Chapter 45
30 – Kennedy
I got a lot of looks from the group of warriors sidling up to the training grounds from their cars and even Alpha Ryker looked puzzled by my entourage. He was more subtle about it though, standing behind his truck drinking water. I avoided eye contact with him though, not sure how I feel about what happened last night. I did notice the sheen of sweat on him, and tried not to let my thoughts wander while I am standing in the middle of all of these kids.
“Can you come to our training?” Emily asks, bringing my attention back to her. “I want to show you how good I am.” She shadow boxes for me.
I laugh. “I don’t know what my plans are for the rest of the day, but if I can, I totally will come watch you.” She wraps her tiny arms around my waist and gives me a hug, which I return. Then I fist bump the guys and say quick goodbyes as they head back in the direction that we came from.
“And where have you been all morning? We all tried to reach you.” Jeremiah wraps me in a headlock type hug and I laugh.
“I took a walk and met up with the pups, got a game of soccer in. You know my usual p>
“I hate it when you disappear like that p>
“Yeah well, induct me into the pack, then you can track me like you can track everyone else.” I shrug out of his hold and walk over to Greta. This is a never ending circular argument. One Elder, one time, said it wasn’t safe and now no one will entertain the idea of even researching if humans can handle being branded into a pack. But then they get mad at me if I set my phone down and don’t answer when they call. And I am terrible about taking my phone with me when I run or workout. I’m not glued to it, like most humans. I’m sure part of that is due to being raised in a wolf pack where mindlinking is normal so they really don’t need cell phones for most day-to-day stuff.
“They haven’t brought you into the pack?” Greta whispers to me, leading me inside the grounds. “With as protective of you as they are, I would think that would have been a priority p>
“Nope, not even after last year p>
“What was last year?” She moves me over to the side with the females again and we begin stretching. I am pretty warm from my game and run with the pups, but it gives me a chance to get my head on straight for what is about to come my way this training.
“I was kidnapped.” I shrug. I’m sure with a pack this size and an Alpha as powerful as Ryker, there are threats all the time.
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“Excuse me, you were kidnapped?” Greta looks appalled.
“Yeah, some rogues thought I would be an easy target for a ransom, since I’m human.” I shrug again.
“What did Alpha Jeremiah do to them when he found you p>
This. This right here is what makes my blood boil. Whether it’s because I’m a human
or a female, I don’t know. But, that is the question everyone asks, ‘how did they save you?’ I know I let out a little growl of frustration, but I couldn’t hold it in.
My face must not be hiding my distaste for her question very well and she looks at me with raised eyebrows to explain my annoyance before she slaps me. At least she’s allowing me to explain without filling in the gaps with her own assumptions.
“He didn’t find me. None of them did.” I grind out through clenched teeth. “The rogues thought I would be too weak to defend myself and only tied my wrists loosely with an old rope. So when one brought me water, I kicked him in the teeth and then strangled him. Then, only one responded to the noise so I repeated the process. Finally the third guy decided to fight back. He got a good couple of punches in before I could take him down. I was only gone for two days and was able to make it back to the border, where the guys picked me up. It’s a sore subject for everyone, so no one talks about it p>