Chapter 109: Training

Chapter 109: Training

Elena

"Why?" Bernard asked.

They aren't my people, that place is not my home anymore. There is so much pain and trauma in that place, I don't think I could ever love it the same as I did before. It makes me a horrible person, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. That place holds a lot of negative things for you and it is understandable if you wouldn't want to go back there."

"But they are technically my people, I should be there for them. I want to take care of them but a part of me, the wounded and hurt part of me hates them."

"Why?"

"They saw Richard's men come after my parents and they did nothing. No one else was attacked that night apart from my family. None of them helped and none of them cared."

Tears fell from my eyes as the night replayed in my mind. The smell of the fire that burned down my house, the fear painted on my mother's face.

Bernard pulled me into his arms and rested his head on top of mine, I breathed in his scent and allowed his closeness to soothe me. He kissed the top of my head.

"I am sorry you had to go through all of that, no one deserves to carry that much pain at such a young age. There is still a lot for us to figure out, but the first stage of all this is preparing for the fight that Richard is bringing to our door." I nodded into his chest.

"Forever and always?"

"Yes, forever and always."

I know that no matter what came our way, we would survive it because we had each other.

******Training******

My back hit the ground for the tenth time within twenty minutes.

"Focus, Elena." He offered me his hand.

"I am, you are just making it hard." He rolled his eyes at me.

"You think Richard's wolves will play fair? No, so I can't fight fair either. Come on, let's do it again."

I stood to my full strength and readied myself, my feet were apart, and my arms were ready to block him. Bernard observed for a moment before he walked behind me and pressed himself against my back. His arms came around my body, he took my arms in his and moved them to go a little lower. His mouth was right beside my ear and his cheek was pressed against mine.

"Like this," he breathed.

"If your arms are too high, you lose the protection up here and then your legs." He placed his foot in between my legs, spreading them apart a little further.

"If you stand with a wider stance, you will be more rooted and it's harder for someone to take you down like that."

His hot breath fanned my face and all my focus was as good as gone.

"Okay," I tried to speak but my mouth suddenly felt dry.

He kissed the mark on my neck, causing shivers to travel down my spine. He moved away from me and went to stand in front of me.

"Focus," he readied his stance.

Focusing would be very hard, he threw his first punch and this time I moved aside just in time and blocked it. I grabbed his arms and went to try to flip him over but he twisted his arms in my hold. The next I knew, he had one of my arms behind my back. His front was pressed up against my back, his nose was nuzzled in the crook of my neck.

"Better but you lost focus." He murmured against my skin.

My breath hitched, my heart was hammering fast in my chest and I am sure that he could hear it.

"I can barely focus around you." I breathed.

"Why?" He kissed the mark again.

"You know why."

He twirled me in his arms so I was facing him. His arms came around my waist and pulled me closer. He leaned his forehead against mine, moved away from me, and looked into my eyes.

"How did l get so lucky."

His intense gaze caused a flutter in my stomach, my lips split into a smile.

"How did I get so lucky? I love you, Elena Rosalie." He leaned forward, stopping when his lips were a few inches away from mine.

"I love you too, Bernard George."

Our lips found each other and I melted into him. The familiar tingles spread all over my body, I never knew a love quite like this existed until I met him.

"I think I may be interrupting something here." An unfamiliar voice came from behind.

We broke the kiss, I looked over my shoulder and found a tall blonde-haired man standing on the patio. His arms were crossed over his chest. His crystal blue eyes shone with mischief as he looked between Bernard and me.

"So this is the infamous Elena." He smiled.

"Bernard, won't you introduce me to your bride?" Bernard shook his head playfully with a smile playing on his lips.

"Elena, this is Alpha Kaba, the Alpha of Lotus Pack. Kaba, this is my love, Elena."

This wasn't exactly the first impression I had wanted to make when meeting him but I guess we would just roll with it.

After the slightly awkward introduction, we walked to Bernard's office. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous about meeting Alpha Kaba, I didn't even know where to begin, there were so many things I wanted to know and so many other things I didn't want to know. I was scared to know things about my parents, what if I didn't like what he had to tell me.

We sat on the couch, Bernard and I were on the loveseat with his arms draped around me in comfort and Kaba sat opposite us on the couch. He leaned forward placing his elbow on his knees.

"Sorry to drop in earlier than expected, I figured you two would want to know as much as possible and as soon as possible."

"It is fine, we appreciate you for taking the time out of your schedule." Bernard replied.

"We are friends and allies, Bernard. I know you would have done the same for me." He smiled and then turned to me.

"So what would you like to know, Elena?"

I tore my eyes away from him and looked at Bernard. He gave me a reassuring nod and smiled softly, I could do this. No matter what was said today, I would be fine because my mate is beside me.

"How did Richard's family take power away from my family?"

"Richard's wolves are originally from the west, they were banished from the Pack because he was accused of doing evil practice."

"What do you mean, evil practice?"

"You know the moon goddess created us wolves through her power, right?" I nodded.

"Well, she gave special powers to some wolves such as anointing, the gem now more commonly known as the Alpha gene. This gene is given to a selected few to stand above the rest as the leaders of a given Pack. This gene is said to enhance a wolf's already extraordinary abilities, which is why Alphas and Betas are set apart from the rest." I hung onto his every word.

"Of course, nowadays, you can choose a Beta. They will never receive the gene but the power can be given to them by the Alpha. However, the same cannot be said about the Alpha gene, the gene can not be passed on because only the moon goddess can grant such power."

"So, how does this all play in with Richard's bloodline?"

"Well, Richard's ancestor figured out a way to steal the Alpha gene."

I gasped and felt Bernard stiffen beside me, what did he mean to steal the Alpha gene?

"How?" He shrugged.

"It is unknown how they did it but when the Alpha of his pack figured out what he was trying to do, he attempted to kill him because he could succeed, Frank, Richard's ancestor managed to get away and migrated east where he probably found refuge in the Silver Crest Pack."

"So, then he decided to kill the Alpha of the Silver Crest Pack, who was my great great great-grandfather?" He nodded.

"Frank was a man of ambition and was filled with a need for power. So, he continued the work he had started, this time he was successful in completing what he needed to. When he killed Kent, who was your ancestor, he went with his family. When he didn't account for it was a bastard-born son who still carried the gene. The mother of the child hid his true identity in fear of having him prosecuted. So they hid in plain sight."

This was all so much information to take in, Richard's ancestors were just pure evil then.

"So, my father figured this out and wanted to take the Alpha position?"

The Silver Crest Pack may have been formidable and feared but living there was a nightmare. My father was always a man who lived by the saying 'be the change' and he planned on challenging Richard for him to give the Pack a better future.

"He was trying to do better for the Pack, that's why he wanted to challenge Richard but I guess he was too late." Alpha Kaba hummed in agreement.

"The problem is that your gene is lying dormant. So your full capabilities are yet to be realized, your father was probably waiting to figure out how to activate the gene so he stood a fighting chance against Richard."

"So how do I activate it then?" He shrugged.

"Now, I don't know but what I do know is that I will be here to help you and Bernard. A war is coming and I am standing with you people." The two Alphas shared a look that only they understood.

We needed to get ready, I needed to get. I had at most two weeks before Richard came and I need to find a way to activate the Alpha gene in me. This was for my parents and my ancestors before me. I will re-write what had been done, I knew Bernard didn't want to hear it but I am going to kill Richard myself, if it is the last thing I did. That was a promise.