CHAPTER 5
1578 Words
SIENNA
“Is someone going to answer my question?”
Clay’s voice cut through the room.
I looked at him.
He was standing there calmly, but there was something in his expression that told me he wasn’t going to let this go.
I took a breath.
“Your son doesn’t like being told about his failings.”
Clay raised an eyebrow.
“His failings?”
He glanced towards Jackson.
“And what failings might those be?”
“The fact that he’s raising a pack full of bullies, for starters.”
Silence.
Clay’s expression changed.
He turned towards Jackson.
“Is there bullying happening within this pack that I’m unaware of?”
Jackson’s jaw tightened.
“She claims there is.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Clay’s voice remained calm.
“Is there?”
Jackson’s eyes hardened.
“I’ve never been made aware of any bullying.”
Clay looked back at me.
“Sienna?”
I met his gaze.
“Would you like to tell me what’s happening?”
I almost laughed.
“What would be the point?”
Clay frowned.
“I could stand here for hours explaining what’s happening at the school. I could tell you about the students. The teachers who watch it happen. The people who encourage it.”
I glanced towards Jackson.
“But none of it matters because the Alpha has already decided there isn’t a problem.”
Jackson’s face darkened.
“He’s chosen not to see it.”
My voice hardened.
“And when someone chooses not to see a problem, they don’t have to take responsibility for fixing it.”
Clay’s eyes narrowed slightly.
I could see he was listening.
Actually listening.
It was such a strange experience that I almost didn’t know what to do with it.
Jackson apparently did.
“That’s enough.”
His hand closed around my arm.
Pain shot through the bruises already covering it.
He started dragging me towards the door.
“Jackson.”
Clay’s voice was suddenly much harder.
“Where are you taking her?”
Jackson didn’t stop.
“The cells.”
I froze.
Clay’s expression turned dangerous.
“What?”
“She needs to learn some respect.”
Jackson continued dragging me.
“Twenty-four hours in the cells should be enough to make her appreciate just how good she has it here.”
My stomach dropped.
The cells.
I’d heard stories about them.
Everyone had.
“Sienna is twelve.”
Sara’s horrified voice came from behind us.
“You cannot put a child in the cells.”
Jackson ignored her.
“The conditions down there are horrific,” Sara continued, her voice rising. “There are murderers and rapists in those cells. You cannot put a child in there!”
She stepped forward.
“The Council would have you punished for this.”
Jackson finally turned.
“Only if they found out.”
Sara stared at him.
“I’ll make sure they do.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Then perhaps I should put you in there with her.”
I felt my stomach twist.
“Jackson!”
Clay’s voice thundered across the room.
He stepped forward.
“She is right.”
Jackson glared at him.
“You can’t put a child in those cells.”
“I am the Alpha.”
Jackson’s voice echoed through the room.
“I can do whatever the hell I want.”
I looked at Clay.
“You see what I mean?”
Clay’s eyes met mine.
Something passed between us.
Understanding.
Then he turned towards Jackson.
“I’ve heard enough.”
Jackson frowned.
“What?”
“Sienna is no longer your responsibility.”
Jackson stared at him.
“Excuse me?”
“From this moment forward, she is my responsibility.”
The room went silent.
Clay continued.
“She’ll attend school. She’ll study. She’ll spend time with her mother.”
He looked directly at Jackson.
“And whenever she isn’t doing one of those things, she’ll be with me.”
Jackson’s mouth dropped open.
“You can’t just take her.”
“Apparently I can.”
Clay’s voice was calm.
“But don’t misunderstand me. I’m not taking her away from Sara.”
He glanced towards her.
“She’ll still be here with her mother.”
Sara’s eyes filled with relief.
“But when she’s not here, she’ll be with me.”
Jackson stared at him.
“Doing what?”
Clay smiled.
“That’s none of your concern.”
He stepped towards us.
“I’ll keep her out of your way.”
Then he reached for my arm.
His hand closed around Jackson’s wrist.
With surprising ease, Clay pried his fingers away from me.
Jackson stared at him.
Clay looked at me.
“Come on, little one.”
I didn’t hesitate.
I followed him out.
For the first time since arriving in the Blood Moon Pack, someone had stood between me and the person hurting me.
And I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to cry…
or hug him.
⸻
We walked in silence.
Clay didn’t ask questions.
He didn’t lecture me.
He didn’t tell me I’d brought this on myself.
He simply walked beside me.
We eventually reached a large building set well behind the main pack house.
It wasn’t anything spectacular from the outside.
Just a large, plain building.
Clay pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.
“What is this place?”
“The pack training facility.”
He opened the door.
“Go ahead.”
I stepped inside.
My mouth fell open.
The building was enormous.
A huge open area dominated the centre, with enough space for dozens of wolves to train hand-to-hand combat.
On the left was a fully equipped gym.
Weights.
Benches.
Cardio equipment.
Everything a warrior could possibly need.
Along the right wall were floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
At the far end were three doors.
Clay noticed me staring.
“The door on the right leads to the locker rooms and showers.”
He pointed.
“The middle one is the sauna.”
Then he indicated the final door.
“And that one leads to the bathrooms.”
I slowly turned in a circle.
“This place is huge.”
Clay smiled.
“Pretty cool, huh?”
I nodded.
“Very cool.”
“So why are we here?”
He looked at me.
“I thought you might be interested in learning how to fight.”
I blinked.
“Fight?”
“If you’re right about what’s happening at school, then you need to know how to protect yourself.”
He gestured around the facility.
“And if you’re willing to learn, I’ll teach you.”
I stared at him.
“You’re serious?”
“Completely.”
“You’re going to train me?”
I could barely believe what I was hearing.
“Like the pack warriors?”
“Yes.”
My heart started pounding.
Nobody had ever offered to teach me how to fight before.
“But…”
Clay’s expression became serious.
“It won’t be easy.”
I nodded.
“You’ll work hard.”
Another nod.
“You’ll be exhausted.”
I nodded again.
“You’ll hurt.”
He smiled slightly.
“Some days you’ll hurt in places you didn’t even know existed.”
I laughed.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
He folded his arms.
“You’re twelve, but there will be days when you’ll be walking around like you’re eighty.”
I grinned.
“Okay.”
“I’m not finished.”
I stopped smiling.
“This will be physically demanding.”
He pointed towards my head.
“And mentally demanding.”
He looked me directly in the eyes.
“There will be days when you’ll want to quit.”
I swallowed.
“But I’ll keep going.”
“You’re sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Clay smiled.
“Then there’s only one question left.”
“What?”
“Are you up for the challenge?”
I didn’t even need to think.
“Definitely.”
Then another thought occurred to me.
“Will anyone else be training with you?”
“No.”
He answered immediately.
“Just you.”
Relief washed over me.
I didn’t want anyone watching me fail.
I didn’t want the people who had bullied me seeing me struggle to learn something new.
I certainly didn’t want Hayden or Sean anywhere near me.
Clay must have noticed the change in my expression.
“You’re relieved.”
“A little.”
He smiled.
“We’ll train when the facility is empty.”
I looked at him.
“You can do that?”
“Of course.”
“No spectators?”
“No spectators.”
I smiled.
“Thank you.”
Clay nodded.
“You deserve somewhere you can learn without worrying about who’s watching.”
Something tightened in my chest.
Nobody had said anything like that to me since I’d arrived here.
“So…”
I looked around the training room.
“When do we start?”
Clay smiled.
“How about now?”
My grin spread across my face.
“I like the way you think.”
And for the first time in weeks…
I was excited about something.
I had no idea what the future held.
I didn’t know how difficult this training would become.
I didn’t know how much it would change me.
But I knew one thing.
The next time someone decided I was an easy target…
I wasn’t going to be helpless.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD