The Alpha's Pride

5

“No. Not like that!” Noir commanded loudly. He scared the birds from the surrounding trees, forcing them to take flight. Immediately, I froze in my tracks and looked up at him. He was standing on one of the larger branches of the oak tree. His arms were crossed while he stared down at me. I could feel myself shiver beneath the intensity of his gaze.

He was still teaching me the first lesson of stealth. It has been 4 days since we began. I didn’t know that Noir was such an intense teacher. I knew he trained my mother for a time, but I had no idea what that entailed. He would teach me from dawn until midnight every day. For Noir, there was no such thing as a rest day. If he saw you sitting for more than a few moments, he would extend your training.

It was difficult. My entire body felt like a fire had been lit inside. My muscles burned to a depth I once thought impossible. And yet here I am. I could already tell a difference, so I couldn’t say the strict routine wasn’t working. I could run faster, my stomach looked flatter than usual. I was beginning to develop an athletic shape.

Noir jumped from the 12-foot-tall branch, landing lightly on the dirt. His landing barely made any sound. The only noise that occurred was a slight crunch beneath the front of his foot. It was so quiet, however, it would easily be dismissed in your mind.

“You must run with the tip of your feet, heels are noisy.” He positioned his foot, his weight bearing at the front of his foot while slightly lifting his heel on the ground. “It will sound like this.” He stated simply. He pushed off of the dirt and became a fast blur around me. He sounded like nothing more than a light breeze as he went, just as he showed me for the last 4 days. Still, it didn’t get old.

“If I ran with my foot like that it would break my foot.” I raised an eyebrow at Noir, who remained utterly casual, shrugging his shoulders.

“So you just run with broken feet. You’re a wolf, you’ll heal. I have broken my bones so much I have lost count. You will learn to handle the pain. You will learn to be able to run with breaks just as I have.”

“Are you sure that it’s not one of your crazy demon powers?” I sighed. My feet felt as if they would fall off at any moment. Noir tilted his head as he thought for a moment, looking somewhat surprised at the concept I had offered up.

“Possibly. I have never thought about the power difference.” He mumbled to himself, his thumb resting on his chin as he thought to himself. The light was beginning to fade from the sky. On cue, my stomach began to growl, begging me to give it nourishment.

Maybe he will finish early today to think about my limits.

“Try it with your shoes off. They may be stopping your feet from breaking properly.”

Of course not.

I sighed to myself, digging my fingers into the laces of my shoes. I forced them undone, stepping out onto the hard mixture of dirt and rock. My feet were red and swollen, turning to fire as soon as the crisp air touched them. Noir looked down at my feet for a moment, before nodding to himself.

“I knew it. Your feet are not broken in the front. Try it once. If you are still not able to run quietly, I will put it down to you not being a demon.”

In the blink of an eye, he was back to the large oak branch, resting casually against the tree's trunk. He nodded down to me, allowing me to start. I crouched slightly, positioning my front foot in the exact position he had described hundreds of times before. It felt, better. The positioning felt much less restrictive. Small pebbles dug into my feet as I looked forward, slowing my breathing.

“Now,” Noir commanded. I immediately pushed off towards the depths of the forest, focusing on my position of feet. As I landed on my other foot, I felt the entirety of the front shatter beneath my full weight. A sharp pain shot up my leg, followed closely by my other foot as I continued to push forward. I began to grit my teeth in an attempt to make it through the pain. I listened intently to my footsteps, and yet I could hardly hear them, just as I was unable to hear Noirs. I rounded a thick brushed elm, turning back towards where I went. I glanced over, surprised by the lack of tracks I had left behind. I wasn’t even a wolf!

I skidded to a stop in front of a large oak tree. I dropped to my knees. The pain in my feet was becoming overwhelming. I gritted my teeth harder in an attempt to stay silent. I looked at Noir. He was leaning against the trunk of the tree, standing on the large thick branch.

Huh. I thought he would’ve followed me.

I watched silently as he hopped down, landing silently on his feet.

“Good. Now we just have to worry about speed.” He nodded his head to himself “lay back and let me see how your feet handled the pressure.”

Obediently, I lay backwards. I pulled my feet to the front of me, releasing a pained groan. My feet throbbed as Noir inspected them closely, poking and prodding at my soles.

“You have broken all of the bones in your forefoot, you snapped your midfoot as well,” Noir spoke casually, completely unfazed.

“That’s insane. I can’t constantly be breaking my feet.” I growled in desperation. This was a pain I would never want to feel again. And yet Noir was talking as if I had scraped my knee.

“It’s normal. It will be healed by tomorrow. Come, let’s get some takeout. It will help you feel better.” Noir motioned for me to stand, disappearing into the dark forest towards the village. I staggered back to my feet, a low growl releasing my lips. Though I guess I had to count my blessings, it was only 9 pm instead of midnight. Maybe I’ll even get to sleep longer tonight.

The village was brimming with life. Couples walked down the sidewalk holding one another’s hands. Others were getting some last-minute shopping done. Noir weaved expertly through the crowd unannounced. Meanwhile, I limped behind, catching the gaze of curious onlookers. Of course, I would. I have two broken feet and a back covered in dirt. I kept my head down, avoiding the townsfolk’s gazes in my direction. Noir turned into a popular diner, delicious scents wafting out from the building as he pulled the door open. I quickly followed him inside, limping to the booth that Noir was seated in. He was looking over the menu as I slid across from him into the booth. At our side, a large window overlooked the busy street. I opened up my menu, gazing over the countless options of food I would be able to eat. My mouth watered in anticipation. Everything here sounded better than Noirs chicken and veggies.

"What can I get for you Dolls?" A short waitress with short black hair made her way up to the table. Her notebook was in one hand with a dull pencil in the other. Noir dropped his menu, giving the waitress a sly grin.

"I'm going to have your famous fried chicken with a side of that peach pie." He spoke as he passed the menu back to her. She smiled gratefully, quickly jotting down his order.

"What kinda drink, sugar?"

"Grab me one of your favourite beers here," he retorted. She nodded her head in response, turning her head towards where I was sitting.

"And what about you, Doll?" She gave me a warm smile, nodding for me to go ahead. I glanced up at her, giving her a similar smile.

"I'll get your bacon cheeseburger, with a side of onion rings." I gave her a smile, returning the menu to her.

"You got it, sugar."

She turned onto her heel, scuttling towards the kitchen. Noir turned his attention toward me. He watched the comfort on my face for a few moments. I looked out at all of the people seated throughout the restaurant. Some were laughing while others looked serious. The tiny village I once knew had certainly raised its population. It was no longer a quaint village. Now, it is more of a small town.

"Hey Noir." I looked back at Noir, believing this was as good of a time as any to bring up the thoughts that plagued me. "Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?" Noir tilted his head slightly, curious about my question.

"I mean, you legitimately hate wolves. And yet here you are helping them." My voice dropped as I spoke, hoping that no one around us would hear what we were saying. Noir looked at me for a few moments, the cogs turning in his head as he attempted to figure out an answer to my question.

"It means I would lose you and your mother."