Rise of an Alpha Female (Two Moons Book 1)

by A. C. Gruptay

  "Conall, we need to stop. My legs are shaking."

  "We would also like a break."

  "We aren't stopping unless one of you collapses."

  "What the hell is the point of this training?"

  "To point out you've been slacking."

  "I WAS BUSY! With getting you all into one pack!"

  "So? What if you had someone in trouble with no other way to help but get there? Or you were away from the pack, and it came under attack? You should talk to Nazih and train with him until you can beat him in endurance as well."

  "The Alpha could overtake Nazih in speed?" Rex asks through the bonds.

  "Easily, I already did that."

  "How? It shouldn't be possible. Cats are naturally faster, and it is way easier for them to run and keep running."

  "Since it's no longer needed to be kept a secret, Conall's special Alpha training."

  "You need to learn from a cat how they dose their strength in their cruise speed, so it takes as little energy and effort as possible," Conall interrupts.

  "I should change his title from Master at Arms to Slave Master!"

  "I don't mind."

  "I'm sorry but..." Salia trips over her own feet and falls, rolling for several feet before finally stopping.

  "Stay in your animal forms; you'll recover faster." Projecting only towards Salia, Conall continues: "Salia?"

  "Yes, Master at Arms?" She also answers privately.

  "Thank you for thinking of your Alpha but never do that again!"

  "I don't know what you..."

  "Cut the bullshit! How long is your uninterrupted cruise time?"

  "Apparently, 22 hours, hence the fall I just took."

  "Yeah, that was almost convincing. What did I just say about bullshit?"

  "46."

  "What's that?"

  "46. I can run for 46 hours at cruise speed. How the hell do you know so much about werecats?"

  "That's a story for another time. You are now unofficially in charge of Jena's running training. You will start training alongside Jena with Nazih. A little competition always helps, and she is ambitious so make sure she loses against you every time, but not by a large margin. Until she will win on her own."

  "Are you sure she can?"

  "Not right now, but eventually. Let me know when she beats you."

  "But she is a wolf! It's a wonder she made it so far!"

  "She is first an Alpha and of Alpha blood. I can still do 50 hours."

  "You can do WHAT?"

  "I know, lame. But I'm not as young as I used to be."

  "You really are a mystery. How much do you expect she can do?"

  "With ideal conditions, meaning one run a week for the first year, and one every other week from there on, I expect her to reach at least three days of continuous running by the end of the second year."

  "You are insane!"

  "Care to make a bet on it?"

  "Stakes?"

  "A future, non-refusable favor."

  "Fine. And I'll be generous. If she can do 72 hours of cruise running three years from now, you win."

  "Feeling generous, aren't we?"

  "Yeah, there is no way you can win that."

  "We'll see."

  Moving back to addressing everyone again, he broadcasts:

  "We move again in six hours; Rex will take first watch and come wake me in two hours. Jena will take the third shift since Salia seems to be the most tired. I suggest you sleep."

  ***

  "Wake up sleepy head, time to go."

  "Conall? What, it's been four hours already?"

  "Actually six. You overslept."

  "Why didn't you wake me?"

  "Salia woke up around the time I got off, and there was no need."

  "That's odd."

  "Yes, isn't it? Let's move!"

  After some more hours of running, the group finally reaches the witch's house. The werecats remain a little further away and keep watch while Jena and Conall head for the door.

  Jena stops a few feet away.

  "So? What are you waiting for?"

  "Nothing, I'm..."

  "Worried she will tell you something you don't want to hear?"

  "Scared shitless more likely. Don't tell the cats I said that."

  "Wouldn't dream of it. So let's say we came all this way for nothing and we just go back. How does not knowing what she has to say help you?"

  "That's an odd question."

  "Call me Uncle Odd, but answer my question."

  "Well, I guess in the tiniest corner of my soul I'm still hoping I didn't understand what she said right, and there is still a chance."

  "How likely is that to be true?"

  "Highly... unlikely."

  "So you are almost sure you got it right."

  "Yes, Moons damn it! YES! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

  "I don't want to hear anything. What I do want is for you to realize if you want to talk to Sandra or not. Let me ask another way: would you regret not going inside in let's say 10 years? Or 20 years from now?"

  "I..., yes, I probably would."

  "And your wolf?"

  "She's wondering why we aren't inside yet."

  "I see. Well, there's the door! All you have to do is knock."

  "Right."

  Jena climbs the three steps and raises the hand towards the door when it opens by itself with a squeak.

  "Tea, dear?"

  "Hello, I'm..."

  "Yes, yes, Jena Abbyline Rork, I know who you are. One lump or two?"

  "Uhm... one, I guess."

  "So! So – so – so – so – so – so – so! You came back!" Sandra sings the words.

  "Yes, I..."

  "Why?"

  "Well, I need to..."

  "You need, she needs, they need, everyone needs something from me. What about MEEE? What about my needs? Why doesn't anyone care what Sandra needs?"

  "Stop messing with the girl, you miscreant!"

  "You! You aren't supposed to be here! Where's the young one? He was supposed to bring her."

  "He was busy once I heard Jena was coming to see you."

  "I didn't see this coming. I'm losing my touch. What do you want?"

  "Wait, you know Conall?"

  "Harumph! Know him? HA!"

  "What did I just say, Sandra? Stop messing around with my niece!"

  "She's your niece? How pleasurably interesting! So girly, since you brought your hound with you, talk!"

  "Well, I came here because I got a letter from my father..."

  "And why should I care? Or do you plan on boring me to death before you get to the point?"

  "Sandra!"

  "Fine! Go ahead!"

  "It's about the complete happiness for me that you so eagerly accepted to take my father's life for."

  "Oh, that. What about it?"

  "Complete happiness involves a mate."

  "It does?"

  "It does for me. And you said so yourself. You also said there was no soul compatible with mine on Calla."

  "I did? Are you sure? Cause I can't remember any of..."

  "My father said so, and I will take his word over yours in a heartbeat."

  "Hmm. You must be right then."

  "So, the deal was you bring my mate to me."

  "Not really. It was closer to letting you find complete happiness. You found it. Then you lost it. Too bad, so sad! Suck to be Jena, right?"

  "Sandra, I will come over and smack you."

  "Conall, you wouldn't dare!"

  "Try me!"

  "You brute!"

  "Or you could answer me. Since you and I both know my father meant he wanted complete happiness for me, not just to find it and lose it. You said yourself you can't break your contracts! Or I could let Conall scratch your back a little?"

  "Well, you two are obviously related. What do you want?"

  "My mate. Let me go get him!"

  "Can't do that. Already told you a contract can't be broken. You went early,
so no going back and no bringing anything or anyone here. What's done is done."

  "OK, but at the same time, you have to respect the contract with my father."

  "Well, it's not me, per say. I'm more of an intermediary."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "Too complex for your little mind."

  "Answer the girl!"

  "Yes, that contract will also be respected. But not through you going back."

  "Then I will go."

  "Not how this works. Only selfish people can go."

  "Excuse me?"

  "I mean only people that want something for themselves can make a contract."

  "You are saying nobody can do this for her."

  "Exactly."

  "Then how is it supposed to happen?"

  "Beats me!"

  "I just might."

  "Just because I don't know, doesn't mean it won't happen."

  "By itself?"

  "Somehow, yes."

  "When?"

  "Definitely no sooner than you were actually supposed to go to Earth."

  "Earth?"

  "The place where I tracked down and killed father's killer."

  "Oh."

  "So how long then? When am I getting my mate?"

  "It will happen, though it could be a while. But..."

  "I hate that word! But what?"

  "Just because you get your mate, doesn't mean you get your mate!"

  "What the fcuk?"

  "You'll see! Buah-bye! Aahhahahahahaahahahahah!"

  With a large puff of smoke, the witch is occluded from sight, and by the time it clears she is obviously gone, the echo of her laughter alone left behind.

  "What now? What am I supposed to do now?"

  "You got your answer. There is hope, however unclear it may be. But you can't just stand around waiting for it to happen."

  "Right. War is coming. We need to prepare."

  "Indeed."

  THE END