Born of a Broken Warrior

CHAPTER 2

When I walk through the halls of my Akademie von Klingenhügel between classes, my fellow warriors call out to me. I wave back and say hello. My best friend Lucas runs to catch up with me.

"Hey Little Badass, what are you going to do after school?"

"Don't call me that, Lucas." That name makes me angry.

"Well, I've got news for you: everyone on the team is calling you Little Badass after what you did yesterday. You'd better get used to it."

I stop and look at Lucas. "Please tell me you're kidding!" I can tell by the look on his face that he's not joking. Well, damn!

"Anyway," he says, "after school?"

"Oh, okay. I'm just hanging out with Dad like I always do.

"And by 'hanging out,' you mean training?" Is that your secret? You get to train with the toughest person this pack has ever known?

I stop and look at my friend who I've known for a long time. I can see Alpha Adolf and his group of women out of the corner of my eye.

I nod my head in Alpha Adolf's direction and say, "I see the harem is still growing." I don't answer Lucas's question about training with my dad.

He's right; I do work out with my dad. Every day. I know what I have to do; it's been set for me since the day I was born. I have to be the strongest, fastest, and most powerful warrior in the pack, even better than my mom and dad. I want to protect the Alpha one day, just like my dad did.

The only thing I don't like about that is that our future alpha doesn't even know me. What kind of alpha doesn't know the daughter of the man and woman who are the only reason he and his family are alive? He can be the man w***e he wants to be because of what my parents did for him. And lucky me, one day I get to protect that piece of an alpha.

I get that the alpha wants to show off how great he is, but don't get me wrong. That's what alphas do. And to be honest, Alpha Adolf has everything. He has midnight black hair that almost reaches his shoulders. He had a full beard and mustache that were cut short. And those blue eyes, which are a shocking color, like a glacier, that stand out against his tanned skin. His 6'4" frame has broad, muscular arms and shoulders that look good on him. His waist is sharp V-shaped, and his hips and legs are strong. Every single female in our Klingenhügel Rudel and every other nearby pack wants to be the next Luna. And if not the future Luna, at least to get the attention of the beautiful alpha, which is why there is a harem.

I watch him stand among his followers, giving off an air of arrogance and power. His name even means brave. Brave and strong. It's something that happens with our alpha family. All of the men's names come from words that mean brave or courageous. And so far, it works. Our pack is strong; it's one of the biggest and strongest in the country. Our Alpha is a strong leader who sets a good example. But he is also kind and fair, which is what you want in a leader.

But as for our future alpha, let's just say the jury is still out.

He is definitely strong. I've seen him train, and he's a beast. That's what alpha genes will do for you. If I'm going to be his protector, I need to be smarter and work harder than any alpha. Not only that, but I'm a pretty small woman, standing at 5'4" and being fit. But that just means that my opponents don't think I'm as good as I am. My fellow warriors know that I am not an easy target. At one point or another, I've beaten all of them. They respect me, and so does Alpha Alaric.

He trains us in the morning before school, which is when I go. I train with my father in the afternoons, when the other warriors are training with Alpha Adolf.

But I will not be one of Adolf's fans. It could be my own arrogance, but I'm pretty sure I'll be his Wächter one day. I don't want to be just another notch on his bedpost. And really, show some respect. For your own sake, or at least for the sake of your future partner.

There is a partner for everyone. And I don't want to hurt mine by being on a long list of flings. Before I even met him, I knew he was the one for me.

"It's a good thing we agree on this," my wolf Artemis says. "I wouldn't forgive you if you hurt our friend." I can't wait until I'm 18 so we can find him.

My wolf is a lot more excited about this than I am.

When I turn 18 and become a Wächter, I'll have to spend a lot of time with Adolf. Unless, and this is important, I meet my mate and he is from a different pack. Then my loyalty changes.

That's why Alpha Alaric wants my mate to come from our pack. My dad and I are a big part of what makes our pack so strong.

But lately... I've been flirting with Alpha Liam, the leader of the Mystics Falls Pack.

He's 24 years old and hasn't found his mate yet either. He knows I'm waiting for mine. He understands that, but he hasn't stopped being interested.

I know I've been zoning out and Lucas is still talking while I've been looking at Alpha Adolf.

He suddenly looks right at me.

His ice-blue eyes lock onto mine, and it feels like a shock of electricity.

What the...

I can hear Artemis purring.

"Artemis?" What the hell?

"I don't know... maybe it's because he's an alpha?"

"Really? Not you too?

"It's instinct." I can't help it.

I close her out and look away, then turn back to Lucas.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Freya, are you even paying attention? I said that the harem gets bigger as Alpha Adolf's birthday gets closer. Everyone thinks they will be his friend.

“Yeah, but there can be only one,” I say, trying my best to sound like a Highlander.

Lucas laughs and pulls me toward class with his arm around my neck.

We pass by a few members of the pack.

"Hey, Little Badass!"

"Little Badass!"

Good. It's official.

"Just accept it, Freya." If the nickname fits...

"Okay, fine." "Not like I have a choice."

"That's the way to go. So, back to what I asked.

“Which one was it?”

"Really? What are you going to do after school?

"Oh, right. It's Thursday. You know that Alaric comes over for dinner.

Alpha Alaric has been having dinner with my dad every Thursday since I was a kid. This is how he honors my father's sacrifice.

He wanted to leave the pack after my mom died and my dad couldn't walk anymore. Alpha Alaric built us a house on the edge of the territory instead. It was close enough to stay in the Klingenhügel Rudel, but far enough away that my father didn't have to deal with everything he lost every day.

We still guard our part of the northern border.

It gives him a reason to live.

At the very least... I hope it does.

Lucas says, "I forgot it was Thursday." "Are we still going to the Dunkelmond Club tomorrow night?"

"Yes. Always ready to let off steam.

"Perfect."

I let out a sigh as we walk into class.