Whisper

~Comfortable~

                                                                                     Chapter 14:

"Morning sunshine." An oddly familiar voice whispers in my ear. I hum in confusion. "Chase!" I gasp quickly awakening from my slumber. "Hi". He winks offering me a mischievous grin. "Please stop". I seriously retort. 

"Whisper are you decent!?" Another familiar voice calls from outside of the tent. "We're in the middle of something!" Chase is fast to reply. I shoot him a glare. Moments later Willie's head pops into the tent.

"What's going on?" He questions, his light brown eyes curious and suspicious. "Mind your business". Chase spits in annoyance. "Nothing." I assure smiling at Willie. "Chase was just leaving." I announce in a stern tone. The Beta rolls his eyes. "Have you forgotten who I am?" He challenges pressing himself onto me in a hovering position. A noise escapes my lips indicating I was uncomfortable as I feel my cheeks burn red. Chase smirks in satisfaction.

"We have training in a few minutes. Veronica will be joining us, so bring an extra pair of panties". He informs jokingly. My heart drops and my eyes widen at the sound of his words. What!?

The Beta exits coolly and unbothered by the reaction he had caused by his last piece of information. Willie fully enters the tent and sits on my bed.

"Veronica!?" I semi-shriek revealing my panic. Willie puts his teeth together and stretches his lips horizontally. "Yeah..." He simply replies sucking in a breath. "Great." I huff. "Relax, you'll be fine." He assures placing his hand on my thigh that was covered by a blanket. "No, I won't." I groan throwing myself in a laying position. He chuckles. "It's not funny. The girl hates my guts. She doesn't even know me and has decided that she hates me. Now I have to train with her? And she's the pack's best female fighter!? She's going to kick my ass!" I exclaim throwing my hands up in the air dramatically. 

Willie cackles. I shoot him a glare. "Oh come on! You're being too hard on yourself. Sure she's going to beat your ass, but at least you can try to fight her with some dignity". He explains. "Is this your idea of good advice?" I offer him a dirty look. He shoves me gently. "Get ready!" He orders playfully standing up. "Pass me that bra before you leave!" I shout. His eyes fall on my bra. He picks it up and juggles it for a few seconds before throwing it harshly towards my face.

"Moron!" I insult hearing his laughter grow as he leaves the tent.  

Seeing as the river was probably going to be packed with members of the pack, I decide to do a quick wash routine in the confines of my own tent. I brush my teeth and braid my wavy brown hair so it's out of my face. Pulling on some leggings and a tank top I exit the tent to join the pack that was having breakfast around the camp fire. I chat a bit with some of them. Willie joins me on a wooden log with a plate of food. He flashes me a smile.

"Stop mocking me." I order annoyed. "What? I'm smiling at you, not mocking you." He states defensively. "Whatever." I sigh.

"Hey." He nudges me gently. I look at him. "What's really going on?" He questions. "How do you know something is wrong?" I challenge. He shrugs. "It looks like you're battling with something." He replies. I sigh again.

"Yeah", I reply shortly. "Tell me. What's going on?", he insists. I eventually give in and tell him.

"I've always been a reserved person. I've only truly had one friend. I was on the track team at my school because I liked to run, not much because I liked to socialize nor be part of a team and feel like I belonged. I never looked for any of that, because I knew I didn't quite fit in. I even had a boyfriend." I laugh at the last part.

"Steven. Steve. He was sweet. Athletic. Pretty chill, didn't ask or expect much of me. I didn't have to offer anything. And I never really did. I didn't show him affection like I should've or anything like that. He was more a friend than he was a boyfriend. It was one of those kinds of relationships where the title was truly only just a title.

I was content with offering only part of me, and so was everyone else around me. I guess I didn't even know what that other part was myself. Not completely anyway. It was foreign to me. 

When you guys found me and told who I was, things started to make a bit more sense, but not much has fallen into place after that. This feels like home, but then it doesn't. I'm starting to second guess if I belong here. Everyone here is so sure about what they're doing. Everyone has a position and description that matches their personality. Like you. You're the history nerd. You're this pack's pillar when it comes to rules, history, and information about the rank. You know your skill and what you're capable of.

Me? I can't even bathe in the river without feeling insecure in my own skin. Everyone is stripping like it's the easiest thing to do and swimming in the river with each other like they're not naked under the water. I don't see myself doing that. I'm not confident like you guys." I express.

"Hey. Chin up." He smiles. "I understand that it's hard. You're basically starting over a new life and you feel like you're probably doing everything wrong, but you are an amazing and important asset to this pack. Everyone is. You just have to find that skill, talent, or ability that makes you you in this place. This place is your home, you just have to make it feel like that." He encourages.

"I think you're the only one who thinks that. The pack is great and very welcoming, I'm not taking that away, but the rank? They have some mixed emotions about me, and if the leaders, the ones who run this whole thing don't want me here, then I have very little to work with." I confess.

"Don't forget that someone from the rank found you and marked you." He reminds. "We don't just mark anybody you know. We have to be sure that they're one of us." He adds. 

He was right. Suddenly, a bunch of questions begin to surface my mind. "You're right." I retort. "I better go." I add standing up. "Fight with dignity! Good luck." He shouts. I offer him a smile as I walk towards my destination, the discomfort of unanswered questions clouding my mind.

                                                                                    ~*~

My body is slammed onto the ground harshly. I groan in pain. "Again!" a voice commands. I force myself to stand up and face my opponent. Her green eyes sparkled with passionate rage. Her stance was firm and a fearless expression was displayed on her face. 

I had learned no new skills. No techniques. Nothing. 

I had to beat her at least once, before she agreed to teach me anything. Torture? Mistreat? Discrimination? Yes, yes, and yes!

I attempt to strike but fail. She quickly reacts and before I could block or swerve I was back on the ground again. I hear Chase sigh. She was probably enjoying this a little too much. 

This was the tenth time! "Again!" Chase orders tiredly. I suppress a loud groan. Before I could fully get up Veronica kicks me back causing me to lose balance. 

Rage suddenly blinds me as I lunge myself towards her. I manage to tackle her to the ground and slap her across the face. She gasps. A shocked and terrified  expression replaces my face as her green eyes look up at me in shock as well.

"Not bad." She breathes heavily gripping my waist. "Sorry." I apologize trying to catch my breath as I remained in a strangling position on top of her. "Don't apologize. You finally caught me off guard. That's really important when it comes to fighting." She dismisses my apology. I nod slightly.

"You guys look so hot like that." Chase comments. I turn to look at him. He was starring at us with admiration biting his bottom lip. I roll my eyes and help Veronica up.  

"Okay now let's get to work." Veronica announces. I nod. 

                                                                                       ~*~

After what seemed like hours of training with Chase and Veronica we finally finished. "Well that was a fairly good start. Same time tomorrow", Chase declares. Veronica nods and takes off towards the site. "Later V", the Beta calls. Veronica waves without looking back and continues her walk forward. 

I walk beside Chase in silence. 

"Why did you mark me?" I finally break the silence after a while. He chuckles then shrugs. "There was something about you", he replies.

"Something about me?" I repeat in question form. "Yeah", he answers flatly his blue grey eyes looking ahead.

"Why go through all that trouble though? The Alpha clearly did not want me to be marked", I voice my thoughts.

"So what!?" He almost snaps. His eyes shift to me and he quickly apologizes for the outburst. "We don't see eye to eye in many cases", he explains. "I noticed", I reply.

"So what? I was like part of a plan to get the Alpha mad or a way prove yourself to the pack or something of the sort?" I ask. "No", he dismisses, but I remained unconvinced. 

"I would watch you remember?" He questions. I try to recollect my memories. "Every night you would come to the woods, I would be there. Looking out for you." He tries to help me with my recollection.

"Really?", I ask in shock as a weird feeling washes over my body. "Yeah. I know this sounds weird, but I had this feeling that you would be important. Which is why I marked you that night. Shawn claims you aren't ready, but you have potential", Chase expresses. 

I can't help but smile. 

"Wait. So every night that I would go to the woods you would be there?" I ask for clarification. "Every night", he confirms. "Watching me?" I question. "Watching you", he confirms. "In wolf form?" I continue to urge. "Yes", he answers. 

I stop in my tracks. "But how?" I ask. He shoots me a confused expression. "How were so conscious and in control during wolf form?" I elaborate. He nods in understanding. 

"You start to get more control over your wolf form as time goes by. You've only transformed once and you haven't transformed more because you've stayed close to us: your pack. There are certain triggers now that you have been marked, meaning that any of those triggers can cause you to transform even if there isn't a full moon present. That's why it's important to control your emotions and stay away from humans. 

If you don't have control over your emotions, you don't have control over your wolf form. Therefore the wolf in you controls you, instead of the other way around, which is why you are more aggressive and impulsive as a wolf and why you wake up with only bits of flashes of what happened while in wolf form" he unravels. 

"Wow. That makes so much more sense", I confess. I frown as painful memories rise about the first time I transformed. 

"Don't worry. There is training for self-control as well. Emmett will teach you all he knows", Chase motivates. 

"Okay", I reply softly. "Wait did you just say Emmett?" I quickly ask. "Yeah, why?" he questions. "Oh, no reason. I thought it would be you." I try to disguise my shock and unnecessary panic. "You love me that much?" He jokes placing a hand over his chest. "Oh please", I swat his arm playfully. 

"Come on, I'm starving", he confesses loudly as we finally reach the site.

                                                                                    ~*~