42

Yesterday, she didn't fare too well against Rolandro and today Mel was telling her she now had the strength of a Beta wolf. She looked at her frail-looking hands. She had really improved that much?

"You indeed lack technique but your strength of course has increased. You aren't a normal Omega wolf after all."

"Is it because of the mate bond, because Phoenix accepted me?" she couldn't help asking her wolf spirit.

"Yes. When you finally accept him, both of you will become stronger as well." Pamela replied.

"Oh. So do I still need training from both of them?"

"Of course you do. I will train you when the time is right."

"Okay."

"I think while he's away, you should do a handstand and hand walk. It's important."

"You… why are you on his side?"

"You need to do that, girl. When the three of us start training you, you won't even be able to complain out loud. So now enjoy your few moments of freedom." Pamela retreated to slumber. Lavana couldn't help sighing.

She rose and tried doing a handstand, to no avail. But she didn't give up. If she kept thinking 'I can't do this' then she'll never progress plus Mel already confirmed her strength's that of a Beta's.

She has to keep it under control in case it increases so as not to make the pack suspicious.

******

Meanwhile, Mel, upon leaving the private training room, headed first to another secluded room to let his body heal first. He didn't want those downstairs to know that he'd been beaten up by an Omega who possessed surprising might.

After some minutes passed, he was good to go and he threw on a pair of white shorts and a pink t-shirt with the batman logo.

Then he did some stretches before leaving the room and heading downstairs hurriedly.

A pack member stopped him and requested a duel with him. He knew he wasn't gonna win but what's the problem with getting a few pointers from Mel?

"Jaden, I'm really busy right now. But tomorrow can work. We'll have a satisfying duel. Just make sure to prepare your bones."

"No problem, man. I'm ever ready." Jaden replied and Mel slapped his shoulder while chuckling.

Then he left the training hall and searched for his buddy. He found him at the entrance of the pack with one of the pack guards on shift.

"Hey, buddy. What's up? You're done so soon with that lass?" Rolandro asked upon sighting his friend coming over.

Mel did not reply until he got to their spot.

"Well, I need to talk to you about something really important," Mel said with a serious face.

"Oh? Okay, we'll chat in private soon." Rolandro then pointed to the pack guard before continuing:

"He just told me that someone came over and gave him this letter. I opened it and guessed what it was about?"

"Hmm... I don't know. Don't like guesses."

"It's because I'm not your wife, so you are unwilling."

"Don't bring Regina into this."

"Woah, Woah, Woah. Now don't get mad at me, bro. You look like a wronged mistress."

"Hey!"

"Hahaha, sorry! So the letter is about the competition."

This got Mel's attention.

"Competition? You mean the one that was earlier postponed?"

"Yeah," Rolandro nodded.

"So what about it?"

"The date's been announced. And..." Rolandro started frowning. "It's not as I'd expected. It's starting next week Monday. We have only 1 day to prepare. We are to depart latest tomorrow." he now looked worried.

"What?" Mel's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Who is behind this rotten decision? First, they shelved the date of the competition till 'further notice'. Now they brought it to a closer date to catch many unprepared? Rolandro, this... this is serious." Mel had now thrown Lavana's matter to the back of his head.

"Don't get so emotional. Let's go to my house and talk." Rolandro put his hands around his pal and they walked away.

Reaching Rolandro's place, they found Carmelia and Regina discussing some issues and his wife seemed happy.

"Girls, what's the excitement all about?" Mel asked with a smile.

"Well... you guess," Regina replied.

"Erm... Meat pies fell from the sky?"

"Nope!"

"See? I told you; you only guess when it's Regina."

"Hey, don't disrupt my guessing." Mel chided Rolandro, who simply chuckled.

"Well, you learnt a new recipe?" Mel guessed again.

"No, you got it totally wrong, mate." Regina looked at her bestie. "Mel was a total beast last night."

"So was this mate of mine," Carmelia said.

"Um... are we here to discuss who's crazy in bed? Me and my buddy, Mel, we both know we are beasts in bed but our mates are monsters."

"Eh? What did you say?" in a flash, Carmelia was already in front of him.

"I meant you guys are professionals and interesting," Rolandro said with a sheepish laugh.

"Hmph. You're lucky I'm in a good mood or I'll ride you right here."

"Um... Mimi, it surely isn't whose husband can dig their wife's entrance better that you two were discussing earlier right? Please what's it all about? If it's girly stuff and you don't want to tell us, that's alright." Said Mel as he sat on the couch beside his mate.

"Well, we finally made it, Mel," Regina said happily.

"Made what?" Mel asked in curiousness.

"I'm...PREGNANT, I'm carrying your baby, Mel."

"Uh?" Mel was shocked and he covered his mouth with widened eyes while looking at his wife.

"You... You are pregnant? I'm going to be a father?" he asked, dropping his hands.

"Yes, my love. A new family member's on the way. I'm going to be a mother soon." Regina said as a tear slid down her eyes.

"Thank you, honey. Thank you so much." Mel brought his wife close and kissed her. The other couple just stood there with Rolandro recording this scene.

"Congratulations you both. Now my son will have another playmate." Rolandro said.

When the two broke off the kiss, the other couple walked to them and sat on the couch beside theirs.

"Baby, we're gonna celebrate this," Mel said happily.

Regina nodded as her husband rubbed her still flat belly.

"Baby, Daddy can't wait to hold you in his arms. Come out soon, okay? So I can pamper you." Mel said while looking at his wife's tummy.

She's currently wearing a sports bra and pink skirt so her belly was exposed.

"Dear, you can't let the baby get cold. Neither should you be cold." he quickly took off his shirt and made her wear it.

"Now you are shirtless," she said with a smile.

"I will absorb all the incoming cold. I have a strong affinity for it." Mel said, causing the others to laugh.

"Look at you. Weren't you the one who teased me that I was too pampering of Pedro when he hadn't been born?" Rolandro mocked his pal.

"Hmph! Now I'm gonna be a dad. It's my first time. Even if it's my 100th time, I'll still pamper my wife and the unborn baby." Mel said while looking at his wife.

"And Rolandro." Regina called.

"Yes, future mother."

"Hey, I have a name."

"I know that."

"Your wife has something to tell you too."

"Oh? What do you want to tell me?" he asked Carmelia.

"One of your seeds got lucky and made friends with my ladyball. Now a new being's been created," she said.

"So you're just like Regina. We are expecting a baby too?"

"Yes, honey."

"Thank you, Carmelia." he brought her into a hug. When they finally broke the hug, he raised her top a little and placed a kiss on her outie belly button, then planted more kisses around it.

Then he let go of the shirt and kissed his wife. Now it was Regina's turn to record them on her phone.

10 minutes later,

"What? The competition's date's been announced?" Carmelia exclaimed. "When is it?"

"Mel and I have to set off with chosen pack warriors tomorrow." her mate replied with a heavy sigh.

"Isn't it ironic? Our mates gave us good news but we brought them disturbing news instead." Mel pointed out.

"So who have you guys chosen to go?" Regina couldn't help asking. This was just too sudden.

What was the werewolf council playing at? What did it mean by bringing the date closer to catch many unaware and unprepared? Who approved of this rubbish decision? None of them knew the answers to any of these questions. Yet they still had to make preparations to depart with the chosen elites.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. Rolandro. When I came to see you earlier, recall I had a vital matter to discuss with you."

"Yeah. What was it about?"

"I might as well share it here." Mel rubbed his palms together before blowing air into them.

"You see, it's my turn to teach Lavana today."

"Yup." the others nodded.

"Guess what she did today?"

"She fainted? Were you so harsh on her?" Carmelia asked.

"Nope. She's... she's strong."

"You mean she's improved? Like better than she was yesterday, she's a quick learner?" Rolandro asked.

"In terms of strength, I must confess that she is on par with us but she lacks technique," Mel said.

"Yeah that's why we train her... wait! Did you just say she's on par with us in terms of strength?"

"I asked her to fight me in my wolf form while she remains human. She wasn't performing well at the start, and kept running away from me until she figured out it wouldn't work and decided to face me. To sum it all up, she beat me so bad and I nearly died."

"Are you serious? You're not exaggerating, are you?" Regina asked in worry.

"She indeed is strong. Her small hands contain such monstrous strength."

"And you say she's an Omega wolf?"

"She's not an ordinary Omega. Probably, her dad must have been an Alpha or at least of the royal bloodline. But I never heard of an Omega wolf with the strength of a Beta." Rolandro looked bewildered, as well as the others.

"What should we do? She's originally on the list of those elites to fight in the competition."

"You've already drafted a list?" Carmelia asked Mel.

"Not on paper but in my head."

"You know she hasn't acknowledged this pack as hers yet. She has to acknowledge us as her own first before she can qualify. Plus, she hasn't been trained enough. How is she going to fight? She only has strength but someone with wit and technique can easily take her down." Carmelia stated.

"Yeah, that's true indeed," Mel said with a nod. "Is this little pack destined to be disbanded?" he sighed deeply.

"We have to try. If it really is destined for us to disband, so be it. But we must throw that celebration party before setting off. It won't be big but at least, we did something." Rolandro said with a sigh.

"I want to participate." they heard a voice and became startled.

"I have to." the owner of the voice came into the living room and knelt.

"Lavana wishes to become a Bloodstar." she cupped her hands.

"You... You were eavesdropping? Since when?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to but it's when you guys started discussing about the competition," Lavana replied.

"Since you want to join, do so at the celebration party," said Mel.

"Celebration party. What's being celebrated?" Lavana asked in confusion, dropping her hands.

"Rise first." Mel helped Lavana to stand up and made her seat on a chair, close to them.

"You see, there's double good news. First, I'm gonna be a dad and second, Pedro's gonna have a little sibling to play with soon."

"Erm... You mean he's gonna treat your baby as his sibling?"

"Dummy. Our mates are pregnant." Rolandro reprimanded.

"Oh! Congratulations! I'm happy for you guys." she said excitedly.

"Thank you, hun," Regina said.

"Um, I have to get going then. Since we are leaving tomorrow, I need to train."

"I'll coach you throughout the night after the ceremony," said Rolandro. "The competition's on Monday. I'll rest during the trip tomorrow. Remember, if you can't beat the opponent, it's not a shame to admit defeat. If we have to disband, so be it. Don't push yourself too much."

"Don't worry about the training. I will use it as a chance to improve myself. I will practice myself tonight. I want you to spend quality time with your family. I'll get going now. Once again, congrats to you all." Lavana rose from the chair and walked out of the house, heaving a sigh.

"Girl, you have a lot of things to do," she muttered to herself as she headed for the room. She needed to make plans for herself and Beatrix. It seems it was time for the little one to bid the pack farewell. And she has to discuss with her mate too.