*Noah*
“What? No, we don’t want to work with him.” Brandon growled at the news that Gray would be joining them.
“A Dark Realm wolf? We could beat his ass easily. It’s pointless and a waste of ti!” Aaron agreed.
We were sitting in one of the offices, discussing the addition of Gray to their training regin. I wasn’t surprised at the response.
“I don’t care if you don’t want to work with him,” I said calmly, though firmly. “He is a mber of the pack now and wishes to improve. You all have strengths to bounce off one another.”
“What strength? That scrawny guy has strength?” Brandon snorted, lifting his head. “Does he have any experience in combat at all, or is mopey the primary part of his personality?”
“Brandon—”
“No, I’m dead serious,” he insisted. “How will he help us at all? Aaron’s right for once. Soone weak like that won’t do a damn thing.”
“You could learn to be more open-minded,” I growled at him, narrowing my gaze. “You two will accept Gray joining you with training, and that’s final. Do I make myself clear?”
“I guess,” Aaron muttered.
“Clear, but completely without fucking logic,” Brandon snarled, exasperated.
Well, it was the best answer I was going to get, and so, training would start tomorrow.
It didn’t go well initially at all, again, unfortunately not sothing that surprised at all. I looked on, unamused as things kicked off with Aaron taunting Gray.
“How’s a scrawny guy like you going to challenge one of us Drogomor elites?! We’re training to be among the best in the pack, what chance do you have?” he growled, getting into his face.
Aaron had just tackled him down with ease. Brandon stood there with his arms crossed as he looked on with a scowl.
“My brother is right,” Brandon said. “We still have no idea why Noah has you here, and now we have to deal with you dragging us down.”
Gray twitched an eye, clearly biting his lip to refrain from retaliating.
“Got sothing to say? You’ve got more bark than bite. I know it,” Aaron said.
“Shut the fuck up. I’m trying,” Gray snapped, showing his slight loss of control.
I shook my head, though I had expected that much as well.
Gray had a tendency to do exactly that, and my brothers were pulling out the worst in him. This was the first day, though. I hoped I wasn’t making a mistake.
The next day was much the sa, this ti with them practicing in their wolf forms and Gray getting overpowered again and again.
He often snapped his jaws at them but didn’t do anything more aggressive beyond that. Still, it was clear he was struggling.
That all changed as ti went on. Ever so slowly, Gray grew stronger, and not just physically. On the fifth training session, that beca very evident.
Gray managed to tackle Brandon as Aaron looked on, and he even held him there for a while before Brandon bucked him off and returned the favor.
Both were in their wolf forms, and both shifted back shortly after, getting dressed again and staring one another down.
“Fine. I’ll admit it, that was impressive,” Brandon grumbled.
“Still have a long way to go,” said Aaron. “You know that right, Gray Skies?”
It was his nickna for Gray he’d been using since day three. Gray of course opposed it imnsely, but today he just resigned by rolling his eyes.
But then he ignored Aaron and dipped his head, looking at Brandon. “Thanks,” he said softly. “Let’s go again. I’ll make sure I’ll slowly get more impressive, like you two.”
Brandon blinked at the complint, realizing it was genuine. Slowly, he gave the other a smile, seeming to watch him in a new light.
Gray’s improvent was slow, but it was on an upward trend. So days he made small, modest improvents. He was pushed harder and harder, but never gave up.
Brandon’s attitude toward Gray slowly began to change as well, sothing I noticed. He eyed the Gray and let out a sigh. “Damn it. You really are improving,” he said after one tough training session.
“Guess I have to admit that too, especially if Brandon of all people is doing so,” Aaron said.
Brandon rolled his eyes. “I can accept the truth, even if it’s sowhat begrudging. But his grit and heart are there.”
I was tuning into the conversation from the shadows, trying to be as discreet as possible. My heart fluttered with relief at Brandon’s words.
Was my little brother actually showing maturity? He was prideful and stubborn, which wasn’t as blatantly obvious as the forwardness of Aaron, though it felt a bit stronger.
He’d been jealous of Lorelei, after all, and didn’t understand his lack of humility wasn’t going to get him anywhere. His ego had always been sowhat of a problem.
Gray smiled at Brandon. “Am I actually getting through to the egotistical man who obsesses over battle plans?”
“Don’t push your luck. I still think your battle plan ideas are abhorrent,” Brandon said, lifting his head.
Gray rolled his eyes but didn’t lose his smile. “Bla it on my origin.”
“I am,” Brandon said. Then, he cracked a light smile. “But yes, I guess you may be. Co on. I’m not that egotistical, am I?”
“Yes, you are,” Aaron chid in.
“That’s rich, coming from you,” Brandon spat back.
Gray watched the brothers argue with a faint smile, and I found amusent growing within as well. They were actually getting along.
And they were changing for the better, too.
Zara’s instincts once again led to this outco that honestly gave so much relief. Her insights about other people seed to nearly always be spot on.
I realized her compassionate wisdom never failed to make admire her even more deeply. I was so lucky to have her as my Luna, and she proved that repeatedly.
On that note, the rest of the training session went very well, and when it concluded, I called Gray to et in my study.
He entered, sowhat tense, with a glint of curiosity in his eyes as he stared at . “Hello, Noah. Have things been well since our talk?”
“They have,” I said. “Take a seat, relax. This is good news.”
The tension left Gray as he sat across from and gave a soft smile.
I hadn’t changed my much more respectable treatnt of him since he opened up to , and that helped resolve any nervous feelings pretty quickly.
“Thank you,” he said. “What’s the news?”
“I wanted to be honest with you, Gray. You’ve had considerable growth in both physical and inner strength. I am marveling at how much you’ve matured.”
Gray widened his eyes, silent for a mont before taking in a deep breath and exhaling. “Noah, that ans a lot. Really. Thank you,” he said.
“You are very welco. You’ve been working so hard, Gray, and that’s obvious.”
“I have,” he agreed. “But I wouldn’t be anywhere at all without your patient guidance. You believed in , Noah.” His eyes glinted with a very serious light.
“Well, you made decisions and had humility,” I said. “That showed you were worth believing in.”
“I know, but you anchored . You helped find self-worth and purpose that I never had before. You didn’t need to let train with your brothers, and yet you did.”
“I bet you thought it was punishnt at first,” I said in a joking tone.
He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe a little,” he said softly. “But they’ve helped learn, and your suggestion for training with them was an excellent one.”
“I am happy to see the growth all of you are making. It seems like you are influencing each other in a very good way. But my complints for you aren’t the only reason why you’re here.”
“Oh?” he asked.
“I want to expand your training into developing leadership capacities over ti.”
“You think I am worthy of that?” Gray asked, letting out a breath again. Surprise was written clearly on his features, especially as I smiled and nodded.
“Yes,” I said. “So, I’d better see you continue working your ass off just like you have been, Gray. You’ve been making proud, and I have a feeling you’ll continue to.”
“I won’t let you down,” he said, determined. “What is it you want to do to prove myself further?”
“I’ll have you work on so tasks related to leadership roles and monitor them, along with train you further myself. How does that sound?”
“It sounds perfect,” he said. “Thanks again, Noah, really. You are a true Alpha. I am in awe of your empathy and kindness. I’ve learned more about that from you, too.”
“It isn’t just ,” I said softly, “but also my love, Zara. She’s the star here.”
Gray thought for a mont, just having a chuckle. “Was... that pun intended?”
“Maybe,” I snickered.
With that situated, Gray was dismissed to go do so solid research on so of the things he’d be working on over the next few days with .
anwhile, I called Aaron discreetly to et outside near the edge of the woods, wanting to get so fresh air and still speak with him.
He also complained about my study being ‘stuffy’ and like the outdoors the best, so I would humor my little brother by having an important talk with him there.
“Hey, bro!” Aaron said, approaching and taking a seat on the snow. “What’s up?”
“Hi Aaron,” I said, sitting down as well and thinking things over. Neither of us minded sitting in the snow, and the crisp air felt refreshing. “I wanted to talk to you about Lorelei.”
“Oh, what about?” he asked with a light smile. “She’s been warming up to , pun totally intended. She was very amused by my hot chocolate jokes we shared recently.”
“I’m sure,” I said with a chuckle. “You’re a jock and jokester. But I want you to be careful. She’s in a fragile situation right now.”
Aaron blinked, then nodded fiercely. “Oh, Noah, I get it. It’s just lighthearted fun. She’s beautiful, but I would never toy with her emotions after everything she’s endured.”
“That’s good to hear. I want to ensure, though, that Lorelei doesn’t beco an object in so... unspoken rivalry with Brandon. I know how you both are.”
“Yeah, you do,” he said. “You’re that annoying, overbearing brother who’s concerned about everyone. Like I said, soft—I think you being a father emphasized that,” Aaron said in a teasing tone.
“It probably has, and in the best of ways.”
Aaron chuckled, but then he grew serious. “But I get why you’re worried, Noah. In all seriousness, I’ll give Lorelei space and let her dictate any friendship terms. I hope I haven’t been pressuring her.”
“Well, be open and honest, you can always ask her if—”
I wasn’t able to finish my advice.
Because, right at that mont, the sound of screaming hit my ears.
It was Lorelei....
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