Born of a Broken Warrior

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

There are only a few months left of school for me. In a few weeks, I'll be 18. If all goes well, I'll meet my friend, and then my dad can give me the title of "Alpha" after I graduate.

When I walk into the kitchen of the Rudelhaus, I see Jonas Weber, my best friend and future Beta. "Hey dude, what's up?"

He asks me with a smirk, "Morning Alpha, how's it going?" That bastard must have seen Sheila leave early. I smile back as I drink my coffee. "No blue balls here."

He laughs out loud. "Yeah, you know what will happen if your mom catches you..."

He doesn't have to finish his sentence; we both know my mom would kill me. She wants me to wait for my friend.

"I don't think she will," I say. "Why were you up so early anyway?"

He looks embarrassed as he takes a sip of his coffee and answers. "Not on me either, my friend. But I'll at least walk the girl to her car."

I smile at my best friend before I grab my keys and ignore his jab. "Are you coming with me today?"

"Yeah," he says as he walks out behind me.

The trip to Akademie von Klingenhügel is short. It's on the edge of our pack lands and the Mystics Falls Pack. It's about a 15-minute drive from where Jonas and I live at the Rudelhaus. He and his family live on the Beta floor, which is the third floor. My parents and I live on the fourth floor, which is where the Alpha family lives. The Gamma family lives on the second floor.

All of the ranked wolves' floors are on the left side of the Rudelhaus. The right side also has rooms on the second through fourth floors for guests and warriors who aren't married and want to live here instead of in separate homes. There is a big kitchen and dining room on the first floor, as well as a living room, a rec room, and conference rooms for big pack meetings. Omega wolves who want to live in the Rudelhaus can also stay on the first floor.

The Klingenhügel Rudel is the second largest pack in the country, with more than 500 members. And even though we're not the biggest, we're definitely the strongest.

My father is a strong Alpha, I am a strong Alpha heir, and we technically have two Wächter, but I've never met the daughter of the man and woman who saved my family's life. I've heard the stories my whole life.

My mom made a memorial for Lilli Neumann, the Wächter who died to save both my mom and me. She goes to the memorial at least once a week to leave fresh flowers and, as she says, to let Lilli know that her sacrifice was not in vain and is not forgotten. I silently thank Mrs. Neumann and promise to take care of Freya Keller for her.

Every week, my dad has dinner with Klaus Neumann. I tried to join my dad, but he says this is his time with Klaus. My mother doesn't even go with them.

Dad has been trying to get Klaus to be more involved in the pack for years, even offering him the job of lead trainer for our warriors, but he won't budge. At some point, he was given the name "The Broken Warrior." My father said he would punish anyone who called Mr. Neumann that name, but it didn't matter—the name stuck.

I get why. He was the best fighter in our group, but now he can't walk. For almost 13 years, he has used a wheelchair. He and his daughter live right on the edge of our pack lands, and we have told everyone in the pack to stay away from them. My mom says the daughter is about my age. I guess she spends all her time looking after her dad.

We park in the school lot and go inside the Akademie von Klingenhügel. Right away, women surround Jonas and me. All of them want to be the next Luna or Beta girl. Most people would just be happy to say they slept with one or both of us, and we're happy to let them. But I would never choose any of them to be my Luna unless she was my true love.

But it would be hard for me to take a partner who had happily slept with me and/or my Beta and who knows how many other men.

Is this a double standard? Yes. Do I care? Nope.

"Hey, Rik. Do you have any plans for the weekend?" a redhead asks. I think her name is Jessica, and I'm pretty sure she has slept with both Jonas and me. I know I'm right just by looking at Jonas.

“Not yet. Why?”

"Well, my friends and I are going to the Dunkelmond Club on Friday, and we were hoping you and Jonas could come with us. It will be a lot of fun."

She gives me a sexy look, and I know what kind of "fun" she means. I look at Jonas and we are on the same page right away.

"Yes, I believe we can do it."

It looks like I just gave her the best gift ever. "Great!"

She leans into her friend. "You won't regret it," she says softly.

I look at her. "I'm sure I won't."

They go down one of the side hallways, with Jessica walking backwards. “Goodbye, Alpha and Beta.”

I give her a wink. "Later."

Jonas looks over at me as we walk to class. "That sounds good."

I smile. "Definitely."

……

A group of friends and even more women are with Jonas and me after lunch. The girls are all talking about going dancing tomorrow night. It looks like half of my pack and half of the Mystics Falls Pack, which is led by Alpha Liam and is next door, are going to the club tomorrow night.

I have the feeling that someone is watching me. I look up, and I'm stuck in the most beautiful green eyes.

I can't breathe.

She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Her hair is brown and thick, her eyes are like emeralds, and her mouth is perfect for kissing. My wolf, Kain, stands up and pushes forward.

"Kain, what's going on?"

"I don't know... I like her," he says, and I swear his tail is wagging. Kain has never been interested in any woman before. This is something new.

I look to my future Beta. "Jonas, who is that girl?" I nod at her, and then a guy puts his arm around her neck and they leave.

Kain growls.

“What the hell, Kain?”

"I want to see her. Go say hello. We are better than that boy. We are Alphas."

"Hey man, calm down." We're in the middle of school.

I push him back, and Jonas says, "You mean the dark-haired girl?" I don't know, but she is definitely your type. You love curly hair.

He is correct. When a girl has those loose curls, I love it. It looks like silk.

He looks back at me. "Do you want me to find out?"

"No." I'll ask her myself when I see her again.

I smile at him and say, "I'll have her eating out of my hand by the end of the day." Then the bell rings and we all go to our next class.