Lycan's unexpected mate

The training

Atalanta

How I wish I could sleep peacefully. Johann is such a loud baby! I don't remember Oceanus or Helia being this loud when they were his age. I mean, I brought him to the palace three days ago and he would stay up all night and sleep during the day. But I don't have the luxury of sleeping with him due to my own duties. Because of that, I have discovered the effect of make-up because I cover the dark circles under my eyes so that people didn't talk. It's not so bad, but I need to learn how to use it properly when it isn't so prominent. Yet.

My life has fallen into a routine. Every morning, I would get up, get baby Johann cleaned and fed and then I would leave him with a nanny before going to training. We have obligatory training lessons every morning that last for three to four hours. Usually, we start at 6 but we have been granted one more hour of sleep these days. Then there is a shower, a light snack, taking care of Johann until lunch, having lunch, surfing on the Internet and browsing through books to try to find some more information about the rogue attacks, wolf families to take in Johann and the mysterious white wolf called Zeus. I keep thinking that he gave me a clue and not his real name. Then I feed Johann, let him fall asleep, spend some time with my family and friends, have dinner, only to come to my room late at night when I fall on the bed and sleep the moment my head hits the pillow. Of course, Johann wakes me up several times during the night. And in the morning, it starts again.

I sigh. Johann is bouncing on my lap while I wait for his formula to be warmed up. Then I feed and burp him. I look at the time only to see that it is 6:30 already. Thankfully, he didn't throw up today so I don't need to change. As I don't want to be late for the training, I take him and a few things and rush to the babysitter. She smiles at me and takes Johann, calling him "her little darling". She wouldn't call him that if she had to get up to him all night, I am sure.

I have the hair elastic band on my wrist and make a ponytail on the way to the gym. I'm fasting again which isn't good because Lycans have a very fast metabolism and I could deplete all my power sources, which could result in fainting. But I think that maybe this could help me learn how to manage my power. It's not like I have much strength remaining with taking care of Johann and this is only the fourth morning. I take my place in the back of the gym. Over the past days, I have moved further and further from the main guards, our Gamma's son Iamus and his mate Tyche. I know that it's of no use but I try to hide my weakness the best I can. As always.

I feel a little hungry but I know I have to make do without anything because this close to the training, I could return it and that would be so embarrassing! I feel I have weakened a little but still, I am among the strongest here. I look around and notice that my father has already arrived. This means that the training can start. He moves to the elevated platform across the room from me and looks at all of us warmly.

"Thanks for being here on time, again," he says and it earns him a few snickers and giggles. We are a mix of both males and females but females are a minority of about one quarter or one fifth. Usually, women train differently with more defence moves while we are trained for the offence.

"This is the last day we start in the gym. From tomorrow, we are meeting in front of the packhouse and we'll do lapses around the whole territory. Winter is coming so we need to get benefit from the colder days before temperatures drop below zero. It will prove beneficial if you are sent on a mission to help with an attack. Therefore, today we are going to revise everything we have learnt so far. I know that some of you are new to this, but that's why all of us train together. So that you can learn from one another. Don't be afraid to ask, nobody bites here," he finishes with a wink and the crowd bursts out laughing.

I chuckle as well but my mind is elsewhere. That's why when a young man taps my shoulder, I am caught off guard.

"If you are looking for someone else, I can find another partner for the warm-up," he says with an uncertain expression on his face.

"No, no . . . That's not . . ." I stammer. Then I take a breath and force a smile. "Of course, we can practice together."

He nods excitedly and manages to sway me with him. I look around only to see that we are almost the last ones to pair up. Many of the pairs are created with one older and one younger person. I look at the man in front of me and realise that he's one of the youngest in the training. Well, at least he won't beat me up.

We take the warm-up stance and start the usual exercises. Some push-ups, some pulling of the other, some twisting and turning. Then we trade a few harmless punches and kicks, of which not a single one lands. The man seems to enjoy himself and I am glad. My mind starts to drift away because I don't consider the man a threat. I start to think of the white wolf again and how he made me feel when he pressed me to the wall and whispered into my ear.

That's when it happens. The man I am sparring with tries an unexpected combination of a fake kick followed by a punch to my temple, which I couldn't foresee, and it all ends with him sweeping my legs. Needless to say, I end up flat on my back on the hard floor, black dots dancing in my eyes. I try shaking my head to clear my vision but I don't get up. People start to notice and suddenly the boy is tackled by Thaumas, who holds him right next to me, face down. My father appears by my side and I can feel that everyone has stopped the sparring and they are staring at the four of us.

I can hear my father say something but the words have a strange echo. He repeats it in worry and this time I catch what he is telling me. "Atalanta, are you hurt? What's wrong? Answer me, please."

I touch my injured temple and the back of my head and hiss in pain. But my vision is slowly clearing up. "This is going to leave a bruise," I whisper.

Father immediately pulls me to him and touches my head in the areas I have indicated. "That was one hell of a blow," he whistles. "Thaumas, let him go," he orders finally.

Thaumas unwillingly releases the boy who is trembling. "I . . . I did . . . I didn't mean to hurt our Princess," he admits.

I believe him. He was just lucky and I underestimated him. "I should have paid more attention," I tell him as I try to get up. However, the motion makes me sick and I am glad for my empty stomach. I am sure I've got white like a sheet of paper.

My father notices that I feel unwell, so he announces: "I think this is enough. You people return to training, Thaumas, Iamus and Tyche will make sure this session goes well."

Everyone obeys, they return to their sparring partners and turn away from us, although some are still glancing our way. Thaumas lingers with us but one look from my father and I believe a mindlink, and he's standing up and pulling my sparring partner with him. I slowly turn my head to my father and he gives me an unreadable expression. "And you, young lady, you are going to rest and sit this one session out."

I gape at him with my mouth hanging open.

"Oh, don't look at me like that." He gently pulls me in his arms and carries me along the wall to the exit from the gym. Luckily, the exit is in the back. I feel like a small child again. My father used to carry me to my bed whenever I fell asleep somewhere around the palace, and I used to snuggle close to him so both of us would end up in my bed till the morning. I can't believe that I am 199 and my father is still carrying me as if I weighed nothing. As everyone is training or having breakfast, the corridors are deserted.

Dad brings me to my room and lies me down on my bed. He covers me with a duvet and sits right next to me. "Will you tell me how that happened?" he demands finally.

I gulp and lift my shoulders up. "We were training and I think I missed where his next blow was aiming. He used his leg and then he must have hit me with his hand. But I don't recall it clearly."

My father studies my face and then he asks: "This doesn't seem like you, Tali. You aren't sleeping well, right?"

I give him a sad smile. "No. I barely catch a few hours here and there. Johann occupies most of my nights," I admit in a whisper, slightly slurring the sentences.

He flashes me a genuine smile. "Well, if I didn't know better, I would assume that you are meeting a significant other."

"You wish," I reply and I am shocked myself how slurred the two words are. My eyelids feel heavier every passing second.

My father stands up and kisses my forehead. "The boy may have caused you a mild concussion when you fell away from the mattress. Together with your exhaustion from Johann, I think it's best if we let you sleep it off and let Diana heal you. And remember, you don't need to carry the burden yourself, we are here to help."

He pulls away and holds my hand. "I have prepared some documents for you to revise so once you feel better, you can go through them."

I nod slightly, trying to keep everything in my head.

"And one last thing. From now on, if you don't have breakfast and feel strong enough to train in the morning, I am going to train you personally in the afternoon. Is that understood?"

I blink at him several times. I can't believe he would do that!

"Is that understood?" he says again, this time using his Alpha voice.

I whimper as Diana submits to Pontus, my father's Lycan, and I whisper: "I understand, Alpha."

"That's my girl. Now, try to rest and we'll talk more when you wake up." With that, he walks to the door.

Once he's standing in front of it, his hand ready to open the door, I can't help but call out: "Dad, can you stay with me like when I was small? Just for a while before I fall asleep?"

He looks at me with fatherly care before his eyes cloud over. I am sure he is mindlinking someone. Then his eyes clear and he returns to my bed and pulls me to his chest, hugging me like a protective shield. He covers both of us with the duvet and caresses my cheek and my hair.

"You will always be my baby girl, Atalanta. And I will never let anything bad happen to you," he whispers to my hair and I push closer to him. I feel loved and secure and at home. With that in mind, I let the darkness take me to the realm of dreams.