MAX
I break the waterâs surface, gasping for air. My vision is blurred, filled with stars.
I ease into a back float, gulping in air like a man starved. Gamma Dirk surfaces nearby, pulling off his face mask and flashing me a thumbs-up.
I return the gesture, still panting heavily. Once my breathing and vision stabilize, I make my way back to shore.
My lungs are screaming, protesting the lack of oxygen. Gamma Ragnar is waiting for me as I stumble out of the water.
âThought we were going to have to pull you out. Good job,â he says, slapping my back.
I can only nod, my mind still foggy. I donât know how long I was underwater, but I know they would have pulled me out if I hadnât surfaced after four minutes.
âWhat was my time?â I ask, my mind finally clearing.
âThree minutes, forty seconds,â Gamma Ragnar replies, tossing me a towel. I had about twenty seconds left before Gamma Dirk would have pulled me out.
It was a close call. I used to be able to hold my breath for almost five minutes, but that was without trying to pull myself out of a closed vehicle.
It was like slow swimming underwater, my father teaching me how to hold my breath without panicking. It used less energy.
Iâm relieved to have passed this test, knowing the others will have to practice this over and over before theyâre tested. I never want to do that again.
My wolf agrees, grumbling in the back of my mind about how he doesnât belong underwater for so long. âIâm not a fish you know,â he complains.
All I can do is shake my head at him and finish drying off so I can change into dry clothes. As we load into the van, I notice the sun beginning to set.
The guards assure us weâll make it back in time for dinner, but we need to hurry. Iâm suddenly ravenous, all my energy spent on the water test.
Weâll be doing more of this tomorrow, but I feel this was the hardest test of all. None of the others will require you to be underwater for so long, and for that, Iâm grateful.
The ride back to the compound is quiet, both Alpha Frank and I resting our heads against the headrests, eyes closed.
MAX
The next morning, weâre up early again. We quickly eat breakfast and load into the vans to head to the water.
Today is our five-mile swim and our two-minute underwater breath-holding test. It feels redundant, considering we did that the day before and for much longer.
Thatâs until Gamma Ragnar informs us that weâll do this immediately after our five-mile swim, with no recovery time. Theyâre serious about this, and I canât blame them.
It could mean the difference between life and death, and the alphas always have to be stronger and more capable than the pack they lead. Typically, the only ones better are the gammas who train in their specialty.
This is their job, and they begin training as soon as theyâre old enough to understand basic instructions. Once we arrive at our testing location, we unload and listen to the instructions.
Someone will be nearby in a small watercraft in case we need to be rescued. Weâre to swim fully clothed with boots on for the first half.
Weâll be alerted at the halfway mark by a whistle. At that point, we can choose to shed clothing if we wish.
I think itâll be an advantage to lose the clothing, making it easier to glide through the water. Iâm already planning how to remove everything as quickly as possible, without losing strokes.
Weâre told that we canât shift into wolf form for this test. Much of this is about strategy, as I learned with the sinking car.
I should have chosen an easier way to get out, as Frank pointed out to me last night. He told me that the side windows are weaker, and I could have broken those quite easily if I was able to get at the right angle.
I take his advice to heart, as heâs trained to do this much more often than I have and in the frigid dark waters of Lake Michigan. Weâre given the signal to begin our swim.
We wade into the water, giving each other one last word of encouragement. Weâre not competing against each other, weâre in this together and definitely want to succeed in passing these tests.
Iâm a strong swimmer and have a pretty good distance between myself and Alpha Frank once Iâm in my rhythm. It doesnât seem like itâs been very long when I hear the whistle that itâs now okay to remove clothing.
I extend my claws and shred my shirt. My boots are going to be the hardest to remove, but theyâre weighing me down so I need to get them off.
Iâve been thinking about this the entire swim, how to best remove them. I reach a claw down and swipe the laces of one boot but continue to swim.
I do the same with the other boot a few strokes later. With a good hard kick, I can probably lose them and be done with it.
Thatâs exactly what I do. I kick my legs as hard as I can while extending my feet back.
It takes a couple of extra kicks but they finally come off. A few feet further and the rest of my clothes are gone, save my boxer briefs.
I have this thing about fish near my shaft. I donât need any nibbles taken, no thank you.
The last two miles are a bit slower going, as of course you use up a great deal of energy swimming with clothes on that are waterlogged. When I finally am nearing the finishing point, I hear Alpha Frank just behind me.
Iâm surprised he hasnât caught up sooner. We arrive just mere seconds apart to the spot where Gamma Dirk is waiting at the end of a long dock.
He signals for us to stop swimming where we are. Calling to us to take a deep breath and submerge, we know heâll begin the clock.
We really have no way of knowing when those two minutes are up, so weâre to just stay under until we canât anymore. By the time I surface, Gamma Dirk informs me that my time was three minutes and five seconds.
Iâm surprised I stayed under that long considering my exhaustion, but I thank the Moon Goddess for giving me the strength to finish strong. One last test tomorrow, and Iâll be finished with this.
This will shave off three months of my stay away from my family and my pack. For that, I couldnât be more grateful.
The less time here, the less time Iâm under the eye of the king. I have no intention of serving in his Royal Army, despite what I know the king wants of me.
^TWO DAYS LATER^
MAX
The final challenge is behind me, and Iâm no worse for the experience. Sure, Iâve got a couple of bruises from the underwater brawl and a scratch from a claw down my arm.
But it heals fast, and Iâm back to my old self in no time. Today, Iâm off to the Venice Pack.
Alpha Frank and our guards are busy packing up the van, while Iâm on the phone with my dad, getting some last-minute advice. Heâs thrilled that I passed the water test, though he insists he never doubted I would.
I canât help but wonder if heâd feel the same if heâd seen my near-death experience escaping a car underwater. I barely made it out without passing out.
The compound isnât far from the Venice Pack. The pack is about an hour from the actual city of Venice, nestled in Asolo, Italy.
Itâs called the Venice Pack because itâs close to Venice, and letâs face it, not many packs know where Asolo is, some havenât even heard of it. From a security perspective, itâs a plus.
Asolo is mostly werewolves, but any human visiting wouldnât have a clue. Some of the old-timers, families that have been here for centuries, are humans who know about us but keep our secret.
They appreciate the security we provide, and they enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it. Dad and I talk a lot about the town.
You can drive into the town, but thereâs no parking. You park and walk.
The roads are narrow, and in most cases, only one car can pass at a time. Thereâs hardly any car traffic in town.
Most of the wolves donât live in the town itself, theyâre spread out in cottages in the surrounding areas. The businesses are partly owned by the pack and partly by the humans.
Thereâs not a lot of tourism, but itâs not non-existent either, which brings in some money they wouldnât have otherwise. The pack isnât rich, but theyâre not struggling either.
What Iâm really excited about is the fortress. Itâs up on a hill, a long climb leading to its towering walls, some over fifty feet high.
To a tourist, it might look abandoned, a clever trick to hide its real purpose. The fortress is the pack house, home to the alpha, beta, and gamma families.
The alpha quarters have been empty for about ten years, since my grandmotherâs only brother died without any sons to take over. Thatâs how we ended up running the pack, with everyone praying to the Moon Goddess that one of the Wolf sons would step up.
Iâm not sure if thatâs the life I see for myself, but I wonder if Jaydon might like it. Heâs the quieter one of us, a lover of peace and quiet.
Jaydon is often found sitting in the forest, just listening to the sounds of the animals. Heâs nothing like his twin, a wild and untamed force.
As we drive toward this charming town that seems to be in the middle of nowhereâthough itâs actually not too far from VeniceâIâm taken in by the stunning beauty of Italy. Alpha Frank is peppering the guards with questions, and theyâre answering with gusto.
The Italians are proud of their country, its breathtaking beauty, and rich culture. The werewolves are no different.
I canât blame them, Italy is beautiful. But itâs not home for me.
Iâm holding onto a glimmer of hope that I might feel a connection when we get to Asolo, but deep down, I donât think so. Montana is where my heart is.