Chapter 99: 99

"Ok, listen up!" I shout over the chatter echoing. Clapping my hands to get everyone's attention on me.

"Eighteen to twenty one, on this side!" I order, pointing to the far left, to Jackson and Triss.

"Anyone seventeen or below, over there!" I point towards the edge of the tree line where Beck waits.

"All those above will be with Zed, all pups aged three and below must stay over there!" I state firmly, gesturing to the large area we've sealed off.

It has a paddling pool, a ball pit, a small slide, beanbags, and a ton of toys for all ages. We managed to get five of the pups fathers to watch the area, instead of the mothers because let's face it, the mommas can use a break.

"Have fun!" I beam, jumping off the chair and joining Beck with the younger teens.

Zed, Jackson, Beck, Phoebe, Triss and myself will be watching over everyone, taking turns on different sections so we get around to everyone.

"What are those?" One of the wolves wearily eye the tub of needles that Beck carries.

Picking one out, I pop the cap off and show it to them.

"This is a very, very mild dose of wolfsbane. It won't hurt, it's affects drug the wolf for about an hour which means you'll be training without them." I state.

"Wolfsbane? No, not a chance in hell." Immediately refusals begin to echo, heads shaking and the males growing agitated.

Rolling my eyes, I shrug off my leather jacket and hand it to Beck. While staring right at the wolves in front of me, I pop off the cap and sink the needle into my upper arm. The feeling of heat rushes through my body like fireworks, the slightest hint of pain tingling over my skin as I feel the instant affects send my wolf into dreamland.

"You will feel warm, the pain is very slight, and your wolf will merely fall asleep." I explain, showing them the very slight purple dot from the needle stabbing me with poison.

"What if it has long lasting affects?" One of the wolves still uncertain of it decides to speak up.

"The Elders were trained this way-"

"The Elders are a lot more powerful too!" Someone calls form the back of the group. Clearly, they're not going to agree.

"Are you implying that I am a fool?" I ask with a sharp glare, staring into the eyes of every wolf before me.

Silence.

"If it had any lasting affects, I assure you I wouldn't even think about offering it to any of you, and I certainly wouldn't inject myself with it." I state, my voice ringing with authority, the kind that Hardin carries with him.

Wow, I sound like a real Alpha. I thought to myself, trying not to grin.

"Who's first?" Beck questions, stepping up and offering out the first needle.

For a few seconds no a single wolf moves, and then a female steps forwards. Blonde hair, and blue eyes, somewhat familiar.

"What's your name?" I ask curiously.

"Maeve, Alpha." She says respectfully, bowing her head slightly. I'll admit, I didn't expect such a polite response.

"You're an omega?" I frown with realisation, noticing that she doesn't even raise her eyes to meet mine. A trait that only omegas do even when they're not in trouble.

"Yes Alpha." She says softly.

"Roll up your sleeve." I say with a small smile, taking her in for a moment as she does as I ask.

She's polite, and obedient, but I get the feeling she could be more. Omegas aren't treated badly in this pack, and they're not shunned or frowned upon, or even bullied like I know they are in a lot of packs. But the status is still low, and if a war happens no one double checks for the missing omega.

"It'll only hurt for a second." I promise, popping the cap off and injecting her myself, noticing that she doesn't even blink.

"You good?" I ask, placing the needle in the empty tub.

Maeve nods. "Yes Alpha."

"Ok, who's next?" I ask, turning to the rest of the crowd with a raised eyebrow.

As expected, they all want to go next simply because a omega went before any of them. That shows guts, and complete trust in her Alphas.

In a matter of minutes everyone is done, and we head into the woods where we'd set up the area for this training session.

"Hardin hasn't yet worked with you on senses, so today we're going to test that. You need complete focus, or you might just get yourself killed." I tell them all.

"Killed?" Voices echo.

I grab the bow leant against the tree, and show them the arrow I'll be firing at them. The sight of wide eyes is amusing.

"Is this safe?"

"The first three arrows will be capped with rubber, so I suggest you learn quickly." I state firmly.

"Maeve, would you like to go first?" I offer her with a small assuring smile.

"Um...yes Alpha." She whispers, clearly wishing not to but too obedient to tell me no.

"You'll be blindfolded, so use your sense of hearing, and speed, anticipate and react." I say softly, handing her the blindfold.

She nods slightly and heads to the marked tree almost fifteen metres away, then she puts on the blindfold.

"Take a few breaths, calm yourself and focus!" I advise, and she gives a thumbs up to let me know she heard.

Placing a small rubber cap over the metal sharp tip, I take my stance and lift the bow.

"I can take the shot." Beck offers, worried I might miss the target and hit her somewhere that will actually hurt.

I smile slightly. "I've got it." I reassure.

Drawing back the arrow with perfect formation, I take a second to aim, and I then exhale, releasing the arrow and letting it fly. I hear Beck hold his breath along with everyone else.

Naturally Maeve isn't prepared for the arrow, and it hits her in the stomach. The speed of the arrow will cause a little pain upon impact, possible a tiny bruise, but wolves heal rapidly so she'll be fine once her wolf is awake.

"It's ok, just breath and focus. Listen to the sound of the string, how the arrow glides over the edge of the metal...you know the target, so this time I want you to anticipate." I call to her.

"Ok!" She calls back, bouncing on her feet a little before settling and inhaling as she tries to focus.

So I grab another arrow and cap the end, letting it soar. This time Maeve is somewhat prepared, her hand coming up just half a second too slow, meaning the arrow hits her stomach again.

"That was really good, just a little too slow on reaction. Just stay calm, and stay focused, you've got this!" I tell her, already capping another arrow.

I let her have a few breathes before releasing the arrow.

"Too soon!" I call out.

"You're doing great, Maeve! This one is coming at your head, so clear your mind and become one with nature. Feel the earth around you, feel the air in your lungs, feel the wind on your skin, the leaves beneath you...feel it." I coach, and I draw back the uncapped arrow.

Maeve does exactly as I say, relaxing her shoulders and listening, truly listening this time. When I let the arrow fly, it's like time slows down. Because this time she can get hurt. The arrow soars perfectly, and Maeve stands so still that I almost think she hasn't heard it coming at all.

Until her body swiftly moves to the right, just a couple of centimetres at the arrow comes close to hitting her. I think everyone held their breath in shock, seeing the arrow embedded into the tree just where her head should be.

For a second Maeve is frozen.

"Did I do it?" She asks cautiously, slowly lifting off her blindfold.

I couldn't stop my smile, because seeing her dodge that, immediately confirms my earlier suspicion. That girl is no omega.

"Did you just see that?" Beck murmurs to me, needing assurance that he isn't crazy.

"I did." I confirm calmly, staring at Maeve as she approaches me.

"Very good, Maeve." I praise, taking back the blindfold and handing it to the next wolf.

Becks phone rings suddenly, and I hear him answering it as he steps away from me for privacy. I move to grab another arrow when Beck offers me his phone.

"It's for you." He almost grimaces, immediately telling me who's on the other end.

Flashing a smile, I take his phone and hand him the arrow to get started.

"Hi-"

"What's happened?" He sounds panicked, which immediately puts me on edge.

"What do you mean?" I retort, befuddled by his abrupt attitude and concern.

"I can't feel you, you just-"

"Hardin It's ok, I'm perfectly fine." I quickly interrupt him, sensing his fear spiking as he assumes the worst.

"I'm doing a training day with the pack and I used one of the Elders training methods, a very slight dose of wolfsbane just to knock the wolf out." I explain calmly.

"You did what?" He almost splutters.

"It doesn't cause any damage, no lasting affects. It'll wear off in the next hour, I just wanted the wolves to focus on their strengths without the use of their wolf." I tell him, hoping that this doesn't blow up in my face.

I should definitely have asked before jacking his wolves up on a substance that is known to kill us.

"There are other ways to subdue the wolf, Kali." Hardin's tone is clipped, even if he's attempting to be civil.

Yep, definitely going to blow up.

"I should have asked and for that I'm sorry, but I trust the Elders, Hardin...if they say it's harmless-"

"If it's so harmless, why do we use it to force rogues into talking during interrogation?" Hardin fires right back like a raging bull.

"You know what, Hardin? I'm trying to be of some use, and I'm sorry that it's not up to your goddamn standards but I figured it was better than the training you've been teaching them lately!" I scoff, ending the call immediately.

Who does he think he is?

The moment I turn around, I realise every wolf here heard every word. They look at me with wide eyes, like they can't believe I just put the phone down on their Alpha, or spoke to him in such a way.

The phone rings loudly in my hand, drawing my attention from the stares.

"Tell him to piss off." I order, tossing Beck his phone so he can deal with his Alpha.

Beck clears his throat awkwardly and heads off to answer the phone, sensing that I have no intention to speak to the demanding dog right now.

"Next." I demand, snatching the bow from the tree and another arrow from the bag.

***

"Kali, did you see that?" Winter beams with excitement despite her heavy breathing and sweaty skin.

"I did, you were amazing!" I praise proudly, high giving the teen enthusiastically.

"Thanks! I totally thought she had me pinned but those self defence moves you taught me came in handy." Winter grins.

I nod my head. "Have you made any friends?" I ask with a small smile.

She gives a light shrug. "Not really, but everyone's been a little bit nicer so that's a good sign, right?"

"Yeah, of course. You know...it took me a long time to find my place here. Even though I married the Alpha and I'm a born Alpha, a lot of them treated me the same way they're treating you. Do you know what I learnt?" I ask as we walk.

"To put them in their place?" She jokes.

"I wish, but no. I learnt that if you want respect, you fight for the things that matter to them." I shrug slightly.

"What did you fight for?" She asks curiously.

I offer a slight smile.

"Me." Is all I say.

Getting my point, Winter offers me a warm smile before heading off to join her group again. Watching her try and interact with the pack makes me happy, because I know how hard she's trying, and I know that eventually that hard work will pay off with the wolves. They're just stubborn, like Hardin.

Hardin...maybe I should apologise for snapping at him earlier? It's not like I meant to, I just hate that he's not here, I hate that he still has doubts about trusting me with the packs safety, and mostly I hate that he's away to help me with something I forced on him, and now I'm the one bitching.

Talk about bi-polar.

***

"You monsters! How could you?" I cry out in anguish, holding my leg as I fall to the grass in false pain.

The toddlers giggle like the evil little things they are, perfectly happy with thinking they hurt me.

"Race you to the slide." I rush out, climbing to my feet and taking off towards the kids small slide.

Naturally they begin screaming and laughing as their little feet rush to catch up, it's kind of fun playing with them. I slow my steps, allowing a couple of the toddlers to pass me.

"NO! How did you get so fast?" I fake my shock like a pro, pretending to be completely confused.

"Skills!" One of toddlers giggle, and I couldn't stop myself from chuckling. What three year old even says something like that?

For a while I play with them on the slide, picking them up and pushing them down. They giggle because they think they're going faster this way, they're not, but they love it so who am I to say no?

"Is everyone hungry?" I ask, already spotting the trays of food being brought over the the chefs.

The kids instantly stop playing and swarm around the large picnic area I set up with blankets and cushions. A couple of the younger pups sleep, dead to the world of noise going on around them. They look so peaceful.

"We separated it onto plates, figured it would less catastrophic." The chef chuckles, and I grin.

"Good idea, thank you." I say gratefully, taking a couple of the plates and helping hand them out to the kids.

The food is just finger stuff, enough to tide them over until dinner. While the pups eat, I help the five men feed the babies.

"Thank you for doing this, it's nice to see you like this." One of the men on my left comment, and I look over to see him smiling.

"Like what?" I ask curiously.

He gives a slight shrug, glancing down at the pup in his arms that guzzles the milk like a starved baby pig. The baby I'm currently feeding is practically newborn, for me I wouldn't be able to let a random person feed my baby, but I guess in packs it's different. I was expecting to allow other females to tend to my pups so that I could still be Alpha and do my duty, I just didn't agree.

"At peace." He finally finds the word.

A warm feeling enters me, the familiar sense of home that I only feel with Hardin, until now.

"Thank you." I whisper, feeling a little emotional.

The men laugh quietly, joining me in their chatter as we tend to the pups too young to feed themselves. Most of them are older than six months, two of them are just over a year old and there are three very young pups between one month and three months of age.

After feeding, we change the diapers and make sure they're out of the sun before returning to the older pups who want to play in the paddling pool. It's a very large paddling pool, which means that naturally we all end up dragged into the shallow warm water in our clothes.

"You suck!" I laugh, splashing Lottie who manically laughs like she has the lungs of a grown man.

Suddenly she gets a bucket, tossing it right at my face, water and bucket smashing me in the head. It didn't hurt too much, but her evil laughter makes me chuckle.

What a vicious little girl. I thought with amusement.

"Do you mind if we get pictures?" Phoebe asks me hopefully, coming over with a bunch of other moms.

"Go ahead." I wave, moving out of the way.

"No! I mean...with you, I thought it would be nice to show Alpha Hardin when he's home?" Phoebe says with a small hopeful smile.

Despite feeling a little strange about it, I just nod and carry on playing with the pups. At one point I forget about the she-wolves taking photos as I tackle one of the men under the water with the help of a bunch of toddlers.

They absolutely loved it.