath." She gave me a knowing look.
"I think I was more mad that I thought you were hot and I couldn't do anything about it. I thought you were one of those girls who knew she was hot and used it to sleep around. I didn't know you and I jumped to conclusions. I am sorry." I look at her ashamed. I can't believe how I acted around her. I should never have treated her like that.
"Yeah, well. I doubt that. I seem to remember some pure hatred directed at your hand."
"That is because I wanted to touch you and I couldn't. I had to punish my hand."
"Well, that didn't stop Peter. I thought he was just being a jerk to me. Especially when he touched my ass."
"Please don't tell me about touching your ass." I groan.
"Why? I thought you guys were all cool with sharing?" She gave me a smirk that made me smirk back. I couldn't help it, she looked so cute.
"Not that cool. I am not willing to hear about others touching you even if it is Peter. Definitely not Victor. It was bad enough when I had Peter telling me about touching your ass. Granted that was before we had our arrangement. Also before I kissed you."
"Why did you kiss me?"
"I couldn't wait another second to feel your lips on mine." I bent over her body and kissed her again. This time I let my lips linger and pushed deeper. I didn't want to hurt her, but I needed her to know my needs.
"You guys are really trying to kill me. You are aware that I am in a hospital bed right?" She sighs when I pull back.
"Of course. I would have done a whole lot more if you weren't." I winked at her as I pulled back. "Besides, I know you can take it." I wink at her.
"So, on a more serious note, how is the training going? Did everything get set up for it to start soon? I know it wont start tomorrow now with the challenge." She leaned back in her bed and looked over at me as if we were having a business discussion.
"Well, Victor is still going to sort the wolves into categories tonight and have them ready to assign to trainers. We are aware that we are going to need to change wolves around. Some of them are not being honest about what training that they have. Plus we don't know about the other trainers and their skills. Then there will be factoring in Benson's wolves later. I am not sure how that is going to work out."
"Well the new wolves will have to be vetted as well into the groups that hopefully won't take long to establish. Assessing the trainers may be even harder. Plus it may be in our best interest to train more trackers. I hear that Benson didn't have any."
"The trouble is going to be able to have someone train. Right now we are getting ready to send all our trackers into rogue territory to assess the enemy."
"One of you Alphas will need to train a few of them. Or maybe a former Alpha that has done tracking before. I mean there has to be someone with some training in it."
"Right now I am not sure who. I know Peter had a little but I don't know if he had enough to train others."
"I am pretty sure that Victor had training as a tracker. His father was once one of the top trackers in our pack. Worse case you have to ask him to train them. I don't know if that will go over well right now, but it is a shot. I mean Alpha Craig is not a fan of mine, but he always liked a good fight. He has pride in his pack. I think that is one of the reasons that he didn't like me. He thought that I was going to bring down the pack. The Omega who did know her place."
"I would think that he would be proud that you were so strong."
"I think in a way he liked that. But he didn't like me showing my strength in opposition to Victor."
"You didn't directly challenge Victor did you?"
"Na, if anything he was always challenging me. I just won. It's not my fault I was faster than him. I guess if anything I am fast. I have good endurance."
"There you go. You think about what good you are doing. I know you look hot when you run. Are you sure that Victor was not just having trouble catching his breath when you were around?"
"Ha Ha funny. You should be a comedian."
"I'm not joking. I am sure you took his breath away."
"Anyway, about this training that I am doing. What am I supposed to be teaching them?"
"Start off with endurance. These wolves need to be able to go for a long time. We need them to be fit enough to run. Then we will work on defense. That is what the younger wolves are supposed to be learning, they are going to be defending and patrolling the college. So as long as we keep the rogues out towards the borders they will never see action. That is my plan anyway. I don't want the young ones hurt."
"Good plan. You should probably have a few of the older wolves who are a bit older but still skilled there too. That way the young wolves are not left without skills. I will do the best I can."
"You're right. We planned on having the former Alphas in the college with those who can't fight, that way if anything happens to us there is someone to take over the pack. Shawn has to appoint someone."
"I am glad that you are prepared but I really hope that doesn't happen."
"I know you would hate to lose us."
"I mean it would be really hard on the packs to lose their Alphas. It would take time to recover."
"Yeah, but it is the best option. We have no idea how strong the rogues are right now. It is just obvious that they are being led by someone. I really hope that we are able to kick these wolves into shape without much of a fight but I fear that it is going to be worse than that. I would really like to get a hold of who is controlling the rogues. That would end all of this real quick. I just hope that they show themselves."
"That would scatter the rogues. Is there a way that the trackers can pinpoint who the rogue is?"
"They are going to try, they have two main goals though. That is to find the missing females and gain the numbers of the rogues. We need to know what we are up against. If they can pinpoint the leader that would be great."
"How many missing females are there?"
"There are at least twenty from our four packs. No telling if they got some from packs beyond. I really hope that we can recover them."
"Is there a chance that if we bring those females back that our mate bond would break and you guys would bond with someone else?"
"Possibly but I think you are stuck with us. I wouldn't get my hopes up that we are just going to find someone else."
"It is not that I want to be without you guys, I am just not so sure that I can be all that you all need me to be. I would hate to be lacking, when you all need so much. You are all great guys that is why I can't reject any of you, unless I reject all of you. I can't hurt any of you. But I am starting to think that you all need a better wolf than me."
"Don't ever say that about yourself you are a great wolf and certainly enough for me. I know Peter and Victor feel the same. I know Victor already told his father that he wants you to be his Luna. Alpha Craig was not pleased."
"Oh, goddess. I am surprised that Victor is still walking after that."
"He said that his father hasn't spoken to him sense. Not good, when we all need unity but I guess it is better than killing Victor."
"I think I need to have some more rest. I want to get out of this bed as soon as possible. I need to be in top shape."
"You want me to dim the lights?"
"If you don't mind."
I turn down the lights then head to the chair next to hers. I grab her hand and start rubbing circles around her palm. I love the feel of her hand in mine. I really hope she doesn't think that she can reject us all, which would include me.