Stronger

“Anna,” James came forward and hugged his sister saying nothing else. (2)

Netta gladly accepted his embrace. He seemed still the rambunctious unstable wolf, but I could tell he was starting to see past it.

“How are you,” she squeezed him tightly and checked his face for any scars.

“Fine,” he grumbled and rolled his eyes.

“We’re here now so anything you need you talk to us,” Charles came and hugged her.

“I’m doing alright you shouldn’t even be here,” she whined grabbing onto her big brother.

Despite all my wife’s pleas for her brothers to stay away she had lightened in the few minutes in their presence.

“Alpha Grayson,” he stuck his hand out to me.

Everything that this man did was with intention the last time we met he hadn’t greeted me with my title. Now he

looked me in the eyes and shook my hand.

I was always strong in my title but the breath of relief I let out wasn’t surprising to me. They were her family I wanted

them to know she was safe with me.

“Thank you for allowing us to come here and help,” he nodded at me.

“Anything to keep her safe,” I nodded back.

I would let the devil himself walk onto my lands if it kept her alive. This enemy wanted to hurt me and before that

would have been close to impossible, but now I had everything to lose.

“James you need to go to the wall you’ll be following Beta Matthew and defending, Charlie and Grayson have work to do. Remember that you are in our debt so you have to do everything the men tell you,” Annette spoke softly to him not in that nagging tone mother’s use but in a helpful way.

“Stupid but fine,” James shrugged.

“Or I could let Grayson do what he wanted and you can go muck out all the stables, the barns, pig pens, chicken

coops…

“Never mind I’m glad to defend these noble lands,” James demeanor shifted and now I was tempted to make him do it so he’d leam to behave.

Anna seemed to think that if you constantly brow beat her brother nothing would ever work she’d asked me to instead give him responsibility so he had a sense of pride.

“I love you all I have to go and end to the wounded warrior we’ve taken in I’ll see you later,” she came over and k*ssed my cheek. Elizabeth and Aarron following her.

“Shall we?” I asked as I turned and started walking towards the keep.

Charles was here to help me lead but I had no doubt his father wanted him to see the in and outs of an actual wolf

war

They had waited and no doubt we’re planing more attacks for the trade and hunting season.

They wanted us when we had to move so that they could get us low on resources, our in the open and left weak.

“We need to set up trade routes with the other packs of the region. I need to help give defense to another pack allies the Waxing Pride Annette reminded me they’ve just had their first pup and if this enemy wants to elicit anger from me they’ll try and hurt them deeply.”

I was hoping he would understand that I took these attacks personally all of them. I knew my actions lead to this despite what Annette may say I had a hand in creating these events that now has put everyone in danger.

You believe they’re the next to be attacked?” He surmised.

“I think this pack wants me without a leg to stand on helpless when they come for us,” I replied.

This was a big picture game I couldn’t miss a step because they wouldn’t hesitate at any opportunity. They wanted revenge so this was only ever going to be personal.

“How are you thinking of managing the trade routes with an enemy watching you all so closely?” He seemed intrigued.

“It’ll be tricky, the routes will have to protected and scouted now. Which means a lot of man power and low defenses on pack lands. If she’d let me I’d keep Annette inside the house until trade is done.” I crossed my arms pulling up a map of the trade routes.

“Do you have money?”

It took a lot in me not to snap at him.

“I understand you’re new to this but try not to be so blunt,” and that was me saying this. “What are you trying to get

“You have a helicopter try and air lift the trade,” he suggested.

“I have a helicopter we trade large amounts throughout this alliance, I shook my head.

“So it has to be trade routes then. You could travel at night, go all at once, use trackers. Many different things all together to ensure the trades safety,” he changed his understanding.

“That’s what I was thinking. Pull a bunch of defensive tactics and then the cargo will be safe. We trade pelts, fabric, and food to the other packs in return we get meat, metal, weapons, armor, wood, grains, and other foods. It’s a balance that we’ve worked hard to keep alive,” I stressed the importance of this so perhaps he would understand that to be an Alpha meant sometimes protecting more than just your own pack.

“Your pack is the biggest, the fichest, and the most populated out of the region which means they look to you. You’re going to have to lot to keep them all a float”

give a

12:37 Wed, 13 Mar 1

“The Mountain Crescent pack makes the weapons but they rely heavily on nature’s defenses so I understand them being hit first. Luckily their armory is more of a bunker. None their trade was stolen and they pushed the attack out by

morning.” I explained to him.

“This pack attacks at night, stalks at night, defends at night. So you should move the trade during the day,”

“Something like that,”

After walking him through my plans for the defense of the Waxing Pride pack and the help I was sending them for their son, I suggested we go to the gym.

“It’s been a while since I’ve

good exercise,” I smirk had someone equal to spar against Matt suffices but you’re a first born Alpha son, it’I be a

to

yself.

I noticed him stiffen at my jab and I could feel him ready to hand me my ass on a plate for the remark. I was going to war. I didn’t want to be unprepared I wanted to fight someone on my level and I wanted them to fight for real so when

the time came I could come back from it.

We got to the sparring house side of the keep and we wrapped our hands and got into the ring. I have no doubt that he had been waiting for a chance to fight me again, the last time he’d bowed out at his

fathers behest, now he could come after me unleashed.

**This will be fun

He and I inched closer and closer to each other both waiting for a move to be made not wanting to leave himself open

to attack.

I was a patient man when it came to fighting goddess knows I’ve been practicing patience for months now. SO he

broke first.

A quick stiff jab to my chest I swallowed the punch and he seemed thrown for a second that I had taught myself that ability. I still didn’t move I wanted to see how he fought see if it came down to it she’d be safe.

If we had known this was coming a while ago we would have killed them and she wouldn’t be in danger but she was about to get pregnant almost certainly which meant she couldn’t jeopardize herself or our baby and fight.

Having someone else fight for her was nothing short of hell on earth for her, I listened and chuckled to myself daily at her ire and frustration at having guards when she could talk them all on and walk away without a scratch.

She was of Alpha Blood she didn’t need a defender she was the greatest defense a pack would need. No other woman. could compare to her strength, some men didn’t come close, but the thing she’d dreamt of all her life was knocking on the door and she couldn’t risk the pup.

He jabbed at me again once or twice, quick sharp movements of force trying to sense my weaknesses, gauge where he could use all of his strength to knock me down. Logical in battle was good, not being goaded was also important.

“You fight worse than half of my new warriors,” I squinted down at him with my few inches on him.

He didn’t fall for it, only swallowing and waiting for a physical blow for me. He was doing good, he was well trained for never seeing real battle.

Finally I gave a large swing to his side, he felt it for sure but pushed through it and came for my head. I dodged it by a hair the wish of air brushing my face, I went for an uppercut and he slammed his arms down on my forearm harshly.

In return I kneed him in the stomach and this time he didn’t miss my face, I secretly cursed knowing Netta would not be happy with my bruised face at dinner. She would no doubt lecture me on the ideals of being welcoming to her family and not increasing the tension between us.

1 jabbed and pushed him back as my brain gathered itself through the daze of a direct blow of good strength. He was no doubt as strong as me, mostly.

It seemed a common trait for her family to get the wind knocked out of them, but Charles was withstanding my blows to his ribs. He stopped my advance on him by crashing both of his elbows into my back.

I fell on my face and I chuckled to myself. A challenge was a good thing, I was even starting to wonder if I’d been able to win Annette if he’d stayed in that fight.

But I knew what to do. I faked a coughing fit and grabbed his ankles and and climbed on top

ed him down with me

of him.

“Yield now,” I ordered, bringing my fist up ready to get my victory.

“Nope,” He attempted to knee me in a cruel spot but I punched him and he was too dazed to finish through.

He punched me bak and we started trading face blows and we had started to bleed.

In hindsight I understand she would have been upset to see us fighting at all, but walking in at that moment wasn’t good at all.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!**

Her grow! broke us apart, she stood at the door of the cage red faced and her wolf’s blue eyes replaced her own.

“Sparring,”

“Sparring.”

It was a pathetic explanation but we both felt the shame of small children covered in mud, but instead we were grown and bloodied. Our pride had caused us to forgo the rules of sparring.

“This is how you two greet each other!” She huffed pulling me by the arm off of Chalres.

“Nice job Charlie,” James clapped from outside the ring.

“James,” She shrieked.

I did my best not to but I started laughing and then Charles did too. James rolled his eyes and walked off but even

Netta laughed a little too.

“I swear I don’t think I’ll leave you alone again, just because you have someone with the same strength you have to do this,” She shook her head smiling at me.

1 shrugged in response, pleased she wasn’t to angry and could see the humor in this.

“Just stay here, I’m going to get the first aid kit,” She walked out of the ring.

Charles came over to me sticking out his hand. “Good match. For the record I can tell that she trusts and cares for you now. This means I see you as my family,”

You

as well,” I had not been prepared for this declaration.

“But if it ever comes down to it I will let you burn alive to save her,”

“Good.”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Chapter Comments

Angel S

Ok, there is a slow burn and then there is whatever this is. A fizzle perhaps?

chrys “Jeadolphin” fullerton

really liking the story waiting for the next chapter

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