Sins Among Royals

The day of Willow’s party quickly approached as Indie began secretly training with Wade down by the lake. He assured her that her training wasn’t as secretive as she’d hoped it would be and that many of the security team knew what she was doing. It surprised her that many of them supported it too.

She was unaware of whether or not Noah knew what she was doing but part of her didn’t care. She hadn’t seen him in days and he hadn’t made an effort to see her. She knew he was preoccupied with his nephews and finding both Ebony and Raif but she had a moment of selfishness and stubbornness. If he wasn’t going to make an effort to see her them she would do the same to him.

“So what are we going to work on today?” Indie asked excitedly as she and Wade ambled down to the lake early in the morning. The sun had barely risen over the distant horizon and everything was still, quiet and in a state of slumber. Or so it seemed.

The wet, dewy feeling that hung thick in the air around them sent a slight shiver down Indies spine as she walked alongside Wade.

“This morning we will focus on building strength so you will be running. A Lot.” He glanced towards her with a frown. Though he kept it to himself he knew she was physically weak which bothered him slightly. It meant he had to spend more time working with her to build it up.

Their kind were naturally physically strong so for her to display such weakness meant she was either sickly or she had been suppressing her wolf for so long that she had forgotten how strong she truly was and neglected her wolf’s desires.

No one in any pack he had ever met had been able to restrain their wolf for longer than a month, three months tops but if what he heard were true then Indie had been suppressing her wolf for thirteen years or more.

That kind of restraint required great mental strength and he had already seen how strong she was mentally. Besides the odd moment of insecurity about her physical appearance are seemed me talky apt. She had to be if she was going to survive with Noah.

“When do we get to the fun stuff?” Indie asked full of enthusiasm.

Wade shot her a sideways glance, “as soon as you can shift and control your wolf again then you can do all the fun stuff you want but till that happens it’ll be strength training.” He smirked at his own thoughts, “you are the scrawniest future Alpha female I have ever seen.”

“You’re pretty mean sometimes y’know!” Indie protested as the pair arrived at one of the training fields surrounding the lake.

“You aren’t Alpha Queen yet,” he smirked triumphantly. “Gotta get my cheap shots in while I can.” He frowned slightly at that thought. “Before you’re granted the power to pull my fangs out or skin my hide.”

Indie cringed at the thought of someone having their fangs pulled out, “they don’t really do that?” She questioned curiously. “Do they?” She had learned something new since dealing with Wade. If it sounded ridiculous, cruel or inhumane then there was a chance Noah’s family had done it at some point in the past.

“They really only stopped the practice when Master Noah was born,” Wade shrugged his shoulders as he threw his training bag to the ground. “Apparently it was a favourite torture method for the old King in his younger days.”

The horrific revelation sent a chill racing down Indies spine, “that is cruel!” She protested loudly.

“Empires aren’t always won with peace and caution,” he cast another glance at Indie and watched as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

Indie soon placed her hands on her hips and began tapping her foot against the ground, “so what exactly are we doing today?” She asked a little annoyed.

Pulling a sack from his training bag Indie found it rather amusing that he needed a bag within a bag. What was the point?

She watched a she took the small sack by the bottom two corners and pulled them. The top of the bag fell to the ground and a jumble of straps fell to the ground.

“What the heck are those...” Indie stepped closer out of curiosity to inspect the items further. The dark straps were heavy and some of them seemed to be filled with sand. Indie picked one up and rolled it in her hands, “what are these for?” She questioned Wade as she glance up and saw the crooked grin pressed against his lips, “what?” She asked curiously. What was so funny?

Taking the strap from her hands he pulled the velcro apart and placed it around her wrist, he secured it quickly and watched as it dawned on her face.

“But it’s so heavy!” Indie complained. They had barely started and she already regretted how sore her body would be later.

“Today we will be running around the lake carrying weights,” Wade finally put her out of her misery and watched as the look of shock soon turned to a look of stunned disbelief.

“No way!” Indie turned slightly and stared off into the distance. It was a huge lake. “It’ll take me days to run around this lake!” She complained again. It seemed unfair that he was starting her on something so difficult.

“Our summer camp trainees run around the lake up to four times in one day carrying weights heavier than these,” he replied honestly. Wade wasn’t the type of person to coddle anyone. Well anyone else besides Noah that was. Everyone had to coddle Noah. Especially when his parents were around.

“Wait!” She protested loudly, “shouldn’t I stretch or something?” She asked thing to delay the inevitable pain she knew she’d feel. “Shouldn’t I stretch or something?” She asked desperately trying to avoid running ad Wade strapped another weight to her other hand.

“Should have thought about that before you stood there giving me sass,” he replied as Indie fiddled with the sand filled straps.

Wade disappeared from her field of view as he dropped to his knees and attached two extra weights to her ankles.

“So this is revenge!” Indie exclaimed, “never would have pegged you for a petty revenge kind of guy Wade. You surprise me.”

“Do you want to better yourself so you can challenge the old King or not?” Wade turned serious at Indies remarks as she thought back to the conversation they’d had. “Cause it sounded like you were pretty determined.” He added quickly.

Indie stood there feeling more than stunned. “Did I say that?” A serious glance from Wade stilled Indie as he finished strapping weights to her ankles.

“Old king Victor and his wife Florence won’t take too kindly to someone who challenges and can’t back themselves up.” Wade had seen one person before that challenged Vic and it wasn’t pleasant. “While your goal of equality it admirable you need to be able to fight. Where you are going may look nice and welcoming on the surface but there are people that want to see the House of Blackwood exterminated. There are those that would wish to cause them pain and do you know who the easiest target always is?”

I die didn’t like where Wade was headed with the conversation.

“Many people believe master Noah is the future of Blackwood and while that was true in the past he has you now. You are the future of Blackwood. You will carry a successor and that is what all enemies want to get rid of so all this training, while it will be hard it will be necessary.” His words were rather grim as Indie took it all in.

“You make it sound like I’m heading towards a pit of lions,” I.die laughed as she tried to lighten the mood.

“He hasn’t told you what they call the throne room yet has he?” Wade asked with a small smile at the corner of his lips as he stood and strapped heavy looking weights to his ankles.

“A throne room? Seriously?” Indie blurted out in disbelief. It was like a proper royal family!

“The throne room has always been known as The Serpents Lair,” Wade concluded rather dramatically.

“Well maybe I’ll die before I get there. Who knows.” turning her attention to the lake Indie gulped down a huge breath as she psyched herself up to run around the lake.

“Our aim today is one lap of the lake. Depending on how well you take it there might be two.” Wade seemed to be enjoying himself as he coaxed Indie out towards the shore. “There is a footpath cut around the lake through all the trees, I will follow behind you to make sure you don’t get lost.”

Wade knew it’d be pretty impossible for Indie to get lost with him around.

Indie groaned as she set off. She already regretted her decision.