The Alpha's Oracle (SAMPLE, IronMoon #1)

Knees

  Gabel may have underestimated me, but I never underestimated him. I could not figure out if he was cruel, insane or misguided. Perhaps he was all of those things. But I never dismissed him.

"What's this?" I asked.

"A phone."

"I know that." I said, annoyed.

He gave me a look like an explanation would only confirm my stupidity, and then he walked away.

Back in Shadowless only ranked members had had phones. Or adults that "needed" them. Shadowless had thought that youngsters should be able to function without a GPS, or instant communication. Planning ahead, being resourceful, all those things. I had not given needing a phone much thought in Iron Moon. I had never needed one before.

I shuffled through the phone's contents. There wasn't much I hadn't expected. The only thing that seemed out of place was the large list of contacts. As I scrolled through them, an uncomfortable feeling took up residence in my belly.

I recognized some of the names. Alpha Jermian. My father. Alpha Anders. Alpha Travis. Hix. Flint. Even Platinum. Dozens of other names I didn't know. Were they ranked members of other packs?

Did all of Iron Moon have this information, or was this some kind of trap? It had to be a trap. Gabel had to be testing my loyalty. Because here was all I would ever need to betray Iron Moon.

I didn't have time just then to think about it. I was expected on the training field, and Master-At-Arms Flint did not suffer anyone being late.

Gabel watched from his office. He always watched. I knew he watched, even if he didn't want me to know, and even if he didn't want to watch. I didn't know if it was an unwanted instinct that compelled him to be worried about my safety, pure curiosity, disgust or hope that I would accidently die.

I was pretty sure he would have welcomed my death. It was hard to say, though. For all I angered him, I think part of him had started to enjoy the challenge. It wasn't just the Bond he had to fight. Now I was an adversary.

Trust me. I wasn't thrilled with the upgrade. I think things were less dangerous when Gabel had thought I would be his plaything. Any smart wolf would agree that being Gabel's adversary was akin to being his prey.

Part of me could not accept Gabel would ever turn on me. He was my Bondmate. There was the Bond between us. When that moment to bite through my neck came he wouldn't be able to do it.

Another part of me said to put no faith in faithless creatures.

It would have been much easier to put on my fairy princess hat and tell myself he wasn't such a bad guy, and he was just misunderstood and one day it would all end well. It also would have been a crock.

"You look grouchy today, Hix."

Hix always looked grouchy. He hated being my training partner, and my statement just made him glower more. It had become a ritual: I showed up to train, he glared, I told him he looked grouchy, he just became even grouchier.

His face compressed into a scowl. "Hello, Lady Gianna."

He was always polite too.

I had gotten used to the crowd the sessions attracted. I wasn't very good. I was laughably bad by anyone's standards. But I had heart, as Flint said, and that could not be taught. I had started to enjoy the training. Scratching and clawing and wrestling and fighting.

I feared it was Gabel's violent nature corrupting me.

So I told myself it was just that it made me feel powerful and because I got to choose. I would not have chosen even being in Iron Moon, so this was something I chose.