Hope Springs

I was wrong. Training was that bad. Monday wasn’t that bad, but it wasn’t great either. I did perfectly well with the jogging and even when I fought while I was in my human form, but fighting in my wolf form and doing the obstacle course was more difficult. I had struggled with fighting and Max had taken an extra hour teaching me how to correctly dodge attacks and how to anticipate my opponent’s attacks.

Tuesday was a little easier but I still struggled with the obstacle course. I feared that I would never be as good at the obstacle course as everyone else was and Max had to remind me that everyone had been doing these kinds of things for almost their entire lives. By Friday, I was more confident in my ability to do the obstacle course. I came to a stop, at the clearing where training took place and placed my hands on my knees as I breathed heavily. I had just finished my three mile jog.

“Good job Trinity,” Max praised, as he walked towards me, a stopwatch in his hands. As usual, he was shirtless for our training. “Good time, twenty minutes and thirty five seconds,” He reported, “Since you’ve typically been fighting Rhea for training, I’m going to switch it up.”

“Then who am I going to fight,” I asked, straightening up and looking at him. Would I be fighting him?

Max smiled, “You definitely wouldn’t be fighting me. I wouldn’t be able to control myself.” I knew that my appearance had affected him at least a little bit but, wearing a sports bra and spandex shorts helped me to keep cool and wearing anything more would make me overheated. “You’ll be fighting Rhea and Hadley.”

The two girls stepped out from the woods and grinned at me. Like me they were wearing sports bras and spandex shorts. Hadley had her hair pulled into a bun and Rhea’s hair was pulled into a ponytail. Max reset the stopwatch.

“You can normally last against Rhea for ten minutes,” Max said, “I want to see how long you can last against Rhea and Hadley so I know how to adjust your training schedule.” I nodded and he readied himself to start timing us. “Go.”

Barely a second after he had spoken Hadley leapt at me. I sidestepped and I grabbed Rhea’s fist which she had sent flying towards me. I flipped her over my shoulder and turned, kicking at Hadley’s stomach as she tried to come up behind me. She let out a grunt and stumbled back a few steps. Rhea tugged me down and by doing so she got to her feet. She tried to kick me and I rolled out of the way, getting to my feet.

Hadley jumped at me and I danced to the side, kicking her in back and sending her stumbling into the ground. I felt arms wrap around me and stomped on Rhea’s foot, causing her grip to loosen. I stomped on her foot again and then sent my elbow flying into her stomach. She grunted and stumbled away from me. I sent a kick at her head but she grabbed my foot and yanked me forward causing me to land on my back on the ground.

I tried to get air back into my lungs and grabbed at Rhea’s hands as she crawled on top of me. I kneed her in the stomach and she rolled off of me. I got to my feet and ran towards Hadley. I jumped at her and wrapped my legs around her waist. I bent backwards, getting my hands to rest on the ground and using my leg and ab muscles I lifted her off the ground and did a somersault so that she was on the ground and I was kneeling on her waist.

“Time,” Max called and I rolled off of Hadley, panting hard. I wiped my sweaty hair away from my face and looked at Max. “Thirteen minutes and fifty seconds. Good job, Trinity.”

I smiled proudly and Hadley clambered to her feet, giving me a big smile. “Good job Trin,” She praised me, “I didn’t know that you’d be so good. Next time though I will win.”

“Don’t count on it Hadley,” I shot back and then turned to Max, “So what now?”

“Weightlifting,” Max answered back, “Let’s go.”

He led me to the gym, and Rhea and Hadley followed us. I hadn’t really spent a lot of time weightlifting; this would only be my second day weightlifting. But thanks to my werewolf strength it wasn’t that hard, although after any sort of fighting it was always a little more difficult. Before we actually began to weightlift though, Max had me run on a treadmill for five minutes. Then he had me do a leg curling exercise, do an ab workout, and then stretch for five minutes.

After stretching he took me to go bench press. I laid on the bench, my chest underneath the bar and my feet flat on the floor. I gripped the bar and Max fixed the weights on it.

“How many pounds is this,” I asked, adjusting my grip.

“It’s eighty pounds,” Max said, “I don’t want you to strain too much so we’re going to start off with eighty. Then-”

“Then you’ll be lifting as much as us,” Rhea said, as she settled in on the bench press beside me and started doing reps. “One-hundred fifteen pounds,” She said proudly and Hadley rolled her eyes.

“A lot of werewolves can do more, but Rhea likes to keep it easy at first and then get harder. So this is her warm-up.”

“Quiet you two,” Max snapped, “I want her to focus so that she doesn’t get hurt.” He gave me a softer look and I blushed. “Whenever you’re ready, Trinity.”

I nodded and slowly took the bar and unracked it. I straightened my arms and then lowered it to my mid-chest. I lifted the bar pack up, grunting a little as I did so. Max’s concerned eyes watched me closely as I did a few more reps. Sweat beaded on my forehead and chest and I noticed how Max was growing even more tense as I continued to do reps, each one bringing the bar a little closer to my chest.

My arms shook and I felt Max help me to get the bar back onto it’s rack. I scooted forward and sat up, wiping the sweat off of my forehead.

“You did well,” Max murmured and I gave him a feeble smile.

“You’re just saying that,” I protested half-heartedly and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, seeming not to care that I was very sweaty.

“No you did do very well,” Max said, “This was only your second time bench pressing, and so you are doing very well. Remember everyone else has been doing this for practically their whole lives, so you are doing well, Trinity.” I nodded and Max, gave my shoulders a squeeze before rising back to his feet and looking at his clipboard. “I’m going to go make sure that the obstacle course is ready. In five or so minutes, Rhea and Hadley can take you to the course.”

I nodded and he walked out of the gym. As soon as he was out of sight Rhea and Hadley turned to me.

“So when is this date planned for,” Rhea asked excitedly and I stood, stretching my arms over my head.

“Saturday,” I answered, “Saturday and Sunday are the only days that I have off, from this whole training thing and I plan on doing all of my homework for school on Sunday.”

Rhea clapped her hands together, “I am so excited! On Sunday you better tell the two of us, every single detail about your date.”

“Why should I?” Rhea looked a little offended and I gave a little laugh. “You and Hadley helped me plan the date,” I said and she flushed, looking a little embarrassed.

Trinity, the obstacle course is ready. Max said and I headed out of the gym, with Rhea and Hadley following me. Then I stopped.

“Can you guys lead me to the obstacle course?”

The obstacle course was the most daunting part of training, at least to me. It was the most challenging thing for me and I almost always ended up falling. The obstacle consisted of a twelve-foot wall that you had to climb with a rope, pipe bombs (they were pipes that hung vertically) and then get to monkey bars, then do the rope swing and get to the over under, a cargo net climb, a wall climb, and hurdles. I sighed as I stood next to Max and he smiled comfortingly at me. I just frowned and eyed the obstacle course with growing trepidation.

“Trinity,” Max sighed and I glanced at him. He sighed, “I guess we can skip the obstacle course just this once, and go straight to fighting in wolf form.”

“Really,” I asked, excitement beginning to bubble up inside me and Max nodded.

“Just this once though,” Max repeated, “The obstacle course tests your stamina and endurance....But skipping it just this once won’t hurt you.”

I grinned and practically skipped back to the clearing where Rhea and Hadley were waiting. They raised their eyebrows, upon seeing my happy state because they knew how much I hated the obstacle course.

“I didn’t have to do the obstacle course,” I said happily and they grinned. “I just have to do the wolf fighting and then I think my two mile jog. Today is a very good day.”

“Trinity,” Max scolded from behind me, “This is the only time that you won’t have to do the obstacle course. Shift and let’s get started.”

I nodded, shifting into my black wolf. Rhea shifted as well and then upon Max’s nod, Hadley shifted. This was the first time that I had ever seen Hadley’s wolf and like Rhea, her fur was a golden color. Where Rhea’s color was a dark cold color, Hadley’s coloring was a light gold color bordering on an almost pastel yellow.

“Okay, so the first thing that we are going to do is one-on-one,” Max explained but was then interrupted by a loud howl. What’s going on? Max’s eyes went unfocused and I knew that someone was contacting him via the mind link that the pack shared. I still had yet to join the pack, but Max said that the ceremony would be held in a few days. “Rhea, Hadley, Trinity, shift back.” We did so. “They found a body, in the woods and aconite. We aren’t sure if it’s a member of Loup Chasseur or if it is one of ours,” Max said, his eyes glowing gold. “Trinity you are going to go back to the house. Rhea you are going to make sure that she is safe at the house and Hadley you are going to the woods with me to check out the body.”

“How about no,” I suggested, “I want to go with you Max.”

He scowled at me, and I felt a pang when I realized that he was mad at me. Tears welled up in my eyes and I cursed the mate bond. Max sighed and looked away from me.

“Fine you can come,” He growled, “Rhea you can come too.”

Rhea rolled her eyes, “I know that you are mad that she is coming with but you don’t have to take it out on us.” She crossed her arms, “Do you think it is one of ours?”

Max shrugged, “I don’t know but we are going to go find out. Rhea shift.”

Rhea nodded, shifting back into her wolf and Max grabbed my hand, pulling me so that I was standing at his side. Hadley crossed her arms and cocked her hip, staring at the two of us. Max leaned down so that he could whisper in my ear.

“If something happens, you run.” He whispered, his lips brushing against my ear and I shivered and then gave him a glare.

“No,” I said, my voice having a bit of a growl in it. “Last time you told me to run, and I did you got hurt. You were unconscious. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Max’s eyes softened but I knew that he wouldn’t relent. My safety was top priority to him, but didn’t he understand that his wellbeing and safety was important to me? I sighed and looked away.

“Please Trinity, I need to know that you will be safe.”

“And I need to know that you’ll be safe,” I countered causing Max to sigh and run a hand down his face.

“Okay, so you two are now at an impasse,” Hadley interrupted us, “Let’s just go, we are wasting time out here. Max, she won’t run even if you tell her to, she wants to make sure that you are safe. Trinity, if the situation gets too dangerous you need to run. You are still new to this werewolf business and you aren’t as well-trained as the rest of us. There problem solved.”

Max growled at Hadley, “No need to be snappy.”

Hadley just sighed, “I’m just worried that it was one of our pack members, I’m sorry Max. You guys disagreeing was also getting pretty annoying. Now, can we go?”

I nodded and started walking with Rhea racing so that she could walk in front of me, and Hadley falling into step beside me. Nearly a minute later, Max was at my side taking my hand in his. I sighed, giving his hand a squeeze to ensure him that I wasn’t mad and that I understood.

I just worry about you. You are important to me, Max continued the conversation, I know that you want to ensure my safety but I cannot, I will not let you get hurt. Do you understand where I am coming from?

I do. But this mate thing isn’t one-sided Max. I don’t want you to get hurt, just as much as you don’t want me to get hurt. I returned and he sighed, giving my hand a squeeze. But for what it is worth, I am sorry for fighting with you on this. Forgive me?

Of course I do, Max answered giving me a soft look. I am sorry as well for being so...protective.

You don’t need to apologize for being protective. It’s a little annoying at times but it isn’t as awful as I initially thought it would be, so long ago. I murmured. Max yanked me to a halt and I looked around, noticing that we had just entered the woods and that Rhea had paused sniffing the air.

“Sniff the air Trinity,” Max murmured, “Even though you aren’t in your wolf form, you should still be able to smell very well.”

I nodded, but felt a little stupid as I tilted my face up and sniffed the air. The metallic scent of blood hit my nostrils and I frowned. There was also the slight stench of rot and the sweet, tangy smell of the aconite. I pressed myself closer to Max and he bent down, lips pressing against my cheek.

“Do you smell it,” He asked, his breath fanning over my cheek.

“Yes.” I answered, “I don’t like the smell. It smells....It smells horrendous and it’s strongest that way,” I pointed to the right.

“The west,” Max confirmed, “Yes.”

We resumed walking and I gasped, when we arrived where the smell was originating from. Aconite was hanging on a rope in a circle around four trees and in the center of the circle were two bodies. One of the bodies had a crossbow on its back, and bite on his neck and face and on his chest, arms and legs. Blood was still slowly oozing from the cuts and some blood had splattered onto the tree that the hunter was near.

The second body was that of a wolf, who was still slowly beginning to shift back into human form. Blood oozed from where an arrow had imbedded itself in the wolf’s flank and the wolf was wheezing slightly.

“The wolf is still alive,” Rhea breathed and I glanced at her sharply, realizing that she had shifted back and was staring at the wolf sadly.

“We have to get the wolf out of there or he won’t survive,” Hadley said, stepping forward and gasping once she had crossed into the circle. I took a few steps away from the aconite and Max placed himself in front of me as if doing that would protect me from the aconite.

Hadley grabbed the wolf’s front and started dragging him across the forest floor. After a few moments Rhea stepped forward and helped to drag the wolf towards us. Once they had passed the circle of aconite the cuts started closing up and the wolf almost instantaneously shifted back. My cheeks flushed red at the naked state of the man and I quickly turned and buried my face in Max’s chest.

“Who are you,” Max asked and the man groaned.

“He’s still healing Max,” Rhea snapped, “Ask him when he is fully healed.”

“I can handle this, love,” the man spoke, a British accent evident. Although he had spoken his voice was still very soft and weak.

I turned to look at Rhea who had blushed, her cheeks a pretty shade of pink. A small smile slipped onto my face and I wondered if this man was Rhea’s mate. Rhea never typically blushed when a guy spoke to her and this strange man, who was speaking had caused her to blush and feel so protective of him. I hoped that my suspicions would end up being correct.

“Hadley did you call the doctor,” Max asked, glancing down at me.

“Of course I did, I’m not stupid.” Hadley sighed, “Sorry, sorry. I don’t know why I am so snappy lately.”

“Who are you?” Max repeated, turning his attention away from Hadley and to the man. I sighed, and wished that Max had listened to Rhea. He was injured. It would be better to ask questions when the man had recovered.

“Finley.” The man answered, “Finley Arkwright. What’s it to-” He was interrupted by a fit of coughing, “What’s it to you?”

“Are you okay,” Rhea asked, before Max could continue to question the man. Max scowled darkly at her and I squeezed his hand, causing him to look down at me.

Finley might be Rhea’s mate, I hissed in my mind, Be nice.

He sighed and I knew that he didn’t want to, but he would be nice to Finley because I had told him to. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Finley was Rhea’s mate, even though there was really no physical, definite proof. We were silent for ten minutes, which is when the doctor arrived. During that time Rhea was still fawning over Finley, who was giving her short answers and charming smiles. When the doctor arrived, he immediately began tending to Finley’s wounds and had even brought a stretcher. Once the doctor had bandage Finley’s rooms, he enlisted Max’s help to get him onto the stretcher and then to carry him to the infirmary.

Dr. Waters and Max lifted the stretcher and started walking, and I fell into step with Rhea.

“So is he your mate?”