Desert Force Academy

Good Impression

Kyra

I received the official offer to work at the Guardians’ pack two days before it was time to leave. I had started to get nervous with everything going on. When I was given the invitation, I looked at the date, realizing the alpha had held onto it for longer than necessary. There were eight of us selected to go, which was more than ever before; the alpha seemed happy. We got the standard lecture about behaving to impress, and then he ordered us not to discuss anything negative about our pack. I felt it as the order took effect, and it made me nauseous. I was grateful that I had called Madeline when I did. The drive away from my pack towards the Guardians' pack felt freeing. It had been a difficult morning at home, but the realization that I would be safe for the next few days made everything better.

I pulled up to the tall iron gate, admiring the intricate design, and stopped. I opened the door, stepping out of the vehicle. Usually, the window did not roll up once it was down. The man who greeted me smiled and was very energetic.

"Name?"

"Kyra Almeto." I replied.

"You're Madeline's friend. She’s been excited to see you all week. Make sure you go see her as soon as possible, I don't want to be in trouble for not telling you that. I'm Liam, by the way, and I'm happy to finally meet you." He chuckled and waved me on. I smiled at him and stepped back into the vehicle. If he was friends with Madeline, then I knew he was a good guy. I was directed where to park and escorted to a small room with two beds in it. I was the first to arrive. I quickly put my items away and stepped into the bathroom to change. I chose a basic long-sleeved t-shirt and pants. I pulled my top off and flinched at the black and blue bruising still scattered across my body. The bruising across my shoulder and upper left side was the worst of it from where I hit the ground. A parting gift of being thrown down the stairs by my father this morning, while I was preparing to leave. My wolf had done what she could to heal the broken ribs, but everything else would heal slowly.

I shook off the bad memories from this week and covered as much skin as possible. I headed to the packhouse. It was early, but I wanted to make a good impression, so I was hired to come back for other events. I knew Madeline could ensure it for me, but I wanted to earn it on my merit. I entered the kitchen side to see a bustle of activity. One woman was obviously in charge. This must be Mrs. Thomal, she was named in the paperwork I received.

“Excuse me, ma'am. My name is Kyra, and I'm here as a server, but I was wondering if you needed any extra help with preparations?" I asked, hoping to make a good impression.

"Yes! Thank you. This has been a little crazier than normal with some special guests this time." She set me to organize outgoing trays for the early luncheon being served alfresco and buffet style. Within a few minutes, I had a good rhythm and was helping speed along the process. That is where Madeline found me. She hugged me carefully, I'm sure she assumed correctly that I had been beaten before coming here.

I missed her so much it made my heart ache. She was like a sister to me. We had been through so much together. She told me I was going to be a godmother, which made me squeal with excitement, and then dropped a bomb. She told me she was never a wolf but was a dragon. We made plans to talk after dinner tonight, but this was a story I wanted to hear!

Serving dinner went by quickly, and most of the staff were trying to get a spot serving the alpha tables, but I was more than happy to stay at the lower-level tables. I disliked being around Alphas. The ones I had met were cruel, and all alphas had a reputation for always getting what they wanted, no matter what the cost. They were above the law, and I did not want to be around it.

Mrs. Thomal sent me away after the serving was completed, insisting that I had done enough and the clean-up crew was going to be arriving to finish up. I liked her; she reminded me of my boss Emma, strict but fair.

When I arrived at Madeline’s beautiful house, we curled up on the couch together with a couple of drinks. Mine were more adult than hers were, which I laughed about. She explained they had been in Scotland for the past couple of months, she had learned she was a rare red dragon and a royal one at that. She had never seemed to fit in, and now I knew why. Her mom, or as I learned, adopted mom, was a witch tasked with keeping her safe. It made a lot more sense. Her mom had caught my dad trying to make a deal to sell me when I was young, and she had forbidden him from ever doing it. He often looked like he wanted to, but the words would stick in his throat. She must have meant it in a powerful way when she stopped him. I will always be grateful to her for that. Madeline was happy, and I loved seeing her this way. She did figure out that I had been alpha ordered and was not able to talk about the pack, which made her mad. She wants me to stay here and said her alpha has already agreed to it. As much as I want to be here with her, that could start a war, and I don’t want anyone hurt protecting someone like me. We moved on from the subject and talked until she was tired from the pregnancy. I also needed rest for the following day, I planned to volunteer early and stay late again.

The girl I was sharing a room with snuck out to be with the warriors, so it was peaceful, and I was able to get a good night's sleep. I didn’t realize how much I slept in fight or flight mode until now.

The following day was full and busy. Mrs. Thomal had set me to various tasks with several others, and she was always good about checking to see if we needed breaks. By dinner time, everyone was once again pestering her about serving the high-end tables. I stayed back during that time, waiting for my assignment. I ended up serving some of the warrior tables for The Guardians Pack, which was fun. They were a lively bunch, joking and teasing each other. They were all polite, and I was impressed with this pack. Madeline had managed to find me and tackle me into a hug, making sure I was going to be at her house again tonight. I assured her, of course, I was.

The evening ended, and most of the servers had taken off feeling like their duties were done. I was helping with some finishing items when Mrs. Thomal asked me for a final task before retiring. She handed me a tray with a beautiful bourbon bottle and a crystal-cut glass on it, along with some snacks. She gave me directions to a house and told me to knock if there was no answer, just to open the door and set the tray on the coffee table. I agreed quickly, still working to make a good impression. The house was not far from the packhouse and on the way to Madeline’s house, so it was perfect. There was no answer when I knocked, so I carefully opened the door. It made me nervous, but I knew I was here on an assignment. The beautiful house was decorated in rich deep colors, and it smelled like crisp fall and warm cedar wood. I set the tray down and took a deep breath of the amazing smell once more before quietly closing the door and rushing to Madeline’s house.

This time, we sat in the kitchen while her mate, Johnathan, made us drinks. He was a massive man, which made sense since he was a war general. He was very intimidating at first, but once I saw how smitten he was with Madeline, I relaxed. It was plain to see how much he loved her. I was even able to joke with him about how fancy it was to have a famous war general serving me drinks. He left when there was a knock on the door while Madeline and I continued to talk.

I turned as I felt someone walk into the kitchen, and my eyes connected with the most gorgeous man I had ever laid eyes on. He was a big man, almost as big as Madeline’s mate. It took a split second for me to realize he was an alpha, and my blood turned to ice as his voice filled the room, “Mine.”

Fear gripped me as I tried to get away, and a wall stopped my escape….. “Please, no…..”