Whole Again

An Alpha's Proposal - Landry

I cover my mouth as I mask yet another yawn. It’s safe to say I didn’t sleep well last night. Between the previous night’s nightmare, my dad’s unexpected and unwelcome appearance and the thoughts and feelings it brought out in Jennifer, I couldn’t get a wink of sleep.

Maybe I’m callous for saying this, but I don’t miss my dad. I love him because he’s my dad and he’s all I have left, but I don’t like him. After my mum passed away he wasn’t the same dad anymore. He tried to raise a warrior, but that’s not the life I wanted. Nothing I did was ever good enough, and while my dad never laid a hand on me, he belittled me every single day. On top of that, he always went on and on about how Omegas are the worst thing to ever happen to the mutolupus species, that they are weak and useless and only good for destroying whoever is unlucky enough to be fated to them. I could never understand why he hated them so much. I still don’t.

Jennifer may be an Omega, but she’s the best and kindest person I’ve ever met, and while Jennifer may be weaker, it’s not because she’s an Omega. It’s because of trauma caused during her birth, which really could happen to any of us. I’ve met the Alpha’s grandmother, Luna Sorrell, who is also an Omega, and I know for a fact if my dad tried saying any of this to her, she’d deck him. She’s quite short, and as much as everyone loves her, they also fear her wrath. I’ve seen her make warriors over 6 feet tall cower in front of her, and I’ve seen her join in on training. Even at her age, no one has been able to bring her down during training, a few warriors walked away with broken noses for trying. So, I don’t know why my dad has this misconception, but I wish he never drilled it into my head. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have hurt Jennifer the way I did.

I lean back against the bleachers as I continue to watch today’s pack training session while I closely monitor the Alpha’s water bottle as I keep it placed between my feet. A few months ago – while I was serving my punishment here – one of the pack members poisoned her water canister with wulfenite and nearly killed her, so now I kind of act like a bodyguard. I’m not a fighter or anything, but I like to think that my presence and keeping an eye on everyone’s things at least deter people from doing something they shouldn’t.

I look up, broken from my thoughts as I hear the sounds of snarling. I look over at the training field and see the Alpha’s wolf Zara surrounded by five other wolves of varying sizes. Zara looks calm as she stands taller than every other wolf on the field at 6’5”. She doesn’t look vicious, but majestic. Regal almost. Standing proudly like a true leader.

It takes only half a second for all the wolves to attack at once, and I hold my breath as I wait to see what will happen. Just as the wolves lunge at Zara, she lunges forward grasping one wolf by the throat with her canines, thankfully avoiding any vital arteries. While she keeps her hold on the one wolf, she uses her hind legs to kick two approaching wolves right in the kisser, and then tightens her grip on the wolf locked between her teeth and spins him around, using his body like a wrecking ball to plough through the other wolves.

My heart is pounding, my fingers are fisting the towel held in my hands, and I can’t seem to take in air. I’m glued to the fight like it’s the World Championship of some extreme sport. The wolves manage to shake themselves off and get back up to fight her, but she’s no longer surrounded. She takes them out one by one, but not without them getting in a few scrapes themselves. It definitely doesn’t indicate a weakness on her part, but just the chances given the numbers she was against.

I break my eyes away to look around the field at all the other wolves training; all of them doing the same exercises on how to defend against group attacks. The coolest part is that we’ve also got some of the nagata in training, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Their fighting style is completely different. Apparently, most of them can shift from human to snake and even to half-snake/half-human, but not all of them. It’s amazing to watch, and a little scary. When you think about it, there are supernaturals wandering all over this earth and I’m amazed more of them don’t end up on the 6 o’clock news.

After the morning’s gruelling training session comes to an end, everyone who had shifted begins shifting back and getting dressed. I stand and grab Alpha Amelia’s towel and water bottle as she approaches with a warm smile.

“I take it no one tried to poison me today?” She says, taking the water bottle as I hand it to her.

“That’d be a first,” snorts Beta Vitali as he passes by, causing the Alpha to smile as she sips her water.

“I promise no one went near it,” I assure her, handing her her towel.

She takes it and begins dabbing the sweat from the back of her neck. “You’ve been with us four months now, you should be joining these sessions, Landry.”

I was really hoping to avoid this.

“I know it’s a requirement in the pack, it’s just… I’m really no good at this stuff. It’s just not for me. I’m not a warrior and I don’t want to be,” I say sheepishly.

“Even Jennifer attends training, and she’s far from a warrior and she can’t shift,” Alpha Amelia points out.

“She’s got a point Landry. If Pixie can do it, why can’t you? You can do it together. Consider it a bonding experience,” says Matthan enthusiastically.

“My dad always forced me to train, and I always hated it,” I say with a disgruntled tone.

“Landry, we don’t ask people to train to keep them ripped and buff. We’re not human and we’ve already had one war in recent months. Imagine the casualties if no one was trained to defend themselves,” she says with deep concern.

“I think you training the pack is amazing, and I’m so glad Jennifer knows how to defend herself, though I hope she never finds herself needing to. But I’m terrible at this stuff, you can even ask my dad. He’ll tell you how useless I am. Matthan can hold his own, but I’m hopeless,” I sigh.

Alpha Amelia steps forward and places a comforting hand on my shoulder, “You can’t rely on Matthan for everything. You’re a team. He should be able to rely on you just as much as you on him. I saw what happened yesterday. Matthan stepped forward not just to protect Jennifer, but to protect you.”

I look down as shame comes over me. She’s right. The moment dad got in my face I shrank away, and Matthan came to my rescue like he always does.

“I’ve always got your back Landry, you know that. There’s no shame in needing me. I’ll never just sit back and let someone scare you like that,” he reassures me.

“But she’s right. I couldn’t even stand up to him for Jennifer’s sake. What kind of man does that make me?”

“It makes you a teenager who is still growing up and learning and there’s no shame in that. Anyone expecting you to have the knowledge and skills of a grown adult is a moron,” he huffs.

“I should have defended her better,” I say glumly.

“Don’t put yourself down, and I’m sorry if my words made you feel like you didn’t do enough. Landry, even though you were scared, you still shielded her and refused to let your dad speak badly to her. I think that says a lot. Standing up to someone you’re afraid of is not easy to do, and you did that. Don’t sell yourself short,” she says with an encouraging smile.

“I should have done more. I could have fought him or something,” I say in frustration.

“Did you see me raise a hand to your father?” She asks.

“No, but you’re an Alpha.”

“So?” She chuckles, “He didn’t give a s**t that I was an Alpha. Men like him are always trying to prove they’re stronger with their fists. The best way to beat them is not to give them what they want.”

“I think that would just result in my face getting caved in,” I say pessimistically.

She nods thoughtfully. “That’s probably true. Look, I respect that you don’t want to be a warrior and fighting isn’t your thing, but at the very least I would like you to have some one-on-one training with Gamma Tyson.”

My eyes blow wide as saucers as I look over at the tall wall of dark muscle. He’ll crush me like a pancake!

“I couldn’t even take my dad, there’s no way I can take on Gamma Tyson,” I say with a fearful gulp.

“Training with Tyson isn’t about teaching you to be violent or how to hurt someone or get hurt. It’s about building your confidence which I really think is what you need. With the right confidence and training, it will make you strong enough to protect what matters to you. Landry, you’re a good guy. You deserve to feel good about yourself too,” she says, squeezing my shoulder.

I take in a deep breath and think those words over. ‘Strong enough to protect what matters’. Jennifer matters to me more than anything, and if my dad had wanted to hurt her, I would have been helpless to stop him. I’d have just had to hope that Matthan could take him and that’s not fair to Matthan or Jennifer. I promised to be a man worthy of her, and that means someone who can take care of her when she needs it. She deserves to feel safe with me. And I have to admit, it would be nice to be able to stand up to my dad without shaking like a leaf.

I suck in a deep breath and pull my shoulders back mustering up all the courage I have. “I’ll do it.”

Alpha Amelia gives me a large smile and pats my arm, “That’s the spirit!” She looks over at Gamma Tyson and calls him over. He ends his conversation and jogs over to us casting a shadow over me with his gigantic size. He even eclipses Alpha Amelia, but she doesn’t cower to his size or even look remotely affected.

“She’s an Alpha. Size doesn’t determine strength. She knows she can take him, and he knows that too. They’re both confident, but also self-aware,” Matthan informs me.

“I don’t think I’ll ever have that level of confidence.”

“Of course not, you’re not ranked. But Alpha is right, I think this will be really good for you. I even think it will help with your nightmares,” he says kindly.

“You really think so?” I ask hopefully.

“Sometimes developing physical strength can help build mental strength, just as much as building mental strength can build physical strength.”

If private training could rid me of my nightmares and help mould me into a better man for Jennifer, that is more than enough reason to do this.

“What’s up?” Gamma Tyson asks cheerfully.

“I would like you to set up private training sessions between you and Landry here. I think it would do him a world of good,” Amelia says optimistically.

“It’s about time. I’ll have him Invictus ready in no time,” says Gamma Tyson enthusiastically.

“Keep in mind this isn’t about making him a fighter, I want you to help build his confidence,” she instructs.

“Then you have definitely come to the right place,” he grins, “Let’s get started,” he says, rubbing his hands together.

“Wait, NOW?” I shriek. I’m not ready!

“No time like the present. Plus everyone is clearing out, so you don’t have to stress about people watching. Come on. We’ll do a couple drills so I can see where you’re at skill-wise,” he says as he walks off into the centre of the field while I feel my heart drop to my toes.

“Don’t worry, he won’t go too hard on you, not until you’re ready,” Alpha Amelia says giving me a gentle nudge forward.

I slowly walk to the centre of the field feeling my hands turn cold as ice. What the hell have I just agreed to?