Page 17 of Eclipse Pack

Taking the next few minutes to explain my matchmaking, and then the beautiful meadow, Bronze listens and only when I’ve finished gushing does he say anything.

“I think that was a brilliant observation of yours with Dahlia and Silas. Well done for making him see the new Dahlia. As for the meadow, if we can’t find one on the pack land then we should design and create our own. It sounds like a little piece of heaven.”

“Oh, there’s a member of the Shifter Council here, too. Her name is Merry, and she used to be part of Blackshadow pack. A friend of Connell’s mother. She told me she has only heard good things about me, which makes me think I must be on the right track.”

“I don’t doubt that for a minute. I’m confident that you’re going to be a great Luna and make me very happy as my mate.”

“I truly hope so. I’m working hard to be the best at everything I need to be. My fitness and fighting skills are far beyond the level I expected them to be now. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.” I can’t help but speak with a measure of pride in my voice.

“It won’t be too long now, and I’m so proud of you and cannot wait for you to get here,” Bronze states with a rumble in his voice, showing me his wolf Titan is to the surface.

Ending the call, I sit on my bed and reflect on how far I have come to date.

You are head and shoulders above where you were, there is no doubt. You are naturally more confident and you give off an aura of self-assurance.

‘That’s quite a change you’re describing there, but I don’t feel it in myself.’

Perhaps not, but just your actions with Dahlia and Silas show how your awareness of the world around you has evolved.

Diving into the shower and freshening up, I dry myself off, put on clean clothes and listen to my stomach complaining. Seeing it's lunchtime already, I head back to the canteen and wonder what’s on the menu this time. I hope there’s a good dessert selection as I am feeling my sweet tooth at the moment.

Chapter 9

BRONZE

Walking with Dixon to the training area, I’m going to see how the females are progressing. Hopefully, they will have shown considerable improvement since my first visit, when Dixon took the floor and challenged them all.

He has been very vocal about his assistant Adaline, and the way she has motivated the females. Dixon introduced her to the males at their last session. When there were several smirks and comments, she immediately stepped forward and asked for a wolf volunteer to meet her in the ring. Wylder stepped forward and when Dixon noticed he groaned, then he looked at Adaline to see if he should stop the challenge, but she slyly shook her head.

Wylder’s wolf is called Goliath, and Dixon knew that he was going to dwarf his opponent. Wylder and Goliath wereaccomplished warriors and had been at the top of their game since qualifying.

Watching Star, Adaline’s much smaller wolf, circle the ring, no doubt assessing her opponent, Dixon said he was genuinely concerned for his trainer. Before he could call a halt though, Goliath lunged at Star. There was a sudden flurry of bodies and then Goliath was standing there, apparently alone.

Everyone was stunned when Star was gone. It wasn’t until they looked closer at Goliath that they saw that Star had her legs firmly clamped around his body as she hung below him, and her jaws locked on his throat. If she shook her head, his throat would be ripped open. Goliath lowered his head, and Star released him and dropped to the floor.

Once shifted to their human form, Wylder looked at Adaline, stepped forward, took her hand in his and raised it high in the air. When he released her hand, he bowed then scooped her up in a bear hug, laughing. The entire session erupted in cheers. There were no more smirks, and when someone made a comment, Wylder immediately challenged them, to which they quickly withdrew their remark, and offered an apology to Adaline.

Arriving at the training area, I’m pleasantly surprised to see everyone waiting quietly for Dixon, a full three minutes early. In front of each female at her feet is a backpack containing the toy pup. I look quizzically at Dixon and he laughs.

“They bring the toy pups to every session without fail. Adaline asked for them back at the end of that first training session, and they simply refused to part with them. They bring them every time and occasionally we run that scenario after training has finished. The contests are nothing short of brutal, short of an actual death. I think we’ve had every injury from any medicaljournal. They fight with a ferocity you won’t believe, and yet as soon as the contest is won, or lost, they help each other in true warrior fashion. I wouldn’t hesitate to put any one of them forward for warrior training if we needed them,” Dixon shakes his head, but I can see the pride he has for them, and for his new assistant.

Watching them walk away, I see a lone female waiting at the far side of the area. When she sees me looking her way, she waves excitedly with her bat.

“How is Ember coming along?” I ask.

Dixon gives me a grimace. “You created the greatest monster of them all when you gave her that damn bat. I get bruises on muscles I never knew I had after training with her.”

Seeing the way she strolls across the training area shows a confidence that she never had before. The bat is swinging in her hand as though it was part of her, an extension of her right arm. As she reaches the halfway point across the area, someone streaks across from the shadow of some trees, and launches themselves at Ember. In a move so nonchalant that neither myself nor Dixon can believe it, Ember takes the head of the bat in her left hand, pushes with her right. The thick head lands in the stomach of her attacker, who drops and writhes on the floor in agony. Without batting an eyelid, or even looking to see who her attacker is, Ember mutters quietly, “Better luck next time, bitch.”

As Ember approaches, I see another shadow by the trees, but it seems to be making a fast exit.

“What was that all about?” I ask when she stands in front of us.

“Since you gave me the bat, and I’ve been having my one-to-one training with Chief Warrior Dixon, there appears to be a certainamount of jealousy. Several times now, some female has tried to take my bat either by force or deception. As you can clearly see, I will not be giving up my bat anytime soon to anyone, unless it’s over my dead body,” she says all this in a sing-song voice that has me believing every word.

Looking at her attacker, I recognize her immediately as she limps away. I need to speak to Xavi again.

Ember asks, “What do you need me to learn today, Chief Warrior Dixon? Maybe we could demonstrate what I’ve learned already for the Alpha Heir to see that his gift has been more than appreciated.” Her enthusiasm doesn’t seem to infect Dixon as he groans and agrees to the demonstration.

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