Page 204 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
Dom returned to the building site while I headed deeper into the forest to get started on my training regimen. I began with a jog to get my blood flowing and loosen up.
As I jogged, I allowed my mind to wander. When I took over the Wargs from Pete, I’d trained for weeks beforehand. I ran for miles and miles, bulked up, and worked myself until I was too exhausted to do anything but sleep in my off time. I remembered everything I did back then to get the hard physique I had now.
Compared to the first time I fought to be alpha, this challenge would be different. It wouldn’t just be older wolves who didn’t expect me to hold my own in battle; it would be men like me, who were trained to be protectors for their pack. All the competitors would know how to fight, and they would all be strong. I would have the advantage of already being an alpha, but I couldn’t rely solely on strength. My training would need to focus on full-body workouts and honing my existing abilities. I needed to make each strike deadlier, sharper, and quicker.
I didn’t get to show my best at the alpha ceremony with Troy. I knew some Kings believed I wasn’t strong enough to rule them. This time, I wanted to eliminate all doubt. I’d prove to everyone that I deserved to be the alpha of the Wargs and the Kings, no questions asked. It would probably be tough to keep up my regimen and help Bryn around the King compound, but there were still a couple of weeks before the challenge. I had time.
I’d create the kind of environment where I could keep Bryn, my pup, and my people safe. That was my mission.
80
BRYN
Tavi was already in the office when I got there. I hadn’t even needed to reach out to her through our telepathic bond. She was sitting on the floor, a large binder open in front of her, but she looked up as I walked in and gave me a tired smile. The office itself was still pretty disorganized, but at least the messy piles that once decorated every surface had been cleared.
“Anything interesting?” I asked.
She snorted. “Not really. I was curious about the meeting minutes that Gregor kept, but it’s putting me to sleep.”
“That sounds riveting.” I laughed. “Well, I’ve got some news that should wake you right up.”
“Yeah?” She snapped the binder shut. “What’s that?”
“I’m pregnant!”
Tavi gasped, and seconds later, she was on her feet, across the room, and wrapping her arms tight around me. She didn’t often initiate physical contact these days, so it was a tremendous giftfor her to do it now. When she pulled back, tears shone in her cinnamon-brown eyes.
“How far along are you?” she asked. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe there’s going to be a little version of you running around your heels soon!”
I beamed. Now that Night knew I was pregnant and his reaction wasn’t anything like I’d feared, the excitement was really starting to seep in. I was going to be a mother!
“A few weeks along, at least, because I’ve been getting morning sickness, but we’ll need to talk to a doctor to know more.”
“You poor thing. That can’t be fun.” Her empathy for my morning sickness shifted when another question entered her mind. “Wait! Who else knows? I’m sure Night is aware, but what about Violet and Dom? Your mom?”
“My mother gave me the pregnancy test,” I explained. “Violet doesn’t know yet, but I’m sure Night is on his way to tell Dom now. I’m not sure when we’ll break the news to Violet.”
“You’ve got to tell her as soon as you can. She’s going to be so excited to have a grandchild!”
It was so lovely to see this excitement from Tavi. I couldn’t help but pull her in for another tight hug, and my heart soared when she returned the embrace. Maybe it was my hormones or just the emotions of it all, but I started to tear up.
“How areyou?” she asked when I let her go. “You seem excited, but you must be all over the place, right?”
“That’s putting it mildly,” I said, plucking a couple of tissues from the box the desk. The first few were dusty, but eventually I found a couple that weren’t so old. “I’m ecstatic about thebaby, especially now that Night knows it’s coming, but it’s all happening so fast. It’s too late to slow things down now, but I feel like I haven’t been able to catch my breath, you know?”
“I can imagine. But I’m sure things will have slowed down by the time the baby gets here. And there’s no doubt in my mind that you and Night are going to be kick-ass parents. You’re the kindest person I know, and Night will do everything he can to protect you both.”
I grinned as I thought of Night. His reaction to my pregnancy had been so precious, it would forever be a core memory for me.
“Do you want it to be a boy or a girl?”
The question pulled me back to the present. “Oh. I don’t know. To be honest, I never thought I’d get to have children, so I haven’t given much thought to whether I want a son or a daughter. I think I just want a healthy baby, no matter what gender it turns out to be. I’d think Night would want a boy as an heir, right?”
“Oh, Night will be happy either way. If it’s a girl, maybe she’ll become the first female alpha.”
That surprised a laugh out of me. “I thoughtIwas the first female alpha.”
“Technically, yes. But interim alpha isn’t really the same thing for the Kings.” Her voice entered my mind. “Like I said before, I didn’t even think we would have the ability to talk like this, even though it doesn’t seem to apply to the pack at large.”She switched back to verbally say, “I’m sure there are still people who oppose you and the Wargs in general. Can you imagine how much it’d shake things up to have a female alpha with full control over two powerful packs?”
