When the Sun meets the Moon

14.

While Gabe flees to the infirmary without a second glance Jared stays put and after a moment stands up again to gather with the other fighter. Everyone is tense.

Geeze I wonder why.

I look at his crooked bloody nose and sigh. Without a word I walk to him but he unconsciously takes a step back. I think the alpha scarred him for life.

"Sorry." I apologize and before he can do or say anything I crack his nose back in place in a loud nauseating sound, feeling his bone under my fingers. I hear him curse under his breath but turn to the others.

"I won. You have to listen to me, no complains."

They frown, unconvinced and I sigh again.

"Look I know it's not my place but I really think I can teach you some new things. Don't you want to be even stronger ?"

They seem to hesitate. I smile tentatively and some nod in agreement.

'Glad to see that your charms still work, old hag.' My wolf giggles and I flinch, an image of an old lady with gray hair and wrinkled skin comes to mind.

In a sense my wolf is right, if I looked my age I don't think I would have any effect on these boys.

"I've traveled a lot, I know martial arts. Thought you'd like it." I shrug innocently.

They don't add anything but follow my orders for the next four hours.

We keep at it for the following days, I teach them more moves and we go over their team work. It's not bad really, I just give them a few tips here and there to make it work even better. They start to relax around me, even allowing me to joke with them. They are a good bunch. Some, a little too flirty for my taste but I don't acknowledge it. And they are quick learners, that's always better, especially when I'm not the patient type.

On the matter of their pack defense I advise a few changes to Jared. During the trials I noticed a few interesting people, really fast and smart like Leah and suggest to add them to the sentinels or the back up group. However the prisoner doesn't give us anymore useful information. Not even his name. As I thought he doesn't know anything, he doesn't know that this pack is indeed special. I ask him about the tattoo on his wrist.

"I liked the design." Is his only answer.

I wonder if he would say something if I showed him my mark, but I decide against it. Still we keep him in the cells, that are now darker, colder and humid, less comfortable and we give him less food. The exhaustion is starting to show on his face. Maybe if he's too tired he'll let something slip. I go to see him everyday. Sometimes just siting in front of him for an hour, without a world, looking straight at him, my stare never wavering, that sure makes him fidget in his seat, or I start eating a wonderful piece of cake right under his nose.

Hard, I know. I wouldn't want that to happen to me. But since it's not....

I also keep looking over the books all week but don't learn anything about the attacks. I translate a few documents I find of importance. Omitting a detail about me here and there. Like my red eyes. Now that Nate has seen them I have to be more careful than ever. I don't see him around more than once every two or three days. He only inquires about my findings quickly before leaving again. But I see an unbelievable number of women hooked to his arm every time I catch a glimpse of his brown hair. Not only Cory but at least a dozen of others too. And that has my blood boiling in my veins, or running cold, it depends on the moment. What I know for sure is that my jealousy is increasing each day and I don't know if I'll last a lot longer.

The sooner I'm out of here, the better.

Even Jared catches on my sour mood and keeps his distance outside of work related matters so I spend the remaining of my free time with the pups. When I'm with them I don't think about unnecessary things like an infuriating alpha. Since the attack in Jordan's secret place they are not allowed in the woods anymore so we use the gardens. I keep telling them stories and teaching them simple moves. I'm proud to say they are even greater learners than the adults. The women of the pack send more and more glares my way, probably thinking I'm flirting with their mates. For now it stays child play, a 'there's a stench in the air' or 'the definition of a guest is that he doesn't stay' here and there but that's all.