Chapter 5: 5: The Early Bird

MAX

A loud knock on my door jolts me awake. It’s my father, and it’s only four in the morning.

”Maximus, time to get up!” His voice is a deep rumble, careful not to wake the rest of the house.

Only the alpha and beta rise this early for training. The rest of the pack enjoys an extra hour of sleep before their training starts.

This early start gives us a chance to watch the pack’s training, provide guidance, and spot any weaknesses. Sometimes we participate, sparring with them to help them grow stronger, quicker, and tougher.

I recall a tale my mother once shared about her own early morning punishments before she became the luna. She and Amanda had to train with the alpha and the beta for a week.

That’s when everyone found out that Amanda and Beta Jackson were a couple. I can’t help but feel for my mom as my dad continues to grumble about my lateness outside my door.

“Okay, Dad. I’ll be down in five,” I respond.

I roll out of bed and head straight for the shower, eager to wash the sleep from my eyes. I sleep naked, so there’s no need to undress.

It’s more comfortable that way, given our high body temperatures. Plus, in case of a nighttime emergency, it’s easier to shift or get dressed without having to undress first.

I shut off the water, dry off, and pull on a pair of shorts. I run my fingers through my hair and brush my teeth.

I’m out the door and downstairs in record time—four minutes. I can’t help but chuckle to myself as I tie my sneakers and grab a banana from the counter.

My dad is waiting for me on the front steps, his eyes on his watch. If I hadn’t made it out in the five minutes I’d promised, he would’ve found a way to make me pay.

We jog down the steps and head toward the gym. Beta Jackson and his son Beck are already there.

Beck is twenty, just nine months older than me. We’ve grown up together, and while we hang out occasionally, he spends most of his time at the University studying business law.

He’s still undecided about whether to stick with that or go to law school and become the pack’s lawyer. Beta Jackson keeps reminding him that he’ll have to retire someday, and Beck will have to step up.

“Alpha,” Beck and Beta Jackson greet my father, baring their necks in respect.

Dad just claps them both on the shoulders as he walks by. “Let’s get started, guys. Warm-up laps first,” he says, all business.

I don’t know how he’s managed to stick to the same routine for over twenty-five years. He’s turning forty-five this year, and while he still looks young and hasn’t aged a day, I know he must be looking forward to slowing down and taking Mom on some trips.

Of course, she’ll have to remain the luna until I find mine. She might retire before that, like my grandpa’s ex-mate did, but I’m not so sure.

Mom loves the pack too much to leave them without their heart, the luna. I start jogging next to Beck.

We run in silence, watching as Dad and the beta converse quietly. After a couple of laps, Beck breaks the silence.

“So, you nervous about leaving?” he asks. I laugh, wondering why everyone thinks I should be nervous.

I’ve been training with my dad for years, and he’s already mentally prepared me for what’s to come. Last winter, he took me to Alaska for a survival exercise in harsh conditions.

It wasn’t fun, but I learned a lot. He said it would give me an edge in the cold weather training and put me ahead of the other alphas in training.

“I’m not nervous about the training itself,” I admit. I glance over at Beck, who’s nodding in understanding.

“I’m more worried about leaving my younger siblings to the wolves, literally.” Beck laughs so hard he almost trips as we round a corner.

I grab his elbow and we keep running like nothing happened. “I think you mean you’re worried your sisters will start dating someone you hate, or worse,” he says.

“Exactly,” I reply. “I get it, man. I have a little sister too.”

And your little brother is always giving her googly eyes. I just let them be, but if he steps out of line, I’ll lay him out,” Beck says.

I give him a knowing look. I understand what he means.

I also know he’s had a thing for Melanie since we were kids. When we were in elementary school, he used to bring her flowers he’d picked in the woods.

She thought he was just being nice, but I knew he liked her. I wonder if that’s still the case as I slow my jog to a stop.

Beck runs past me, then turns and jogs in place, looking at me. “What’s up, Max? Let’s finish this last lap.

We still have to hit the weights before we head out to the field with the rest of the warriors.” Nodding, I jog toward him and we finish our lap.

As we head to the weights, a towel slung over my shoulder to wipe off the sweat, I look over at Beck. The questions I have for him are weighing on my mind.

I load up the bench press, wipe the sweat off my bare torso, and prepare for my reps. After banging out ten reps, I get up so Beck can go next.

“Listen, man, I want to ask you something,” I say as he prepares to do his set.

“Sure, shoot,” he replies.

“Melanie, you liked her years ago. Are you planning to do anything about that now? Have you been waiting for me to leave? Be honest, man, I won’t be mad. I just need to know,” I say, running my hand through my hair.

I watch Beck from the corner of my eye, looking for any telltale signs in his expression.

“I just found out Carter wants to ask out Selene. I don’t want any more surprises,” I add.

Beck clears his throat before speaking. “I’m not sure. I mean, I still like her. I probably always will.

But I don’t know if she feels the same. I hardly ever see her around, especially now that I’m in college.

I don’t want to lie to you and say no. But I also don’t want to say that I plan to ask her out soon, because I’m not sure how she’d react.

Or how the alpha would react, for that matter,” he says, looking a little uncomfortable. I realize he’s just bared his soul to me, unintentionally.

Now I feel bad, knowing he’s always liked my sister but his doubts and unease have kept him away. He’s a good guy, and my sister could do worse than my future beta.

“Fair enough,” I respond. “You know, I wouldn’t mind if you asked her out.

But I swear, if you hurt her, I’ll kill you.” Beck and I share a look, then burst into laughter.

Our laughter earns us a stern look from my dad, so I motion for Beck to return to his weights. We continue our workout, knowing we have to be out in the field by five in the morning to meet the rest of the crew.

MELANIE

Training with everyone isn’t my favorite thing. I’d rather do my own thing, maybe spar with a friend or one of my siblings.

But I understand it’s a requirement for anyone who can fight, and our pack is known for being one of the toughest in the country. I’ve heard stories about how my mom’s Uncle Milo used to train all the warriors, even traveling to other packs to train them.

Milo is still around, helping with training, but he’s stepped back to let his son, Connor, take over as lead warrior. Connor is tough, but he’s always got a smile on his face.

He’s made me run more laps than I can count for being late. No special treatment, even though they like to call me the pack princess.

I head to the training field with Selene and Jaydon. They’re arguing about something insignificant.

I think it’s about cereal, but I’ve tuned them out. We arrive at the field on time, which is a rarity for me.

Connor gives me a thumbs up, and I roll my eyes as soon as he turns his back. At exactly five, he claps his hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Since Melanie decided to be on time today, we’ll only do ten short laps before we start our sparring session,” he announces. The crowd of werewolves required to train every day laughs.

I tune out everyone, even Madeline, my best friend. I take off onto the track, determined to finish my ten laps.

All I want is to get this run over with. As I complete the first lap, Beck, the beta’s son, falls into step beside me.

He’s running in silence, keeping pace with me. I sneak a glance at him and find him studying me, a strange look on his face.

“Um, is there something on my face?” I ask him. Beck shakes his head, dismissing my worry.

“No, just watching you.” He flashes me a wide grin and continues to run with me.

By the time we reach the fourth lap, my curiosity gets the better of me. He hasn’t said another word.

“Why are you running with me, Beck? Are you keeping count to make sure I finish my ten laps?

You know I always do, even if I don’t like it,” I say to him. Beck laughs.

“I wouldn’t dream of accusing you of cheating on something like this.”

“Oh, so you think I’d cheat on something else then.”

My tone is sarcastic, but I don’t miss the sudden change in his expression. “Goddess, I hope not,” he blurts out.

“Can’t I just run with you? Don’t you remember when we were kids, we used to run together all the time.”

“Yeah, that was in the woods. Chasing rabbits and stuff,” I laugh.

“Fair point. But now, maybe I want to chase you instead.”

Beck winks at me and then sprints ahead, leaving me behind. ~What was that about?~

I’m a bit flustered, and I’m pretty sure I’m blushing. Was Beck just flirting with me?

I look around, but it seems no one is paying me any attention. Max is running with Jaydon, giving him tips on how to improve his speed by adjusting his form.

The alpha and beta are off to the side, discussing the sparring line up with Connor. Anyone who might have an issue with what Beck just said isn’t even looking our way.

Once I’ve finished my laps, I stop to grab a drink from the cooler they keep near the benches. They want us to stay hydrated so we can train hard.

Beck is there, wiping his brow with a towel and drinking some water. I approach him and tap him on his impressively muscular left pec.

“What was that about? Were you flirting with me? Right in front of my brother?”

I keep my voice low, so no one can overhear us. It’s a challenge with all this werewolf hearing, so I’m practically whispering.

Beck grins at me. “What if I was, Princess?”

I’m at a loss for words, and before I can come up with a response, Connor calls everyone over to check out the sparring line up. I nearly choke on my own spit when I see that they’ve paired Selene with Carter.

I heard about the incident the other day, and that he went to ask my Dad if he could ask Selene out. He hasn’t done it yet, so this should be interesting.

I’m so wrapped up in that thought, I completely forget about the conversation I was just having with Beck.