Alpha Kael

Chapter4

Serena’s POV

Morning in Thornwood started before the sun finished rising.

I was already awake when the packhouse stirred to life around me, footsteps filled the hall, there were low voices, the businesslike sounds of a pack that didn't waste time on slow mornings.

I washed my face in cold water, looked at my own reflection long enough to confirm that yes, I looked exactly as bad as expected, and went downstairs before anyone came to find me.

Rook was in the common room with two other patrol wolves and held a mug of coffee. When he spotted me, he excused himself mid-sentence, and crossed the room to get to me.

"You're up," he said.

I smiled a bit. "I told you I'd work for my stay."

Something in his expression shifted in support. "Okay… but breakfast first, then assessment."

My eyes darted. "What kind of assessment?"

"Skills assessment. All new members, permanent or temporary, must complete one in the first forty-eight hours." He then led me toward the kitchen and handed me a plate from the counter that had toasted eggs that looked practical and non-ceremonious. "Alpha's orders. Where you land determines your patrol slot." He glanced at me sideways. "Our ranking system doesn't carry over from other packs. You have to start from scratch."

I sat down at the long communal table. Around me, pack members ate and moved and talked in the low, purposeful register of people who had places to be. A few glanced my way but none stared.

"Fair," I said.

"Don't test too high," Rook added, sitting across from me. "The senior warriors have feelings about temporary members outperforming permanent ones."

"And if I test too low?"

"Perimeter detail with the juveniles for a fortnight." He passed the information without cruelty.

I ate my breakfast and said nothing.

The training ground was a broad clearing behind the packhouse. It had packed earth, short grass and the forest pressing close on three sides. A dozen warriors were already running drills when I arrived with hand-to-hand sequences, and footwork patterns. They had the clean synchronized movement of people who had trained together long enough to anticipate each other.

They were good. Better than I'd been quietly expecting.

A warrior named Sable ran the assessment that morning.

She was compact and dense with muscle, with watchful dark eyes and the particular economy of movement that belonged to people who had fought seriously and often.

She introduced herself with a handshake and outlined three assessment phases; combat sparring, endurance run, and controlled shift, then told me to stretch.

I stretched and breathed, making sure to keep my focus on the ground in front of me.

And then Kael appeared at the edge of the clearing.

My eyes caught him but I didn't see him running drills. He was standing at the tree line with his arms crossed, watching the training ground with the methodical attention of someone who clocked every detail. He was dressed for physical work though. He looked dark and straightforward, and there was a quality to his presence that made the whole clearing quietly aware of him without anyone acknowledging it out loud.

His gaze then found and settled on me.

My wolf went still.

‘Absolutely not,’ I told my wolf. ‘We are not doing that.’

I looked away and focused strongly on Sable.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.

The first sparring partner she sent at me had forty pounds on me and along with him was the easy confidence of a man who'd never been seriously challenged by someone my size.

He telegraphed his first move three steps ahead and charged at me, but I put him on his back in under four minutes, which was either impressive or embarrassing, depending on his standards.

He shook it off well though and gave me a grudging nod. I nodded my head too without a bother.

Sable then made a note on her clipboard without looking up.

I couldn't look at Kael though.

I was extremely careful not to look at Kael. My eyes wandered everywhere but him and suddenly landed on a blue-eyed young woman.

Her deep look at me got me thinking I would be placed under assessment with her but another look around changed that view.

I inhaled and exhaled as curiosity washed over me.