Chapter 18

Alexandra:

It's still dark, but I have to will my body out of bed. I stretch my arms over my head and look over to my left. Mason isn't in bed. It isn't shocking. He doesn't seem to sleep much. Too busy trying to catch up so his real training can begin.

I've already started to come up with ideas for his training. A lot I got from my old pack and Cassie. However, there was an element that I have personally never trained with but think would help us to accelerate his progress.

No time to really think about Mason's training since I have my own warriors training to think about already. They are doing great. Their cardio caught up in no time. Ahh, to be a young male wolf. I kind of hate them for it. I smirk to myself as I get up to get ready.

I'm almost finished in the shower when I hear a knock on my door. It's not soft like most of the pack members would knock. It's also not forceful like the warriors would knock either. Perplexed who it might be, I turn off the shower and step out. I wrap my towel around me as I twist to open the door.

It's Caleb. Not going to lie, he was the last person I expected to be on the other side of this door. "Did I come at a bad time?" He asks as he looks down at the towel wrapped around me.

"Nope. What did you need? Come sit on the bed." I usher him into the room and walk into the closet to change. "What's up?" I yell from the closet.

"It's just you're different, so I'm hoping you will help," he says, barely loud enough for me to hear. I realize he's trying to keep this from everyone else in the packhouse.

I quickly put myself together and walk back out to the room. "I'm different how?" I ask him as I go to sit down next to him on the bed.

"Everyone here treats me like a kid. I went through puberty. I get that I'm still small, but they treat the other males my age differently," he says, completely frustrated, but he seemed to bite his tongue at what else was bothering him.

"So, you want to train and came to me since I'm in charge? I'm confused on what it is exactly." I look at him as seriously as I can. I want to help, but he isn't giving me much to work with. I have no idea what the problem is, let alone how I could fix it.

He seemed a little unsure after what I said to him. He took a quick glance at me before he laid back on the bed. "I don't know where I came from. I want answers about who I am, what I am, why I'm so small? But everyone here just brushes it off. I'm sure it's because I'm not one of them. I'm just a rogue they took in."

That's when I realized his problem. He felt like an outsider and was looking to belong. He came to me because I was also an outsider in some sense. I want to make him feel like he belongs, but I also know I need to help him find out answers about himself if that is ever going to happen.

Great. Another thing to add to my long list of things to do. Aside from training Mason and the warrior, however, this needs to jump to the top of my list. I also found it intriguing that he was as small as he was after puberty, and Avery's comment only piqued my curiosity further.

I would see Avery in less than an hour for training. I'm pretty sure he'll be annoyed talking about anything that isn't training, but he's the first lead that I have when it comes to this.

"Well, I can't say that I can help." Caleb looked down as I said this. "But, I will try my best to figure out what I can. Just give me some time."

His face exploded into a huge grin that I have never seen from him before. "Thanks! I knew you would help!" He yelled, wrapping his arms around my waist for a hug. I hug him back and get up. "Well, I need to start training, so I'll talk to you later."

*****

"Alright. You're all getting better." All of the warriors were beaming to hear praise from Avery. It doesn't come easily. "Now. Finish the day with a 3 mile run in wolf form."

"Yes, sir!" All of the warriors yell in unison.

This was my chance to ask him about Caleb. "What is it, Alexandra?" Avery asked out of the blue before turning to me.

"What do you mean?" I ask. "Don't give me that. You've been looking at me with that overthinking face of yours." I guess I was caught.

"I wanted to ask about Caleb—" Avery cut me off. "Ahh, the young wolf. He is quite the mystery, is he not?"

"Yes, that's why I wanted to talk to you about him. You said there is something peculiar about him, but you can't quite place it. What did you mean by that?"

He tapped his chin a few times as he seemed to think. "Well, I'm not sure exactly. I know people think he's an omega, but I don't think it's that."

"What's an omega?" I asked, not ever hearing that term before. "Well, honestly, I don't know much about them except they are about as rare as twins but more coveted. Especially by Alphas who usually use them to increase their packs power." I was confused as to how they could be used for power, but Avery wasn't done.

"I've only seen one omega in my lifetime, and she belonged to V's father. I'm sure she is still there to this day. That's why I don't think that's the case with him. However, I can't rule it out either. Still..." he stopped to think more. "I just have this feeling it's something else that I have equally little experience on."

So this talk with Avery was so unhelpfully helpful. This meant I was going to have to do what I always did. Ask Dr. Billings. I can't wait for the day that I have his knowledge so I can rely on myself for these things.

"Thanks, Avery. I'll look at the omega option and work my way from there." Avery nodded in response before we saw Paul making his way towards us. We expected nothing less from the future number 1 warrior of the pack.

After all the guys made it back, I decided to address them quickly so I could call Dr. Billings. "Good work today, like always. I see a lot of improvement, and I'm sure your alpha will be proud when he sees you. Don't get comfortable though. Next week we are moving into more complex movements and drills to keep growing your skills."

"Yes, Luna!" They all shouted in unison. "Good, you're dismissed."

I quickly leave with them to the packhouse. I'm so used to leaving my phone since it's not allowed at training that even though I'm the trainer and those rules don't apply to me, I still do it.

As I make it inside, an arm reaches out and swings me back around. "Where's the fire sparky?" Of course, it's Blaine.

"I have to go make a phone call. I'll even check to see how Teddy is doing for you." He scoffs at me. "Ma'am. I am nothing like Mason. I keep in constant contact with Teddy. Also, he's doing fine." He smirks at me as he holds up his phone with a notification of a text from Teddy.

I roll my eyes as I pull to walk away from him. "Good, then leave me to my business then."

Blaine gives off a hardy laugh but lets me leave. I sigh as I make it to my room and grab my phone off the bedside table. I find Dr. Billings's number and call him.

"Alexandra, for what do I owe the pleasure?" He answers.

"I have a young wolf here who's underweight after puberty and Avery thinks there is something off about him. Mason took him to the Karuk tribe and they said he just didn't get enough nutrients to go through his puberty."

"Of course, we aren't listening to a damn word those spirituals said. Unless he didn't get red meat for months before puberty, he would have all the nutrients he needs. Also, I'm sure Mason feeds him, so he would have just gone through it at a later time when he came to his pack. As for an omega, I highly doubt it."

Avery said he doubted it as well. I was just waiting to hear why Dr. Billings was thinking the same before marking it off and trying to find another reason.

"See, omegas are highly sought-after commodities in the werewolf community. Particularly with alphas."

I stop him. "That's what Avery said too. Why is that?"

"Well, they are more fertile than the average werewolf. They go through their heat every month like a human, but their odds of conception are significantly higher at 70 to 80%. So when an omega is found, Alphas fight over them so they can increase the power of their pack by reproducing with the omega and gaining many children with alpha blood. It's common in Europe; that's where the blood packs actually come from. They are the alphas children with an omega who were bred just for war."

Trying to digest what Dr. Billing just said, a thought came to me about what Avery said. "Well, Avery told me that V's father had an omega back in Europe, and it's the only one he's ever seen in person. So does that mean that Boss, Smiley, and Ghost are all siblings and half-siblings of V?"

"I don't know about V's life back in Europe because it's a subject he prefers to avoid, but it sounds like that very well may be the case. This is why I'm pretty sure he isn't an omega. Even though he can't bear children, it's the same if he were to be with a female wolf. She would be almost guaranteed to get pregnant with her heats and therefore increase the population of wolves for that particular pack." Dr. Billings pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up his nose since they slid down.

I was still a little confused about everything. "How do they know?" That's all I wanted to know.

"An alpha would smell the pheromones. If he doesn't give off the scent, he isn't an omega. If Mason hasn't noticed or Cassie's brother, or V, there really is no way that he can be an omega."

Okay, so that ruled out the omega but put me back at square one. "If you both are willing, I could do a blood test to see what might be happening or even his background. Like how I saw that Harmony was half spiritual." He said that last part with an eye roll.

"How did you see that?" I ask.

"Well, remember I told you she was part wolf. Just native to America, not of European blood. The native wolves are Native Americans, better known amongst wolves as spirituals. I should be able to see what his background is and any conditions that may cause his size. Only with permission, of course."

I nod my head forgetting that I'm on the phone once again. One day I will get myself together. "Of course, I'm sure he'll be willing to do anything to find out."

"Well, you know the routine. Come whenever you get a chance and I'll get to work."

"Thanks, Dr. Billings. I'll be in touch."

"Ah yes, goodbye Alexandra dear."