Training Starts

Henri’s POV

            I woke up at exactly 4:30. Slipping into some running shorts and a black sports bra, I pull on my running shoes and put my hair into a tight pony tail. Leaving Louis asleep in our bed, I grab a bullhorn and silently make my way to the bottom of the stairs. Taking a deep breath, I yell, “Alright you lazy bums! Get out of bed and get dressed. Whoever’s not in the back yard in exactly ten minutes will have to run extra. As of right now, you have one hundred laps For every minute that you’re late, that’s another lap you have to run. Let’s go!”

            Hearing bodies hit the floor, I stifle a laugh. My brothers were up already. Standing under a tree in the back yard, I wait. In five minutes, half of the Carruthers pack is standing before me. It took the remaining five minutes for the rest of the pack to make it outdoors. Only three were late. Gideon, his mate, and a boy I hadn’t met. I look them straight in the eye. “Congratulations. The three of you have to run an extra seventeen miles.”

            The she-wolf opens her mouth to protest, but I give her a death stare. “Either you run, or we leave.” She snaps her mouth shut and nods. Gideon snickers at me. “Do you have something stuck in your throat?”

            “No. But I’m not running seventeen more miles.” He sneers at me. I give him an evil smile. “If you don’t run Gideon Elijah Watson, then I’ll make you. And trust me, you do not want to get into a fight with me. You’ll lose.” He seemed to think about it, and he steps back. I laugh inside. Linking with Aaron and Dean, I tell them what I want the idiots to do.

            Everyone but Gideon, the she-wolf with him, and that guy has to run twenty miles. They have to do an extra seventeen. Afterwards, I want them to give one hundred pushups. Anyone that complains or tries to drop out, I want them to give another hundred.

            Working ‘em hard huh sis? I could hear the smile in Dean’s words. They deserve it. And no going easy on anyone. They nod. I watch as they pack lines up. They in a blink of an eye, they’re gone. I link with Ryan. Ryan, where are you?

            I’m in my office Henri. What do you need?

            I was wondering if you’d like to go into town with me for a bite to eat?

            Sure, I’d like that. Just give me five minutes, and I’ll be out. His words sounded sad to me, but I just brushed it off. That’s fine. I’ll be in the woods watching the idiots run. He cuts the link as I make my way through the woods. Climbing into a tall tree, I find a seat on a thick branch and watch.

            Gideon and the two wolves that were with him were in the middle of the pack. I thought that they would be in the front, if not leading the pack by a few lengths. I shake my head in disgust. An alpha should be the fittest member of the pack. He has to be in order to lead and protect his pack. Gideon was a poor excuse of an alpha.

            I look at the she-wolf. Dean, who’s the wolf with Watson?

            I heard that she’s his mate. But she’s not his second mate. He marked her. I heard that she found her mate just after she was marked by Gideon.

            Who was her true mate?

            Some say it’s Ryan, and a few others say it’s the TIC. They’re not really sure.

            How many more laps do they have left?

            Most of them have about 75. The three that were late have only completed twenty.

            Thanks. I’m heading into town.

            Oh, okay. Keep your eyes open.

            I will. If you need my help, just link with me. I’ll be back in a heartbeat.

            Will do Henri. With one last glance at them, I jump out of the tree and sprint back to the house. Ryan meets me at the garage. “Whose car are we riding in?” He asks me. I smile at him. “Yours I guess since I brought just my ninja.” My brother just nods and opens the door of a Porsche Cayman.

            The ride to town took only five minutes. Hey Dare. I found my new car.

            Oh yeah? What is it?

            It’s a Porsche Cayman.

            Dang sis, don’t you have enough sports cars at home?

            No, I will always need one more. I say chuckling. “So brother, how have you been?”

            “I’ve been good. And I’ve missed you like crazy little sister. I am truly sorry about the way I let them treat you when you were here. And I’m sorry for not standing up for you like I should have.” Ryan smiles at me and takes my hand. I squeeze his softly. “I’m glad you’re back. Even if it’s just for a little while.”

            “I’m glad that I came back to Ry. You know, when we leave, you can always come with me. Louis’s the beta of the Iron hide Stone pack. I’m sure that the alpha will let you join.”

            “Thanks for the offer Henri. I’ll have to think about it.” He pulls into a parking spot in front of the mall. Every time he smiles, it breaks my heart. His smile never reaches his eyes. And his eyes are filled with so much sadness caused by that she-wolf, that I want to run back to the pack and beat her senseless for accepting Gideon’s mark before she even met my brother.

            Taking his hand as we walk through the doors, I smile up at him. Right now, I have the older brother that I’ve missed having; the brother that was my protector and best friend. “My offer’s always open Ryan. It will always be open for you.” I couldn’t keep the love and sadness out of my voice. His grip on my hand tightens slowly. “I know.” He whispers.

Ryan’s POV

            She knows. Was the only thought that was running through my mind as we walked through the mall. I couldn’t figure out just how my little sister found out what Lillian did. Glancing over at her, I watch as her eyes scan the windows of the shops.

            Thinking over her offer to join Louis’s pack, I start to think that it’s a good idea. And we won’t have to see the two of the ever freaking day.

            Yeah, that’s the plus side of it. But we would lose our title.

            But we would not lose the power. Ryan, we were born a beta. It’s in our blood. I sigh softly, knowing he’s right. We stop in GameStop, and she buys all three of the Mass Effect games. I stifle a laugh and grab a COD game. I shake my head at her when she reaches into her back pocket to pay. “I got this Henri.”

            I would buy her the moon if it would put that smile on her face. When Henri smiles, I could see our mom. Paying for the games, I lead us to the food court. “Pizza?”

            “You still know me.”

            “So pepperoni with extra cheese it is.” I say in a goofy voice making her laugh fill ring out.  People looked at us, but we didn’t pay them any attention. I bought two huge slices of pizza and two large sprites. I turn and scan the tables looking for her. I smile when I see her at a table in the back almost against the wall.

            Making my way to her, I place the food on the table. Sliding into a chair beside her with our backs to the wall, I grab my pizza. “So, what made you decide to come back?”

            “I didn’t want to come back Ryan. But I couldn’t leave the pups in this pack unable to defend themselves if need be. I would never do that to innocent pups.” She sighs softly as she takes a bite of her pizza. Instantly, a huge smile lights up her face. “I’ve missed this.”

            “They didn’t have pizza in Utah?” Henri laughs again. “They did, but they didn’t have you.” I grin at that, glad to know that my sister missed me as much as I missed her. “The guys are nice, and they treat me as their little sister. We even introduce ourselves as family. But they could never take your place Ryan.” She tells me softly.

            Finishing our food, we sit at the table catching up. “I guess I should tell you that I was there when Gideon rejected you Henri. When I heard him, I was so shocked that I couldn’t move. I wanted to rush in there and hit him for rejecting my little sister. But then you accepted his rejection, and that shocked me even more. By the time I was able to get out of my little daze, you were gone. I had missed you by just minutes.”

            I watch as her faces pales. “I didn’t want anyone to know it was him who rejected me.”

            “I understand Henri, I do. And I think you know why.”

            “Because she took his mark before even meeting you isn’t it?” Her voice was just above a whisper. I nod once. She suddenly laughs and I look at her confused. “That she-wolf will regret not accepting you brother. She just loss the best thing that she could have ever had in her life.”

            I laugh with her and for the first time since Lilli rejected me, I felt so carefree. “You know Henri. I accept your offer. When you leave, I’m coming with you.”

            “Good. Now, let’s get back. They have some more torture to run through.” She grabs her bags and we make our way to my car. I smirk softly, knowing that she feel in love with it the second she saw it. Maybe she’d trade for a day. I’d let her drive my Porsche and she’d let me drive that Ninja.