TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SIX

“We’ve got Future Beta Milo up next. Ready? Go!”

Milo doesn’t waste a second. He launches into motion with more thought than Ethan—he circles the obstacle course a few times, forcing the kids to split into two chasing groups.

Just when they start to box him in, he cuts through the center and ducks under the course structure, throwing them off.

He makes a quick leap to the rope climb, probably betting the kids can’t or won’t follow him up.

But that gamble backfires.

A pup immediately climbs after him, and two others grab ropes on either side, hemming him in with impressive precision. His face says it all—he didn’t expect them to be that coordinated. Or maybe he underestimated my training. Or them. Or both.

“That’s a wrap in two minutes and thirty-five seconds!” I call out.

The kids explode into cheers, jumping and shouting with pride.

“Damn, they’re fast,” Milo mutters, grabbing a bottle of water as he walks back to stand beside Ethan. “What kind of drills are you running them through?”

I flash him a grin. “Good ones.”

“My turn,” Leo says, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. “Only need to beat two-forty, right?”

“You want to bet on that?” Ethan smirks.

These two and their bets—I swear, they’d wager over who could blink slower. I roll my eyes, fully expecting some ridiculous challenge.

“You’re on. Winner buys lunch—for all seven of us,” Leo says, wiggling his eyebrows dramatically.

Now it’s serious. That’s a solid bet. And apparently, worth the competition. Honestly, I’ll never understand how guys work sometimes.

“Alright, ready for Future Delta Leo?” I don’t even bother waiting for them to nod. “Go!”

Leo takes off like a lightning bolt. He’s fast. Not just strong—agile. He sprints, dodges, spins, and weaves through the mob of little ones like he’s been training for this exact game.

He jumps over two pups trying to block him, landing in a roll and laughing all the way through.

He’s a natural. Long legs, lean build, but with the strength of someone who definitely doesn’t skip the weight room. He’s clearly enjoying every second of the chaos, feeding off the energy.

The kids, though?

They’ve wised up. I watch them split into five distinct groups. Four guard each entrance to the obstacle course Leo is now climbing, while the fifth group circles around the outer edge, covering escape routes.

And because it’s Leo—we all know he won’t do anything the expected way—he leaps off the high platform to the rope climb, clearly hoping to land before they catch him. But this group? They’re like mini assassins. One of them manages to shimmy up quick and land a solid tag.

Leo climbs down, red-faced but grinning, high-fiving every kid who tagged him.

He looks at me expectantly. “Well?”

I check my timer. “Two minutes and forty-three seconds. You win.”

Ethan groans, dragging a hand down his face while Leo bursts into a happy dance with two of the pups.

“I’m never going to hear the end of this,” Ethan mutters. But he’s smiling, despite the dramatic sigh.

Next, both of the twins take their turns. But it’s obvious they’re not really in it to win. They playfully tease and zigzag just enough to get the kids worked up, then allow themselves to get tagged within a minute.

Maybe they’re giving the kids a break. Maybe they just don’t want the pressure of beating Leo’s time. Either way, I know Leo will never let them forget it.

“Alright, cadets,” Delta Nolan’s voice echoes across the arena. “Let’s see if you can finally catch your biggest nemesis.”

I turn toward his voice—and freeze.

He’s not alone.

Seated with him in the center stands are the Alpha and Luna. Alongside them, the current Beta, Gamma, and several elite warriors. My stomach knots instantly.

Oh no.

Some of the kids groan, others cheer. Their reactions are mixed, but I get it. This challenge? It’s the one they’ve never conquered. Not once.

“What’s going on?” Selene asks, eyes darting between the important-looking figures and the field.

“They’re about to try and beat me,” I say, grinning as I nudge her arm. “It’s capture the flag.”

Selene raises a brow. “You’re the nemesis?”

“I guess you could say that,” I reply with a shrug. “Delta Nolan’s a bit dramatic, but the kids haven’t managed to beat me. Not yet.”

Jade steps forward. “So, what do you have to do?”

“See the flag?” I nod toward one of the pups, who’s attaching it to the top of the forty-foot rope climb. “I have to climb, grab that flag, and get back to the start without being tagged. All under one minute.”

Max looks genuinely baffled. “Wait, what? And they haven’t caught you before?”

Ethan squints, like he’s trying to do the math. “How many times have you played this? Once or twice?”

I smile, still walking to my side of the field. “Every Saturday training session. Almost a year now.”

I don’t look back as I say it. I can’t. Not with all those eyes watching me.

This is different.

I’ve never had an audience before. Not like this. The Alpha. The Luna. The entire leadership team. Even the current Gamma and Delta. And—my dad.

Just the thought sends a ripple of nervous energy through me. I force myself to breathe slow, steady. Focus on the field.

This challenge is mine. Always has been. But suddenly, I’m not just showing the pups how it’s done—I’m proving something to the people sitting in those seats.

I square my shoulders and glance up at the flag one last time. The kids are already buzzing, huddling up to whisper tactics and point at me like I’m a target in a mission briefing.

I can’t let them win. Not today.

But gods, I hope they come close.

Because one day, they’re going to be unstoppable.