TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-FIVE

“Can you get the pups warmed up? I’ve got a couple more things to take care of here,” Delta Nolan says, his eyes still scanning the paperwork in his hand, not even glancing at me. He’s clearly still trying to wrap his head around why all the guys are here.

I turn to Selena and grab her hand. “Come on, you’re helping me with warm-up.” We walk toward the smallest arena, one of the three we have on the training grounds. We use each for different styles or sessions depending on the day.

This one has an obstacle course at the far end, which we usually let the kids run on at the end of their training. Kind of like a reward.

As we step inside, the pups immediately begin yelling their hellos to me, bright smiles on their little faces.

But then their voices fade into stunned silence as they catch sight of who’s walking in behind me. I watch their eyes widen, little mouths open in shock—it’s adorable.

They’re completely starstruck. I don’t think the guys realize just how famous they are to these kids. I mean, they’re future Alphas, the Beta, the Gamma, and the Delta. At school, they’re practically royalty.

But here?

These pups are looking at them like superheroes stepped off a movie screen.

“Why do they all look terrified?” Ethan murmurs near my ear. I nearly jump out of my skin—when did he get so close?

“You’re their idols,” I whisper back. “Most of them have never seen you up close before. You all barely interact with anyone younger than you in the pack.”

Was that too harsh?

The guys glance at me, unreadable expressions on their faces, and for a second I wonder if I came off rude. But then Selena elbows me with a big smile and I shake off the thought.

“These are our youngest pups,” I tell them, raising my voice slightly for the group. “They’re between five and seven years old. Right now, we focus on basic movements and body control.”

I go ahead and introduce the guys to the class, explaining that they’re joining us today to see how the younger kids train—and that they better not embarrass me. The kids giggle at that, and it helps ease the tension.

We jump right into our usual warm-ups. Selena and the guys follow my lead, walking around to help give gentle corrections where needed. Surprisingly, they’re pretty good at it—especially Max, who quietly adjusts a kid’s stance without drawing any attention to himself.

The pups, on the other hand, are over the moon. Their excitement is written all over their faces every time one of the guys kneels down to speak to them or offers guidance. I glance at the clock—an hour has flown by—and realize Delta Nolan still hasn’t come back. I guess I’m running this whole session now.

We keep things playful, using games to teach coordination and teamwork. It helps keep the kids focused, and they tend to complain less when they know something fun is coming up after the drills. Today’s final game is tag—but I’ve got an idea to make it even more exciting for them…and a little entertaining for me too.

“Alright! Time for tag!” I announce, clapping my hands. The kids erupt in cheers.

“Wait, wait,” I add quickly, “we’re doing it a little differently today.”

The groans come instantly. “Awww!”

I put my hands on my hips, giving them a stern look. “You haven’t even heard the new rules yet.”

They quiet down a bit, curiosity winning out.

“We’re going to see which leader you can catch the fastest,” I tell them, turning toward the group of guys. “You’ll all be chasers—working together—to try and tag one of our future leaders. Make a plan, come up with a strategy, and let’s see what you’ve got.”

When I glance back, the guys are staring at me like I’ve grown a second head. Selena is nearly doubled over laughing. I just shrug and smile.

“What?” I ask innocently. “All you have to do is avoid getting tagged.”

“But there’s like… a thousand of them,” Leo complains, clearly regretting his life choices.

“It’s fifty,” I say flatly. “You’ll survive. Just remember—you can’t leave the arena. Other than that, do whatever you need to stay out of their reach. And don’t be fooled by how cute they are. These kids take tag very seriously.”

I turn to the pups. “So, who wants to go first?”

“I’ll do it,” Ethan volunteers with a smirk. “Can’t be that hard.”

I spin around, grinning. “Alright, we’ve got our first victim—I mean, volunteer. Future Gamma Ethan is up!”

The kids scream in excitement. “He’s going to try to escape for as long as he can. Your job is to work together to tag him. Ready? Go!”

They charge all at once, their little legs surprisingly fast. I catch a flash of panic on Ethan’s face and nearly double over laughing.

He’s clearly underestimated how quick and coordinated these pups really are—probably thanks to all the team-building games we’ve put them through.

Two minutes and forty seconds later, they finally manage to corner him and land the tag. He trudges back to the group, panting and looking like he just ran a marathon.

Selena claps him on the back, grinning. “Might want to ease up on the weights and do some cardio instead.”

Ethan glares at the ground. “I really don’t like you,” he mutters—but it’s unclear whether he’s talking to Selena or me. Honestly, it could be either.

“Alright,” I say brightly, pretending not to hear him. “Who’s next?”

Milo sighs, clearly accepting his fate. “Let’s get this over with,” he grumbles, stepping forward.